What was your first fishing book?

[MGs]

Not so much a book as a folder. Jonathan Webb's Angling



I still have it.

I read books before this but they all belonged to my Dad

[Olly]

So have I - always meant to frame the fish.

[MaggotDrowner]

Mine was by the man John Wilson and called “The Complete Coarse Fisherman” it was new when I got it so I would have been around 12. I treated it as my bible for many years.

Mine too. When I was younger it was the book I most often pulled from the shelves to learn from. I liked it because it explained things in simple words and the diagrams were good. A great book. Although, to this day, I don't know the name of any of the knots I tie while fishing.

[Tengisgol]

My first fishing book was 'The Shell Book of Angling'. My father worked in Shell Centre and bought it in the Shell shop.

The floats though will be of interest to Bluelabel, the top one is the original and belonged to Bernard Venables. It was designed to fish the Lily Pad Hole on the River Beane for the monster roach, as per the chapter in 'Favourite Swims'. I have a strong hunch I know who made it as well but can't be certain. The second one is a replica built by Andrew Field and I used it once to catch some tench, so it does work!

The Shell Book of Angling is a tremendous book and I know pretty much every word (in the Coarse section at least!) with a second-to-none cast list of contributors.

[NiceRoach]

Lovely book http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Angling-Ways- ... 4d0e405203 but there are much less expensive options out there.

[Northern_Nomad]

This was the first book I had. It was a birthday present.



I read it cover to cover, time and time again to master the knots in there. Lots of other good general tips as well and this started my interest in tackle tinkering which had stayed with me to this date. It contained everything from knot tying, float making, mounting fish, net making and dressing flies.



8 shillings and sixpence. I think I got my moneys worth out of it

[Snape]

I recall having some books by WE Davies as shown on this thread but I can't recall which ones.
In the mid to late 70s I collected all these and have them on the book shelf.

[Luke]

Tench by Jim Gibbinson (part of the Successful Angling Series) was the first book of my own. Still have it sitting on the shelf and it still gets the occasional flick through.

[Aitch]

I recall having some books by WE Davies as shown on this thread but I can't recall which ones.
In the mid to late 70s I collected all these and have them on the book shelf.

I have all 3 volumes of that one sir.... still have a read occasionally... it helps to look back at older methods and styles and try something different (from the established norm) today

[Snape]

I recall having some books by WE Davies as shown on this thread but I can't recall which ones.
In the mid to late 70s I collected all these and have them on the book shelf.

I have all 3 volumes of that one sir.... still have a read occasionally... it helps to look back at older methods and styles and try something different (from the established norm) today

I have the 2 volumes in binders and then the advanced handbook still loose.
Yes, I still refer to them.