John Bailey's Complete Guide to Fishing E-Book

John Bailey

• Herausgeber: IMM Lifestyle Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 218

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

"John Bailey's Complete Guide to Fishing" brings to the fore a deep appreciation of the behaviour of fish. Demonstrating a genuine concern for the environment, as well as a broad knowledge of fishing and a real sense of fun, John Bailey guides the expert and novice alike through all aspects of angling. "John Bailey's Complete Guide to Fishing" covers the philosophy of fishing and the role of the fisherman-naturalist, before considering more practical issues of fishing such as clothing, tackle, permits, bait, flies and much more. The author looks at fly fishing, bait fishing, lure fishing, carp fishing and sea fishing in all its possible variants, giving the kind of detail and encouragement to ensure that all those who participate in this increasingly popular hobby will get the very best out of their fishing. For the keener fisherman, he gives details of clubs and societies throughout the world and further information on planning local, national and international fishing trips. Beautifully illustrated with 300 full-colour photographs (many specially commissioned), this book is guaranteed to give much pleasure and insight to anglers at all levels.

Leseprobe

J

OHN

B

AILEY

’

S

F

ISHING

COMPLETE GUIDE TO

J

OHN

B

AILEY

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F

ISHING

COMPLETE GUIDE TO

Foreword by

Chris Tarrant

The Fish, the Tackle & the Techniques

NEW HOLLAND

C

ONTENTS

F

OREWORD

7

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HE

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8

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ETTING

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18

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HE

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ISHER

N

ATURALIST

26

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B

AIT

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ISHING

40

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L

URE

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ISHING

52

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F

LY

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ISHING

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B

AIT

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ISHING IN

S

TILLWATERS

76

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B

AIT

F

ISHING IN

R

IVERS

86

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L

URE

F

ISHING

T

ECHNIQUES

98

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F

LY

C

ASTING

T

ECHNIQUES

108

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F

LY

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ISHING

T

ECHNIQUES

114

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C

ARP

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ISHING

124

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S

EA

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ISHING

136

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M

OVING

F

ORWARDS

146

G

LOSSARY

OF

K

NOTS

156

•

I

NDEX

158

•

A

CKNOWLEDGEMENTS

160

First published in 2001 by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd

London • Cape Town • Sydney • Auckland

Garfield House, 86-88 Edgware Road, London W2 2EA, United Kingdom

80 McKenzie Street, Cape Town 8001, South Africa

Level 1/Unit 4, 14 Aquatic Drive, Frenchs Forest,

NSW 2086, Australia

218 Lake Road, Northcote, Auckland, New Zealand

Copyright © 2001 in text: John Bailey

Copyright © 2001 in photographs: Steve Gorton, John Bailey

and others as credited

Copyright © 2001 New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written

permission of the publishers and copyright holders.

ISBN 9781637410356

Publishing Manager: Jo Hemmings

Production: Joan Woodroffe

Produced for New Holland Publishing (UK) Ltd by

Design Revolution, Queens Park Villa,

30 West Drive, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 2GE

Index: Indexing Specialists,

202 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2DJ

Reproduction by Pica Digital Pte Ltd, Singapore

Principal Photographer: Steve Gorton

Additional Photography: John Bailey

F

OREWORD

F

’ve fished since I was 4. One of my earliest memories

is as a little boy, sitting beside the River Thames at

Sonning with my Grandad, catching perch and bleak

on a tank aerial rod and an old wooden centrepin reel.

I’ve always been irresistibly drawn to water. Any little

stream or brook calls me to investigate. No bridge can

be passed over without my stopping and going back for

a peep, hoping for at least a glimpse of the shadowy

inhabitants of the pool beneath.

In this highly enjoyable and very informative book,

John Bailey makes their pursuit much more likely to be

successful. Any guide to a leisure sport or hobby should

stimulate and excite as well as instruct, and this book

does all of that and more – through stunning pictures

and the infectious enthusiasm of John’s writing.

Furthermore, John is one of that dwindling band of

writers who are not happy just to trot out pages of endless

technical and factual detail about size of fish, size of bait,

size of lead, line and hook, but actually writes beautifully

about the tranquility of the surroundings, of the waters

themselves and the wildlife, the flora and fauna, which are

as much a part of the pleasure as the fishing itself.

It’s a rare skill, and one that is sadly becoming rarer

among angling writers. Here is a guy who clearly loves

his fishing and wants to share his extensive knowledge,

as well as pass on any number of little personal tips that

he’s learnt the hard way through decades of angling in

all sorts of water and all sorts of weather.

This book should inspire newcomers to angling to

show care and concern for their captures in a way that

previous generations have not always bothered to do.

John has no time for keepnets, barbed hooks or live baits,

and the fish he catches are happier for it when released

gently back into the waters that they came from.

Whether you want to fish bait, fly, lure or saltwater,

you’ll find really solid foundations to all the branches of

our sport in these pages. You will almost certainly find

yourself inspired to try everything that John writes

about, and so you should. Trout, tench, turbot or tarpon

– they’re all good. Try them all.

Immerse yourself in this delightful book – it really

does have something for everybody – and then get out

there on the bankside and get fishing. I might even see

you there! Good luck.

I

C

HRIS

T

ARRANT

21

ST

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THE

10

The great thing about fishing is

that it is such a multi-dimensional

activity, so much so that it is hard to

know where to begin – or stop –

singing its praises. Above everything

else, fishing gets you into some

wonderful environments. I look back

through the 40 years that I’ve been a

passionate angler and I think of the

beautiful places that I’ve been

fortunate to visit. Lakes of total

peace and serenity. Gushing rivers,

full of vitality and life. Lonely

marshes. Streams running fresh from

snow-capped mountains. Heart-

stopping sunrises and sunsets. I

T

HE

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I

TRULY DON

’

T THINK THAT YOU

’

LL EVER REGRET BUYING THIS BOOK

OR TAKING UP FISHING AS A PASTIME

–

A SPORT THAT HAS GIVEN MY

OWN LIFE SUCH THRUST AND DIRECTION

.

⁄

THE MIGHTY MAHSEER

Travel is very much a part of the 21st-century

angler’s world, and the travelling angler can

catch beautiful silver mahseer like this in

many rivers in the Indian sub-continent.

T

HE

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think too of the amazing wildlife I’ve

seen – kingfishers actually perching

on my rod, badgers taking bread

almost out of my hand as dusk

begins to fall. An otter whistling

downriver in the dawn light. And

when I’ve been travelling and fishing

abroad, the rumble of a bear, the

bellow of an elephant, or the

swooping displays of fish eagles.

Fishing also breeds comradeship,

and I have an address book

absolutely crammed with the very

best of companions from the past

and present. Men – and women –

with whom I’ve shared some of the

very best times of my life, out in the

open, by the side of water, often

under the stars, around a campfire.

Stories swapped. Theories presented

and ideas hammered out. Laughter.

Shared successes. Mutual, passionate

interests. There’s an old phrase

about the ‘brotherhood of the angle’,

and it couldn’t be more true: it

doesn’t matter where you fish, either

home or away, you’ll find friends that

you never forget.

◊

THE SALMON POOL

Fishing with complete concentration on a trout

and salmon river on Exmoor, England. A run of

small summer salmon has ascended the river

and is now lying in a deep, sleepy pool where

one might just be tempted, even in full sunlight.

◊

◊

A SCOTTISH LOCH AT DAWN

The rising sun over this stunning loch will

warm the water, bring on a fly hatch, and soon

it will be a trout fisherman’s heaven.

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FISHING SKILLS

There’s a huge misconception about

fishing that, somehow, it’s a relaxing

sport, and not a taxing one. But once

you really get into fishing, you’ll find

that there are just as many physical

skills to learn as you need for soccer,

baseball or golf.

You’ll want to know how to cast

an imitation fly 20 yards (18m) or

more, sometimes into a wind, and so

lightly that it hardly disturbs the

water as it settles. Learning how to

work a lure – an imitation fish of

wood, plastic, or metal – so that it

looks exactly like a living, struggling

fish can be quite a challenge. You’ll

also learn to trot a float – that is,

letting it drift with the current a

hundred yards (90m) or more – yet

remain in complete control. You’ll

experience the excitement of feeling

the line for a biting fish, and

interpreting all the signals that are

transmitted. In short, fishing is an

active, mobile sport, and the 21st-

century angler is somebody who

really goes with the flow, fishes

actively, and is a long way from the

stereotyped image of a sandwich

guzzler rooted to his basket.

You will find, too, that the fishing

tackle itself, the tools of your trade,

can be extremely beautiful. There’s a

lot to appreciate in exquisite

workmanship. Modern rods are

breathtakingly feather-light. With

luck, if you choose properly, you’ll

build a relationship with your rod,

reel and floats, and a real intimacy

will begin to flourish. The physical

satisfaction of using the gear

properly will bring you much

pleasure. You might find artificial

flies fascinating, or you might even

begin to tie your own, and suddenly

the long cold winter evenings

become golden times when you feel

that you can smell the warm summer

evenings to come.

⁄

ON THE MOVE

Many anglers prefer traveling light and fishing

many places along the river during the course

of the day, rather than sitting still and waiting

for the fish to come to them. It’s your choice,

but remember that fishing is all about fun.

Ÿ

GREENLAND DREAM

Experiencing all the drama of Greenland. This

angler has been pulled out into the rapids by a

battling sea-run Arctic char. The wilder the

fish, the more hairy the battle.

13

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◊

RIVER BOURNE

In my view, you just can’t beat getting out

there into the water itself. Wear chest waders

and take care, but then enjoy that powerful

feeling of being at one with the water.

◊

WADING BASICS

Wading really pays dividends when it’s vital to

get close to the fish. Line control is tighter and

you can present a small bait accurately. The

peaked cap cuts down on surface glare and

allows better vision through the water’s surface.

1

Never wade in water that is so

cloudy that you can’t see the bottom.

2

Make sure that you never wade in

too strong a current.

3

Never wade so deeply that you

begin to feel afraid.

4

Always have a wading stick

with you – this third ‘leg’ can be a

real lifesaver.

5

Wear Polaroid glasses when

wading – you will gain a more

secure foothold if you can see the

bottom contours.

6

Always wear a buoyancy aid when

either wading or out in a boat.

7

A whistle is good for attracting

attention in case of an emergency.

8

When setting out in a boat,

always make sure that you have a

pair of oars and rollocks, even if you

think your engine is reliable.

9

Always set off into the wind on a

big water. If the engine should fail,

it’s easier to row home with the wind

at your back.

10

Always let somebody on shore

know where you’re going on a large

water and approximately what time

you expect to be back.

11

Always check the weather forecast

before setting out onto a big,

exposed water. Dangerous conditions

can whip up in a matter of minutes.

WATER SAFETY

GUIDELINES

14

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FISHING AS A CHALLENGE

The methods that you will begin to

pick up are mind-consuming and

fascinating. Fishing is like a huge

chess game, always demanding new

approaches. Every water, every lie,

every day brings a new challenge.

You’ll soon find that if you approach

every situation in the same way, your

successes will begin to falter. It’s

vital to think, to experiment, and to

stay one step ahead of the game.

But, perhaps above all, the modern

angler appreciates the fish

themselves. The creatures that we

pursue are fascinating. Each species

has its own habits and idiosyncrasies,

and to succeed as an angler, you have

to immerse yourself in their natural

history. There is a whole aquatic

world waiting to be discovered. Fish

are absolutely, achingly beautiful.

Ÿ

WORLD AT YOUR FEET

Fishing is a sport with endless horizons. Here I

am surveying a river on the borders of China

that has probably never been fished by a

European before. The thrill of such moments is

immense but probably no greater now than it

was for me 30 odd years ago when I approached

a new park pool or an English river.

15

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Moreover, it’s a secret beauty, a

loveliness that’s only really

appreciated by the fisher. You will

surely come to marvel at the wonder

of the fish that you catch. Look

carefully at each and every one of

them. Note how their scales all have

different patterns and sheens.

Admire the shape of the fish,

consider how it is perfectly adapted

to its own particular environment.

Examine the fins, see how delicate

and yet strong they are, and how

they are streaked with the most

vividly coloured rays. Fish are

priceless creatures, not some

commodity that you buy in your

weekly shop from a superstore.

You are on the threshold of a

magical new departure in your life,

so try to enjoy every privileged and

thrilling moment that you spend by

the waterside.

◊

AMAZING GRACE

Fish are simply beautiful creatures. Look at the

colouration on this splendid Arctic char, fresh

from the sea and driving on towards its

spawning grounds. It was held a moment in

the glittering sunlight before being returned

to the water to continue its role in the world.

◊

SECRET BEAUTY

Another stunningly beautiful fish, this is a

grayling coming to hand in an Asian river.

Look at the huge dorsal fin on its back and

the fabulous colours along its flanks. Those of

us who fish are granted access to a totally

secret, magical world.

◊

16

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THE FISHING CODE

Let’s return for a moment to rules

and regulations. Most thoughtful

and experienced anglers have their

own personal codes, as well as those

imposed upon them by clubs and

organizations.

Now, I’m not going to insult you

with clichéd advice about leaving

litter, lines and so on. But it’s a good

idea to collect other people’s litter up

at the bankside. Take a bin liner with

you so you can clean up your own

little patch of other people’s refuse.

This might sound like a chore, but

many foresighted anglers are now

doing this; litter breeds litter and the

less there is around the waterside,

the less the likelihood of it being

dropped in the future.

Make sure that you always take

any discarded nylon line home with

you. There used to be a school of

thought that you could burn it at the

bankside but there’s little point in

that. Simply bin it.

Shut all gates. If you are driving

across fields, keep to the tracks. It’s

important that anglers and farmers

get on well together. I know through

bitter experience that lack of

co-operation can lead to tears.

Remember that straightforward-

looking grass is the beef farmer’s

crop just as much as a field full of

cereal, so take great pains to avoid

harming it.

RULE 1

Always wet your hands

before touching a fish.

RULE 2

Wherever possible, remove

barbs from hooks. This makes

unhooking 10 times easier.

RULE 3

If possible, do not use trebles

on spinners but only a single hook.

RULE 4

Try, whenever possible,

to unhook a fish in the water and

let it go free without ever leaving

its environment.

RULE 5

Think very carefully whether

you need to land a fish in a net and

take it away from the waterside for

photography or weighing. Only do

this for important specimens.

RULE 6

If a fish is tired after its

struggle, support it gently in the

shallows with its head facing up-

river so oxygen passes through its

gills. This can take many minutes,

so don’t be impatient.

RULE 7

Never keep fish in a keep-net.

They suffer both mental stress and

physical discomfort – sometimes so

great that death results.

RULE 8

Don’t be greedy. If you

think you have caught enough fish,

pack it in for the day and let them

rest and recover.

RULE 9

Always make sure that a fish

swims away from you as pristine as

the moment that you hooked it.

RULE 10

When game fishing, if you

want to take a fish for the table, pick

a male rather than a female. This

especially applies to a female salmon,

whose eggs are so precious.

FISH CARE

⁄

THINK OF THE FISH

To prevent stress, avoid taking a fish from

the water itself. If you want to hold the fish

for a quick photograph, try to do so just above

the water so that it’s only in the air for a

matter of seconds.

17

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Watch out for anybody who might

be poaching. Illegal sales of big fish

are now big business, and, as most of

us have mobiles now, a quick call to a

club secretary or even the police

does not come amiss if you have real

suspicions – though, of course, don’t

put yourself in any danger.

Most vital of all, do watch out for

any sign of pollution. If you see the

water becoming tainted or, even

worse, fish in distress then make an

immediate call to the club secretary

or the local Environment Agency.

Remember that anglers are the

guardians of the countryside, so take

this vision of yourself seriously from

the beginning.

◊

SHAD MAN!

I’ve hooked this shad out in quick water and,

as it tired, brought it back into the shallows

where I can kneel beside it, take out my

forceps, and slip the hook out.

⁄

GENTLY CRADLED

This is the way to look at a fish, when the clear

water is washing it, enhancing all its colours.

Once it is unhooked, hold it in the water

facing upstream until you can feel its strength

returning. Once it has started to flex its fins

and work, allow it back into the current.

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20

If you’re in a mountainous area with

fast-flowing streams, then you’ll

probably be destined to fish for trout.

On the other hand, if your home is in

a lowland, urban environment, it’s

very probable that you’ll do more

bait fishing. Obviously, you’ve got to

make a start somewhere and the

most obvious places are close to

home. As your interest in fishing

grows, you’ll probably do more

travelling, spread your wings and

begin to appreciate all the styles of

fishing that are available to you.

I personally think it’s a great

shame when anglers become blinkered

into one discipline. For example, it’s

very common for an angler simply to

pursue trout all his or her life and

totally ignore the interest in pike,

say, or carp. Equally, the carp

specialist often overlooks the delight

of fishing a roach river with a stick

float. Only by fishing for as many

species as you possibly can, in as

many water types, and using as

many different methods will you

become a truly rounded angler.

First, you’ve got to serve your

apprenticeship. Where do you begin?

You’ve got to check that your

chosen water is actually in season.

Traditionally, waters worldwide have

had closed seasons to allow fish to

spawn in peace. Different types of

fish spawn at different times, and the

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T

’

S VERY HARD TO SAY WHICH PART OF THIS BOOK YOU

’

LL FIND THE

MOST INTERESTING

–

THE FLY FISHING

,

THE BAIT FISHING OR EVEN

SEA FISHING

. N

ATURALLY

,

A LOT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU LIVE

.

Ÿ

IN THE KNOW

There is an old phrase ‘the brotherhood of the

angle’, and it’s true that most anglers welcome

beginners to the sport or visitors to a new water

with helpful advice. Just don’t be afraid to ask.

◊

REALISTIC DREAMS

As a beginner, it’s generally good sense not to

set your sights on the really exotic species.

Roach (like this fine specimen), and pan fish if

you’re in America, make sensible early choices.

◊

21

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closed seasons have been designated

to protect them all. So, before you

begin to fish, you need to do your

research. Remember, though,

wherever you live, there’s likely to be

some kind of fish in season that you

can target, whatever the month.

Whatever part of the country you

choose to fish, it is likely that you

will need at least one, if not two,

licences. As a general rule, you will

have to buy a national or state rod

licence and, very frequently, you will

then require permission from the

owner of any specific water. It

sounds confusing, but don’t worry,

any tackle shop will give advice.

It really pays, though, to think

about joining a local angling club.

You won’t have any difficulty

locating these – the world is

honeycombed with them. The club

will have a good sprinkling of

waters within easy radius of your

home and, above all, it will probably

have outings and evenings that

will help you to develop confidence

and knowledge.

As you progress, you might want

to join a syndicate; groups of anglers

come together to pay large amounts

of money to a landowner in return

for access to desirable waters.

However, these can be costly, so it’s

generally best to wait until you’ve

got more experience.

Ÿ

A WILD BROWN TROUT

Although trout are nearly always caught on a

fly, there are times when they may respond

very well indeed to a float-fished worm. This is

especially true when the water is very coloured,

and you want to fish for them at long range.

Always check the local rules though.

◊

MONSTERS

Remember that when you catch a small pike,

it could grow on to be a monster like this one.

My good friend Johnny holds a 47 pound

(21kg) pike caught from the slightly saline

Baltic Sea in Sweden. It was taken on a lure.

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RULES AND REGULATIONS

Wherever you begin your fishing,

always check the local rules and

regulations. Every different water

and each different club imposes its

own rules. Some, for example, will

not allow live baiting, night fishing,

or whatever takes the committee’s

fancy! Don’t worry too much. This

isn’t bureaucracy gone mad, it’s

simply a way of protecting the

water, the fish themselves and the

enjoyment of those that fish there.

Now for equipment. It’s important

to build up a relationship with a

tackle dealer. If you live in a large

urban area, there will probably be

quite a choice. Tackle shops can

seem forbidding places at first –

there will be gear in every corner,

and you probably won’t have a clue

what any of it is for. There’ll be

muttered conversations at the

counter, which sound like nothing

but gobbledegook. But don’t worry,

I know exactly what it’s like, and

there’s nobody alive who is expert at

everything. My advice is to visit all

⁄

PAN OF GOLD

You just never know what the next bite might

bring you. Taken in Scandinavia, this is a

stunning golden crucian carp, a sub-species

that is very rare but highly sought after.

◊

SPORT FOR ALL

Fishing really is a sport for everybody, young

and old, male and female. If you are a real

beginner, it makes sense to fish in the nicest

possible weather: undoing tangles is never

fun, but it’s all the worse in wind and rain.

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the tackle shops and see where you

get the friendliest welcome. Do you

think the tackle dealer is going to

advise you impartially, or will he try

to get you to buy an expensive rod

that has been on his hands for quite

a while? The wise tackle dealer will

know that a beginner like yourself

could easily become a valued

customer in years to come and, if

he’s got any sense, he’ll do his very

best to make sure that you start off

on the right footing.

Mail order is, however, a quickly

growing branch of the tackle trade.

Some mail order companies aren’t

particularly fantastic – their stocks

are limited and their service is slow.

However, the biggest and best mail

order operations are very slick

indeed. It’s a really good idea to get

hold of their catalogues at the very

least, as this gives you a really good

overview of what tackle is available

and also what it’s for. Before you put

in an order, speak to someone about

the tackle that you are considering

buying and see if their advice is

detailed and considerate.

◊

ON THE WILD SIDE

Odds are that you’ll begin fishing on local

pools and rivers, but the sport can take you to

some very dramatic places, such as this river in

eastern Siberia. The trout fishing here is

superb but James, in the foreground, has done

his homework very solidly on the reservoirs

and rivers of England and Europe.

Ÿ

A LOVELY BARBEL

No wonder Joy looks so happy with this

beautiful fish. Notice, though, how she is

holding it, close to her body and low to the

ground, with her hands well away from its

stomach and any vital organs.

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THE RIGHT CLOTHING

Think very carefully about your

clothing; it’s likely that you’ll need at

least a few bits of specialist gear.

Things aren’t too difficult in the

summer – all you’ll need is a

lightweight waterproof in case a

sunny day turns into a thundery one.