fruity
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Post by fruity on Sept 27, 2007 13:55:31 GMT
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conwyrod
Advisory Board
Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Sept 27, 2007 19:17:11 GMT
I hope to borrow this off lamson soon!
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fruity
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Posts: 425
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Post by fruity on Sept 30, 2007 19:52:17 GMT
I know this author and his book have been talked of in derogatory terms for years, but can it be correct that only two other people have an opinion on the book or even a copy of it?
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robbie
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Post by robbie on Sept 30, 2007 19:56:27 GMT
That could be true Fruity, I looked for one on ebay and Amazon today, only 3 copies found starting at nearly £40 and going up to nearly £60.
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fruity
Active Member
Posts: 425
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Post by fruity on Sept 30, 2007 20:04:51 GMT
It makes up for all the years it has been unappreciated and been given away for peanuts! Perhaps a reprint will come about.
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Post by G Ritchie on Sept 30, 2007 20:25:00 GMT
I found it interesting in parts but not particularly inspiring at the time. I will have to re-read it sometime to see why so many people rate it highly.
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fruity
Active Member
Posts: 425
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Post by fruity on Sept 30, 2007 20:46:57 GMT
Although his approach is methodical, thoughtful and specific, he also has a general/play the percentages approach. While I do not agree with his general approach, in fact I don't agree 100% with any author, he certainly knew about salmon and understood them to a degree most anglers/authors miss.
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lamson
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Post by lamson on Oct 1, 2007 21:20:23 GMT
I found it interesting in parts but not particularly inspiring at the time. I will have to re-read it sometime to see why so many people rate it highly. I'm currently ploughing through it. Graham your right ,the writing style is a bit flat, certainly lacks the Falkus esprit. I suspect that all that is fundementally innovative about this book is challenging the cast in stone fly size to water temp issue.Additionally, the use of shooting heads, nymphs and surface fly are described . At the time I guess a lot of this was highly innovative. This is not to denigrate the book, more to do with that by the time it was written most of it had already been said. From a purely instructional perspective the budding salmon fly fisherman could do a lot worse. Also, good to see Grant wasn't on piece rates, he got it all down in 150 pages. Steve
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severnfisher
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The Severn Valley in spring
Posts: 226
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Post by severnfisher on Oct 4, 2007 21:52:14 GMT
I liked it, because it contained some straightforward, but slightly unorthodox ( for the time) advice. Things like fishing a smallish fly subsurface at dusk in early spring . The assumption that dusk dawn and nightime proper are the best time in high summer low water. Not being lucky enough to live in an area where there is a vibrant, living salmon fly fishing culture, and having grown up in a very different angling tradition, it made very interesting reading. Certainly compared to some of the 'best sellers'. Tom
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Post by greenman on Nov 3, 2008 12:47:16 GMT
I've just reread bits of this book for a second time. I'd agree that the writing style is at times "extremely dull" and there were sections I just couldn't manage to plough through I'll try and come back to the very dull bits in the future because it is clear from the book that the bloke was intelligent, observant and had spent a LOT of time on the water and knew his stuff. I'm new to salmon fishing and I found this book useful.
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say
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Posts: 207
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Post by say on Feb 4, 2009 21:31:39 GMT
I had an interesting chat with Dave Gibbon, last May. Who knew Francis T Grant personally from his days on Carlogie and Ballogie and had a few interesting tales about Mr Grant.
Been hoping to read this book, but can never seem to find a copy to buy.
Anyone willing to part with their copy, even a short term loan would be appreciated.
SAY
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hf
Active Member
Posts: 1,807
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Post by hf on Feb 4, 2009 21:58:47 GMT
Say... local library is a good place to start. If they don't have it there they will usually get it delivered from another branch. You can also search online yourself and order it if you have an account with your 'local'. (library). As well as that, if you haven't finished the book and it is due back you can go online and reissue it to yourself for another 3 weeks etc.
Just now I am reading Falkus.
Cheers
hf
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conwyrod
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Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Feb 4, 2009 22:09:26 GMT
There was a copy on ebay recently, advertised at £100.
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conwyrod
Advisory Board
Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Feb 17, 2009 14:57:31 GMT
There was a copy on ebay recently, advertised at £100. ............and I've just won a copy on ebay for £2.87!!!!!!!!!!!!
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conwyrod
Advisory Board
Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Mar 2, 2009 19:11:16 GMT
I've only dipped into various parts of this book so far, but my initial impression is very good.
Much of his approach seems to be standard fare nowadays, but I believe it was innovative at the time of writing.
The chapter "Anatomy of a Day on The Dee" (Ballogie) was certainly an eye opener for me. 11 May 1989, lowish water at 48F, and he's catching on a 2" brass tube and a full sinker! OK, the air temp was 39F, but I suspect most of us would have been fishing size 10s on a floater/polyleader.
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Post by clagpaofdamien on Mar 2, 2009 20:50:00 GMT
Much of his approach seems to be standard fare nowadays.... quote] Bingo. You've hit the nail on the head. Seventeen years after he wrote all this now it is considered "standard". Well: 1) I can assure you he was villified at the time, but he was right and years ahead of his time. 2) I see prescious little evidence on the river bank in whole or part, that Grant's dedicated, some would say manic, approach to salmon fishing is "standard" that is a shame in one sense, but not surprising. Those who knew him rated Grant as the finest salmon fisher of his generation. I am fortunate enough to fish from time to time with the man considered by many very experienced eyes to be the finest salmon fisher of this generation, and the parallels in approach between the two are striking. Regards CLaG Pa Of....
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Post by clagpaofdamien on Mar 2, 2009 20:51:37 GMT
[quote author=conwyrod board=subbooks thread=1580
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conwyrod
Advisory Board
Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Mar 2, 2009 22:58:24 GMT
Some interesting points there CLaG.
17 years is a long time - rivers, tackle, flies & techniques have all changed (to varying degrees), yet I can't think of a more recent good/classic book on salmon fishing in the UK.
I think a contemporary salmon fishing book would be well received, but we don't seem to have as many 'big name' anglers around as we used to. I suppose it's harder to catch the oft quoted 1000+ fish needed to qualify one as a respected author.
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Post by Willie Gunn on Mar 7, 2009 21:48:33 GMT
[ I am fortunate enough to fish from time to time with the man considered by many very experienced eyes to be the finest salmon fisher of this generation, CLaG Pa Of.... I cannot remember fishing with you.
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Post by clice on May 21, 2009 21:30:07 GMT
I'm currently reading this book courtesy of an inter-library loan. Grant was obviously a very intelligent guy, someone who definitely was well ahead of his time, who caught more than his fair share of Salmon.
He seems to have died quite young - does anyone know what happened to him?
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