Compleat Angler Books

Table top display of Compleat Angler books and paraphenalia.

Excellent few days at the British Fly Fair International (BFFI) in Stafford - coincidentally the birthplace of Izaak Walton [the writer of Part One of "The Compleat Angler"].

Enjoyable time meeting hundreds of fly anglers, expert fly-tyers & casters - chatting about our trilogy boxset of books.

The Compleat Angler trilogy of books featuring cover artwork from the 18th century of two anglers fishing a river and hooking a fish.

This weekend we are showcasing our forthcoming trilogy of "Compleat Angler" books & Izaak Walton / Charles Cotton related items at the British Fly Fair International in the Staffordshire Show Ground.

Always interested to hear your thoughts on "The Compleat Angler" ...

#fly-fishing #books #rivers

A Robin Redbreast perched on a fishing rod.

One of the great non-angling joys of winter fishing in the UK. An ultra-friendly Robin - who helped himself to this perilous perch as well as repeatedly digging into my bait box. #Robin #Fishing #CompleatAngler

Family fishing on a lake in Malawi, Africa.

As kids growing up in Africa (Malawi) in the 1960s, I fished with a 12 foot, one-piece greenheart rod, while my younger brother used my dad's broken driver (sans clubhead) as his rod... and no reel ! Seem to recall he caught his share of fish.

Farlows VOTING OPEN: It's time to VOTE NOW for your favourite photo of the month! Simply hit "LIKE" on your favourite, and the photo with the most "LIKES" after 7 days will be the WINNER for June 2025...

Have been nominated for a photo comp by Farlows (fly-fishing outfitters to King Charles III)
Any votes/likes welcomed for my pic of a Mayfly in front of Charles Cotton's iconic Fishing house on the river Dove in the Peak District #flyfishing #photos #river #fishing

www.facebook.com/farlowsuk/po...

A large mayfly sitting on an old stone bench with Charles Cotton's iconic River Dove fishing house in the background.

A River Dove mayfly sitting on the ancient stone bench opposite Charles Cotton's iconic Fishing Temple - as featured in his Part Two of "The Compleat Angler."

#flyfishing #mayfly #compleatangler #fishinghouse #riverdove
www.thecompleatangler.net

Wild brown trout in a fishing net in the river

Jay, very true. I spent 45 mins in the same spot covering a large white unidentifiable fish with wet & dry flies to no avail but definitely not 45 mins wasted. Was as interested in IDing the fish as hooking it - in the end I managed neither. Although I did net a smaller trout in the same spot.

Have always believed it is not about the time elapsed or distance travelled forward but the memories left behind that really counts in fly-fishing.

Wild brown trout

Clear chalkstream river with weed and trees.

Large mayfly perched on my hand.

Early morning wild brown #trout caught (on a Grey Drake) within a few miles of Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, on an idyllic stretch of the #River Stour #chalkstream - where the Mayflies are living up to their name. #FlyFishing at its best?

Segmented tray with river flies and nymphs segregated into mayflies, olives, caddis flies, shrimps, and other aquatic life forms.

My first RiverFly* sample on my local Kent chalkstream: olives, mayfly, caseless & cased caddis, shrimps + other aquatic life inc tiny tadpole-like fish fry from a 3 min kick sample across the river.
*RMI @riverflies.bsky.social scheme

#flyfishing #river #insects #chalkstream #flies #conservation

YouTube video by The Compleat Angler Video Channel Swans invade a Fishing Lake - Count Them All !

A rare day #fishing a local lake. An invasion of #swans took over the water for 30 mins. Never seen so many 🦢 in one go. Sadly, their presence did not improve my catch rate but did increase my heart rate 💓

Who else has had a similar #angling / #bird experience?

#nature
youtube.com/shorts/2s1zC...

Tenkara Update: After the much appreciated advice from the Tenkara tribe on here I've ordered a 12' rod/kit.

To be mainly used on the more mature #rivers & #chalkstreams in/around my native Kent (UK) - a typical example shown in the video.

Any more thoughts of #Tenkara #fishing such rivers?

TIA

Nick Faldo quote about golf and marriage.

Front cover of the Guinness Book of Humorous Quotes compiled by Colin Jarman

First time I heard this "old chestnut" was a version from golf legend Nick Faldo (back in 1995) which featured in my "Book of Humorous Sports Quotes."

Any other known variants of this quote/joke out there?

Silhouette of me fishing in Tampa Bay at sunrise.

Silhouette of me fishing in Tampa Bay at sunrise.

#Fishing #Tampa #Sunrise #Photography #StormHour

Authors, post something related to your last publication or WIP without context.

Ben, agree on the heavy 17th century angling dress code.
One of the chapters in my Compleat Angler books discusses how they fished in such garb. Especially wading!
As Cervantes pointed out: "There's no taking trout with dry breeches." Clearly, no chest waders.
#flyfishing #trout #angler #fishing

Jay, thanks for the replies & link. Very interesting/informative place to start.
My #Tenkara interest is two-fold:
1. Experience how Walton/Cotton may have fly-fished 300 years ago as part of my TCA book research.
2. As an option for #flyfishing smaller, less accessible streams in the UK.
Arigatō

Old school fly angler (wearing a top hat) dapping for trout in river while hiding behind a large tree.

Okay, any suggestions for a neophyte #Tenkara angler who wants to embrace this form of #flyfishing.
Having been researching & writing about Izaak Walton & Charles Cotton for a few years, figure it's time I followed in their footsteps and tried the no #fishing reel method.

Any tips or advice? TIA

Lemon Nugget Apache Trout Fishing Fly

Oh well, when life gives you lemons then what better than to make a batch of Lemon Nugget Apache Trout Fishing Flies ? Good luck wherever your future guides you. #HappyTying

Macedonian fly fishing mural from 2000 years ago

Ancient angler catching a fish in a hand held net.

Jay, 2000 years ago the Macedonians (Ancient Greece) fly-fished a Hippūrus: a bumble-bee sized fly made of red wool & two cock's feathers. This is from Aelianus in ‘De Natura Animalium’ (c 300 AD). It's not clear if this was 'dapping' but from these images it looks like the method used. #flyfishing

The hirsute orange angler is very well attired to be as one with nature: Budgie smugglers, Crocs (on his feet) sporting a Mullet cut (on his head) - bird, reptile & fish kingdoms all covered. Top job! #fishing #angler

Cover artwork for three fishing "Compleat Angler" books - Parts One & Two by Izaak Walton & Charles Cotton, and Part Three by Colin M Jarman.

Publishing three connected books this year, but they're not quite a trilogy. First two are my reimaginations of 17th century Eng Lit classics; the third is my novel inspired by the originals, which in turn rewrites the history & mythology of the first two #BookSky #Fishing www.TheCompleatAngler.net

Arthur Rackham's painting of Piscator and Viator from The Compleat Angler sitting under a tree having lunch besides a river after a successful session of fishing.

Agree, there is something about Rackham's ethereal style that suits Walton's dream-like vision of a day spent #fishing (and lunching) besides a river in good company.

Admittedly, the #rainbow is a little over the top 🤔

Jay, would be interested in how finding out how close Walton & Charles Cotton (who was the true dry #flyfishing expert of the two TCA authors) came to a #Tenkara style of #fishing (or not)?

Promo cover art for Colin M Jarman's 2025 game fishing novel "The Compleat Angler - Part Three: Fly- Fishing the River Frome" ... along with covers for his reimagined versions of the original 17th century fishing manuals written by Izaak Walton & Charles Cotton.

Three new #books I am publishing later this year: my re-edited / reimagained versions of the original "Compleat Angler" #fishing manuals cum travelogues by Izaak Walton (1653) & Charles Cotton (1676), plus my #novel "TCA3: #Fly-Fishing the #River Frome."

More details at: www.TheCompleatAngler.net

Excellent map!

Although not buried, the River Lea has been straightened over the years to be more navigable.

I'll be #fishing it at the end of this month, when I follow in Izaak Walton's footsteps - as he angled for chub and trout in the Lea in the late 1600s in the original 'Compleat Angler.'

Aha, that'll explain it; some images were likely bait fishing.
As well as artists drawing guides, two of my images show anglers tugging the line with fish on (a no-no in Walton's book) rather than play the fish on the rod. Walton would likely throw his rod in after the fish rather than tug the line!

Izaak Walton - author of The Compleat Angler - shown sitting by a tree alongside a river with his fishing gear.

A 17th century angler fishing a deep gorged river with a fish on his line accompanied by a young lady holding a landing net.

Extract from the 1895 Complete Angler showing a landing net, disgorger and fly retriever.

Brett, all I can say is the images I posted from over 200+ years ago all clearly show round landing nets with handles of differing lengths [posted a couple more]. Also posted a round net drawn in an 1800s Compleat Angler. TBH not seen many, if any, old images with the forked nets you describe.

17th century angler playing a fish while a young boy tries to net the fish.

17th century angler playing a fish while another fisherman tries to net the fish.

17th century angler playing a fish while a young boy tries to net the fish.

Brett, many other images from from the 1600s-1800s show all sizes of landing net being used to land fish. Perhaps the 1900s patented nets, you speak of, were of a custom design rather than the basic ones shown? #fishing #fish #angling

Two 17th century anglers lazily fishing on a river.

Brett, good spotting the landing net but Walton used one when #fishing the River Lea in the 1650s. In the words of Piscator in Part 1 of The Compleat #Angler: "There is a #Trout now & a good one too. The sleight is to land him: reach me that landing-net." Nets were shown in drawings from that time.