ANGLING WITH THE FLY: FLIES and ANGLERS OF DERBYSHIRE AND STAFFORDSHIRE. By John N. Watson.

2008 1st edition. Large quarto (223 x 283mm). Ppxxii,326. Many colour plates of flies, colour and b/w plates and photographs, bibliography. Dark blue cloth, spine titled in gilt.

"Charts the history and development of flyfishing in Derbyshire and Staffordshire. [The author's] detailed research brings together the lives and backgrounds of many noted Derbyshire and Staffordshire fly-fishers for the first time in this comprehensive, but highly readable work; he discusses the evolution and features of local patterns, winging patterns and the notes and fly-dressings of noted angler-authors from the 18th and 19th centuries [as well as] anglers of influence up to the present day". Very well-illustrated with plates of flies from Aldam, Foster, Roger Woolley and other early writers and fly-tyers and with many two-page spreads of the flies of more recent Derbyshire flyfishers. Excellent historical sections on "Angler-authors of Derbyshire and Staffordshire" (Charles Cotton, W.H. Aldam, Alfred Ronalds, John Turton, William Shipley and David Foster), with lists of their fly-patterns, and "Anglers of influence"; Izaak Walton, T.C. Hofland, John Beever, James Ogden, the Marquess of Granby, William H. Foster, Edward Marston, Walter M. Gallichan, Gerald G.P. Heywood, Wilfred Louis Foster, A. Nelson Bromley, Roger Woolley, and present-day authorities; John Neville, Tony Bridgett, Steve Trigg, Steve Woolley, Tim Thorpe and Peter Arfield. Frontispiece and jacket paintings by Ashley Bryant. Many of the traditional flies were tied by Tim Thorpe and photographed by Terry Griffiths. A first-class and authoritative production of great value to the angling historian and also to the Derbyshire and Staffordshire fly-fisher and fly-tyer of today.