Hi to all
I was thinking about getting Ron Holloway's book "You should have been here last Thursday".
Anyone read, it I am keen to find peoples thoughts on the book. I had a chance to do some waterkeeping with the man whilst I was at Sparsholt College, but instead opted to work on the Winchester College beats.
regards
Richard

__________________
www.ernemelvin.com

http://www.spartonfly.co.uk/index.html

http://www.akbushcompany.com/

I have the book, and know the man very well. It's a good book, well written, and very articulate and based very much from experience and solid methodology. It's partly autobiography, partly his views on the world of fly fishing, and worth reading.

__________________
http://www.flyfishinglessons.co.uk
http://www.aapgai.co.uk

I too have the book, and whilst it is a brilliant volume to start... it sort of turns into a grumpy old sods rant half way through kinda spoils it a bit

__________________

I likewise have the book and find it became too opinionated. Adequate Christmas read but little to be gained regarding knowledge or experience from it.

Thanks for your thoughts, but Ron is a grumpy old sod anyaway. He was like that 15 years ago, I can only assume it has gained greater momentium as time passes. Thats why I went and done my time at the Winchester College Beats with Pete McCarthy.

__________________
www.ernemelvin.com

http://www.spartonfly.co.uk/index.html

http://www.akbushcompany.com/

Well worth a read Richard, I thoroughly enjoyed it although I agree it's a bit grumpy and self opinionated in places. 35 years a river keeper gives Ron licence to be as opinionated as he wants I reckon and he is a master of his trade.

I remember about twenty years ago a memorable evenings dry fly fishing at Martyr Worthy with him and Donny Donovan who used to work on the river with him. I have never felt so inept and rubbish in all my fishing life! Donny always used to say of Ron, "He'll be famous when he's dead!"

Reg Wyatt

Happy to call Ron a friend but I'm sure that not even he would call it well written. Informative and entertaining though. A great man whose ground-breaking work paved the way for the WTT and current wealth of knowledge of river restoration.

P

__________________
Trout fishermen revere the trout; trout, on the other hand, unaware of their sublime standing in man's world, revere nothing, including man, a creature they seem to view with special contempt. Nihilism is a rare trait in fish but trout are full of it. The old men liked that.

I skimmed it in the book shop, depends how many books you have but I'd rank it alongside the stuff distant relatives give you at Christmas.

For the money:
Fly Fishing - Derbyshire & Staffordshire - Watson
Orange Otter - Knowles
Dictionary of Trout Flies - Courtnay Williams

would be much more use and more entertaining, in my view.

Ron Holloway has a "post modern" take on Grayling fishing on chalk streams (published April 6, 2010) - they should be killed.

Grayling under the microscope : Association of Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors :

As a guy who's walked the walk and talked the talk for over 35 years, gave advice around the world to scientific bodies on how to do their conservation and river management, was the keeper on the best wild fishery in the south,and helped found Britains best salminoid conservation charity, I think he's more than worth listening to.

__________________
http://www.flyfishinglessons.co.uk
http://www.aapgai.co.uk