COLUMN: Northern Lines by Dr Keith Williams
Each Christmas I treat myself to a fishing book.
Such is the richness and diversity of the literature available, it will not be an easy choice, and I have yet to make a final decision on this year’s purchase.
Even within the relatively narrow sphere of fly fishing there are many genres to choose from. Pragmatic guides on fishing technique sit alongside those more philosophical in nature examining why we fish, books on fly tying technique, listings of fly patterns, casting techniques, collecting fishing tackle, details of where to fish and so on.
A popular topic for authors is creating bibliographies of angling related material or guides on collecting piscatorial literature. I always feel sorry for non-fishers trying to negotiate the minefield of choosing a book as a present for anglers.
This time last year I spent some time tracking down a copy of Charles Akroyd’s A Veteran Sportsman’s Diary, published in 1926. The author fished the Brora and Helmsdale, amongst many rivers, and I found his accounts of spring salmon fishing particularly interesting given the prolific nature of the rivers during that era.
Increasingly, I search for books and pamphlets that relate to fishing here in the Far North. The area has been blessed with many notable angling authors stretching back to Andrew Young of Invershin, who wrote extensively of his experiences in the middle of the 19th century.
Some great practical salmon fishing books were written by Neil Graesser of Rosehall and Charles McLaren of Altnaharra based on fishing lives most of us can only dream of. I never miss the opportunity to read anything by the late Rob Wilson who wrote so beautifully in books, magazines and, indeed, this newspaper. The likes of Sir Michael Wigan and Andrew Graham-Stewart thankfully keep this local tradition alive.
Whichever volume I chose will eventually find itself on the shelves holding the multitudes previously acquired and read, not to mention over half a century’s worth of periodicals, pamphlets, tackle catalogues and assorted ephemera accumulated by my late father and myself.
It only leaves me to wish Northern Times readers a peaceful festive period and to thank everybody for their kind words of encouragement throughout the year. I now realise how tricky writing a column can be – but have resolved to try harder in 2022!
Dr Keith Williams is the director of Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries.
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