A CARP WATER (WOOD POOL) AND HOW TO FISH IT. By "BB." Decorations by D.J. Watkins-Pitchford, A.R.C.A.

1958 1st edition. 8vo (145 x 222mm). Pp72. B/w illustrations by the author, map. Dark green boards, spine titled in gilt.

One of BB's most attractive and collectable books, and the first of the modern carp fishing books, published in Putnam's "Fisherman's Choice" series. "No species has ["BB"] fished for more keenly or observed more closely than the carp. Ten years ago it was considered that the carp could be caught only by witch-craft or by accident. Today, twenty-pounders are fairly commonplace and there is a rod-caught forty-four pounder swimming at the London Zoo aquarium. And it is perfectly fair to say that all this has happened through the efforts of "BB." The revolution in carp fishing came about largely as the result of a book "BB" wrote called Confessions of a Carp Fisher. This book encouraged Richard Walker and others to crack the carp's secrets. So it was inevitable that "BB," a founder member of the Carp Catchers Club, would soon own and stock his private carp lake. This book is the record of that lake and how he turned barren water into a first-class fishery." Chapters include: The way to the water; Stocking the Wood Pool; Carp weather; The island battle; Night fishing; Congo Channel; Hints on carp tackle; Habits of tench; The Little Summer of St. Luke.