Understanding Barbel by Fred Crouch

[Pyrethrum5]

Thanks Paul - I better start saving now......

Regards,

Mark

[Fred Bonney]

Hi Fred,

Thank's for pointing me in the direction of Fred's autobiography. It's not a title that I was aware of - the proverbial 'missed bite'! :o(

A quick google reveals only leather bound copies, all in excess of £100. Only 250 of these editions were ever made. Do you know if it was ever published in 'normal' hardback?

Kind regards,

Mark

Freds autobiography was only published in the leatherbound versions and not in a standard hardback . It is a very well written account of his angling life .

What he said! And with some very fine illustrations too.

[Leveller]

Mark, this book gets afew sniggers and abit of ridicule usually from the masses who fish the same pegs for the same fish , the secret squirrels who walk around the river a couple of days after the season starts to see where the grass has been flattened so they can find the pegs ! You get the idea.

I had been fishing the dove for two years and I never even saw a barbel, I read this book afew times until it sunk in, the following year I caught around twenty barbel, the year after one hundred and eight!

I've got a lot of time for Fred he thinks on a different level from every one else.
The information in the book will never be dated unlike all the other "method" books.

Good luck with it Mark


Ps Fred crouch reel, the wide drum match ( my first one) , I sent him back because it didn't spin, the second one had a useless ratchet but I got fed up of it at this point, years later a master reel maker told me the reel ratchet was installed totally incorrect so it now works properly for the first time,

Although the concept of the wide drum aerial match is good , in my opinion it was not a well made reel , which is a shame!

[Fred Bonney]

Understanding Barbel has the amazing statement that water is a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen!

Similar quotes in the John Searl dvd's!! Must be something in it then

[Paul Cook]

Mark, this book gets afew sniggers and abit of ridicule usually from the masses who fish the same pegs for the same fish , the secret squirrels who walk around the river a couple of days after the season starts to see where the grass has been flattened so they can find the pegs ! You get the idea.

I had been fishing the dove for two years and I never even saw a barbel, I read this book afew times until it sunk in, the following year I caught around twenty barbel, the year after one hundred and eight!

I've got a lot of time for Fred he thinks on a different level from every one else.
The information in the book will never be dated unlike all the other "method" books.

Good luck with it Mark


Ps Fred crouch reel, the wide drum match ( my first one) , I sent him back because it didn't spin, the second one had a useless ratchet but I got fed up of it at this point, years later a master reel maker told me the reel ratchet was installed totally incorrect so it now works properly for the first time,

Although the concept of the wide drum aerial match is good , in my opinion it was not a well made reel , which is a shame!

My sentiments exactly . The book is written with the idea of one mans experience on the study and capture of Barbel and to dispel the myths that surround a lot of what is found in this branch of the sport . It is simple angling , no fancy rigs just pure watercraft and common sense . It may seem a little eccentric in parts but Fred does think outside the box which may add a little debate to the book and of course be a little questionable at times but on the whole it helped my barbel angling improve and I found that his methods have always worked for me and many others .

[Dave Burr]

Mark, this book gets afew sniggers and abit of ridicule usually from the masses who fish the same pegs for the same fish , the secret squirrels who walk around the river a couple of days after the season starts to see where the grass has been flattened so they can find the pegs ! You get the idea.

Fred's book drew sniggers and ridicule before there was an army of wannabe barbel heros on our banks, one of the main protagonists was Trefor West and he didn't follow anybody. Its Fred's pseudo science that misses the mark for many, his notion that barbel grow bigger than roach 'because they live longer' for example. I also spent hours and hours discussing his theory that barbel have no sense of smell or sense capable of detecting smell/flavour from a distance.

But as I said, and I wrote Fred on the subject, even if its only to form an alternative view, reading Fred's ideas or talking to him will always promote further thought and a thinking angler is always on the right track.

[Mark]

Very pleased I have purchased the book but wish I had not said anything on here.

[RBTraditional]

Yes it would appear that there are a few heretics on here Mark. It's a great book by a lovely bloke, who really does keep it traditional and simple......enjoy!

[Dave Burr]

Sorry Mark, I was only stating an opinion.

You'll have no controversy over Stoney's book - enjoy

[Fred Bonney]

Very pleased I have purchased the book but wish I had not said anything on here.

It all makes for discussion Mark I'm sure you don't want it too tame on here...do you?
I've always thought, if you don't make a comment( just in case) you can at times let misleading information be passed off as fact.