The Complete Angler

Should there be any angler happen upon this blogspot and also be looking for a good read I recommend Izaak Walton's The Complete Angler. It is one of the very first books on the instruction of fishing--how to catch and cook fish. Walton finished the book around 1650 and it is said to be the second most reprinted book after the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. The subtitle, The Contemplative Man's Recreation refers to Walton's favor of contemplation and he quotes Paul in Thessalonians saying "study to be quiet." Many believe Walton was also talking to the society of his day on a number of social issues through use of metaphor which is what brought me back to the book as Kent Hodskins talked recently of our need to be actively working to influence and benefit the world around us. Charles Cotton wrote the the second part to this book in 1676 when asked by Walton and speaks more specifically to fly fishing. Probably not a read for everyone but if you want to learn a little about the English countryside of Walton's day and the history of our great sport then give it a go.