This book was published in 2011 and to be honest I never
thought I’d end up getting a copy. I’ve
never been interested in angling history any further back than the 1950’s and
I’m much more interested in more contemporary angling history, so figured this
one wasn’t for me. Since the book was
published I’ve heard nothing but good things about it from people whose
opinions I respect. Thinking about it,
this is a history of the sport I love I really ought to learn about it. So when the book’s publisher
Stephen Harper gave a very enjoyable talk for Suffolk PAC it was a good
opportunity to get a copy.
Chapter one covers not just the history of Pike fishing but
the origins of all angling from the time anglers began to write about the sport. Some of the earliest known writing was found
from right here in Suffolk at Helmingham hall.
The early nineteenth is the subject of the second chapter and the Pike
is emerging as a renowned sporting fish.
Methods and customs of the day seem barbaric to us; the ‘dead gorge’
method where Pike were given five to ten minutes to swallow the bait meant
almost all Pike were killed. Instant
strikes were only popular in March when Pike were more likely to mess about
with the bait. Up to this point I’d
found the book hard going in places but on the whole interesting and probably
more enjoyable than I’d expected.
Graham Booth has identified the period from 1865 to 1914 as
the ‘Golden age of Pike fishing’ and this forms the subject of the next four
chapters. I found this part of the book
really interesting, particularly the parallels that can be drawn with modern
Pike fishing. Although most large Pike
were still killed for trophies the Victorians were practicing some conservation
with many smaller Pike returned to grow.
Just like today many larger Pike were caught from private waters with
restricted access and exactly like today the locations were very often closely
guarded secrets. Yes secrecy is almost
as old as Pike fishing.
Methods came on
a long way with livebaiting becoming more popular, particularly the Paternoster
rig. Alfred Jardine developed the ‘snap
tackle’ which most Pike anglers still use today, but I don’t! There was a reference to Jardine fishing a
water I have an acquaintance with which too.
There was also a fair amount of rivalry and a little bit of bitching
between the leading ‘Pikeists’ of the day.
Pike guides were also around in the ‘golden era’, known simply as
‘fishermen’, though comparatively little is known about them. This is a shame as it was these men who often
put Jardine & co onto the Pike they caught.
For the most part I really enjoyed this part of the book but could have
done without the chapter on angling exhibitions. Pike were highly regarded during the golden
age, at least the equal of Salmon and Trout, if anything they were more popular
and were fished for by the upper classes.
The final chapter described the ‘dark age’ between 1915 and
1950 when Pike fishing was less popular with the elite and consequently there
was far less written on the subject.
There were no real developments in our sport at this time and if
anything methods went backwards. There
were a few enlightened souls including Jim Vincent who fished the Broadland
waters I know today. I was surprised
that the Broads hadn’t featured earlier in the history of Pike fishing I wonder
why the earlier Pikeists didn’t venture out east?
The further I got into this book the more I enjoyed it and
I’m really glad I read it. Produced by
Stephen Harper it is colourful and laid out beautifully, we expect nothing less
from Mr Harper and he never disappoints.
I’ve sometimes found Graham Booth’s writing style a bit over the top in
some of his articles but that is not the case here. The research he has done to compile this history
must have taken years and Pike anglers owe him a debt for recording our sport
for us. I’ll definitely be getting hold
of volume two as not only does it deal with the period I’m interested in but
also waters and in some cases people I know.
Pike fishing history, 1982
http://www.harperanglingbooks.co.uk/ahistoryofpike.html
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