Traditional Angling celebrates the Waltonian values of angling: about fishing in a seasonal and uncompetitive way, for the pure pleasure of being beside water. It wears its heart on its sleeve and a wildflower in its lapel. It’s passionate, provocative and eccentric. It's for those who appreciate the aesthetics of angling and uphold its sporting traditions. As such, it appeals to both fly and bait fishers, and to non-anglers as well. So, with great enthusiasm, raise your bamboo rods aloft for an adventure that proves there’s more to fishing than catching fish.

Chapters

1. Introduction
2. Traditional Sense
3. Faith in the Future
4. Return to Woodwater Pool
5. A Wheeze before Teatime
6. Season's End
7. To Catch a Fish
8. The Custodians of Traditional Angling
9. An Absolute Blank?
10. Real Ale and the Meaning of Life
11. The Adventures of Smelly Brown
12. Classic Tench
13. A Gather at the Dorset Stour
14. The Silent Hunt
15. Six Sides to Every Story
16. Angler's Dispatch
17. Pike!
18. Frozen
19. A Reel for Christmas
20. The Edward Barder Interview
21. The Last Cast

Most popular quote from Traditional Angling

"Physics teaches us that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction: a natural balance of energy that sustains the equilibrium of life. In modern angling, these forces are skewed so far in favour of technology that the balance between science and art has been lost. But there is a movement, an undercurrent that defies the flow of progress. There are those who choose not to follow the crowd. They seek not to fish in a predictable, scientific manner. They yearn for the opposite, to buck the trend, to be different. They are the Traditional Anglers."

Reader testimonials

“A beautifully written, very engaging and hugely enjoyable read. In fact, it’s the best thing on fishing I’ve read in a long time.”

“What a Journal! Fennel is clearly the spiritual successor to his mentor – the great Bernard Venables. There’s so much wisdom and craftsmanship in his writing. Bernard clearly taught him very well.”

“Wonderful, atmospheric, writing. I had to ration myself so not to let the moments go too quickly.”

“I loved reading Traditional Angling. I knew it would be good, and was not disappointed. I couldn’t put it down until I finished.”

Publication details

• Published by Fennel’s Priory Limited.
• Copyright © Fennel Hudson 2010, 2017
• Hardback ISBN 978-1-909947-22-1
  • 216 x 140mm (8.5 x 5.5in)
  • B&W interior, text only
  • 224 pages
• Paperback ISBN 978-1-909947-23-8
• Kindle ISBN 978-1-909947-20-7