Influence of Salmon Fishing Writers

[greenalert]

Thanks guys

1984 version reserved, look forward to it

[sinkingtip]

You are welcome GA - enjoy and learn from a truly great writer and man. If you can find it, The Stolen Years is also well worth a read - not specifically a fishing book but well worth the read and extremely funny. ;D

[greenalert]

Found it

Reserved!

Thanks

Author Falkus, Hugh.
Title The stolen years.
Edition 2nd ed.
Publisher H F & G Witherby, 1979.
Bib Id 165538
ISBN 0854931309 :
Shelved at B FAL

[jock]

All the books I have read have been written by salmon anglers. There is a wealth of knowledge out there among the Ghillies and guides. It would be nice to see a book with their take on salmon fishing.

As technology moves on a book on modern methods,equipment and the techniques used in different parts of the world for Atlantic salmon. Like a previous contributor I have no in depth knowledge of Scandinavian methods. This forum does a good job but a book to sit down and read has its place.

[jock]

Altmor, I just finished my post and then read your one. Great minds think alike?

[elwyman]

springer said:

That said I digress a little but "Who are todays Salmon fishing legends that we would aspire to learn from"?

There doesn't seem to be the "trumpet blowers" of yesteryear.

Good questions Alan.

I think the lack of trumpet blowers is possibly because not many people can afford to be "gentleman anglers", like Oglesby and Falkus - by that I mean spending all their time fishing and having the time to experiment while catching loads of fish.

Angling has become much more commercialised and most well known angling figures have links with tackle manufacturers, so their advice might well be biased towards their paymaster.

I get the impression that more innovative ideas have started to creep into salmon angling in the last few years, but it is still a very traditional sport, and is still some way behind the great advances made in other branches of fly fishing over the last 40 years.

I like Altmor's idea about gillies writing books - a compilation of gillies writing about their experience of the major salmon rivers of Scotland would be brilliant to read.

[greenalert]

Now that would be some book

A compilation of all the great tales the Gillie's could tell would make great reading

Let's hope it comes to fruition

[zephead]

For me its the spellbinding Ashley Cooper and Chaytor on "vibe" and Falkus and Waddington on technique,and both with a degree of crossover to boot.The former two writers prose was the enduring inspiration to get me through my final year in Sheffield studying so I could get back to salmon fishing.

I also subscribe to Country Illustrated to sate my monthly craving for a few pages of the great WB Currie-worth the price of the subs alone as he is surely the current "daddy" of the scene.

I prefer the less technical stuff these days with a dram for company so the I think the sphere of influence changes as well as one becomes more experienced and catches more fish but I do like the idea of a new technical book by a guy who isn't renting Rothes for months on end in prime time like Ashley Cooper and who has to slug it out on some less than top class joints as Grant,to his redoubtable credit,evidently did.

I also agree with Altmor that Ronnie at Upper Hendersyde should start to preserve his own and paternal wealth of knowledge especially re the heady days of the Spring fishing where Sprouston/Hendersyde were top drawer.He has kept a daily diary since he started on the river at 16-which are fascinating if they are ever produced over a drop after a days fishing and his predictions of the type and style of runs of fish we are now seeing on Tweed made some 5/6 years ago are now being borne out from that base.His knowledge is usually spot on but always "entertaining" to challenge.The cover price would be justified alone for the chapter be entitled "Flooded Off"-a doubtless interesting and illuminating treatise on darts,dominoes and picking lightly weighted horses at big prices!

DTYS!

J.