I have watched a few of the Passion for Angling programs and was entertained by the aproach and zen-like attitude to fishing of Chris Yates and Bob James. I too like to simplify things and try and get in tune with the water, nature and the fish. Chris Yates seems to be a sort of guru of classic fishing with a holistic approach and using split-cane rods and center-pin reels.
You probably know that Chris Yates caught the biggest fish in the UK (c '80s), the giant 51-pound carp at Redmire pond in 1980. That feat certainly puts him up amongst the best, but one gets the feeling when reading the book that the author considers himself as a modern Isaac Walton. I would have been happier if this book was called: How I Fish.
Don't be misled by the title of the book though. It is not a how-to manual. It doesn't give away secrets, it doesn't tell you where to fish, how to fish or how to rig a trace and it doesn't go into detail on bait and tackle. It does tell you, in the first person, how Chris Yates fishes in a series of tales and memories of his childhood and youth. We hear of his friends who all seem to enjoy drinking tea and eating cake on the riverbank; we learn of his exploits in all sorts of weather and his aproach to stalking fish.
The central theme of the book shows how one can become obsessed with one particular species of fish. We discover how Chris Yates became interested in fishing, fished around the UK for various species of fish, and now how he has become infatuated with one species of fish - the perch. At least that is what this book is about - Chris Yates has written other books on other species of fish, but this one raises the perch higher than the rest.
After catching a few perch the other day on a wet nymph and a fly rod, I personally don't see any mystique surrounding the fish and can't understand how someone can become so obsessed with one type of species. Sure I like to catch trout, but I'm happy catching anything... if I catch anything at all ;-)
As the book concentrates on perch fishing, it is rather bemusing to see that the only colour photo of a fish on the back inside cover is not a perch, but rather a chub - a nice one at that. The stories culminate in a frenzy of fishing by Chris Yates and his band of merry men on a private river fishing 'til they drop - and then they all head off to the pub in typical English tradition.
An interesting read overall. An insight into British coarse fishing for any non-Brit who may be intrigued why the English drink so much tea, don't eat the fish they catch and why they get so excited over little river fish.
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