A CAN OF WORMS: BARBEL - AND THE MEN WHO FISHED FOR THEM. By Jon Berry.

2007 1st edition. 8vo (162 x 240mm). Pp285. Colour and b/w photographs, illustrations, bibliography, silk marker. Dark green boards, spine titled in gilt. One of the first printing of 750 copies.

The barbel... now populates almost every English river. This is the story of that fish, but it is also the story of the men who have fished for it. Neither story is free from drama or scandal, and Jon Berry's research gives us some extraordinary insights into the veritable 'can of worms' that barbel fishing became. Destined to become the standard reference work on barbel and barbel history. The foreword is by Edward Barder. Chapters include: Stanley's barbel; Mythology and magic; Barbus barbus - so good they named it twice; Fishing for barbel; By flood and ice in the hand of man; The Thames; The men of the Trent; Wessex; Yorkshire; Sabrina and the plastic pig; Mud vermin; Monsters; Modern barbel fishing - a can of worms; David's barbel. Appendices include - A barbel library; The science of barbel fishing; Notes to chapters. The author's name on the Medlar Press website is now given as Jon Edy-Berry.