THE BEST OF TROUT AND SALMON. Edited by John Wilshaw.

(1994) 1996 paperback edition. 8vo paperback (153 x 232mm). Ppx,340. B/w illustrations.

This is an excellent collection of articles from the first 40 years of Trout and Salmon Magazine. Pieces are arranged into chapters thematically; in the beginning; why do we fish; light; the stillwater revolution; coping with disaster; courtesy; pioneers and disciples; the great lure debate; fly dressing - fact, fiction and fantasy; the great rainbow saga; sea trout and salmon; to put or to take; rods and lines. Contributors include many of the most well known angling writers of their day including, Dermot Wilson, Richard Walker, Alan Pearson, Hugh Falkus, John Goddard, Eric Horsfall Turner and others. Many less well known, but interesting, writers are included, as are a number of letters from readers. Donald Overfield contributes a series of articles on each of nine famous fly dressers - G.E.M. Skues, R.S. Austin, Theodore Gordon, Alfred Ronalds, Frederick Halford, Alex Mackintosh, Roger Woolley, J.W. Dunne, and William Lunn. Barry Lloyd contributes an article on Frank Sawyer, Moc Morgan gives an account of Oliver Kite and others on the Teifi, and C.R. Pearce discusses the folk tradition of fly tying. Well worth a read. "A work of art. Reading through it I could recall all the places and times where I had first read the articles in Trout and Salmon. And I enjoyed the experience just as much as when they were first published." (Rod and Gun).