Things you don't see every day. Or ever.

A gentleman donated a couple boxes of old fishing books for auction at an upcoming event of which I am a part. I took it upon myself to catalog these books, and find their current values. Many are first edition, and many are signed.

Here are a few notables:

 Keene, J. Harrington. Fly-Fishing and Fly-Making for trout, Bass, Salmin, Etc. 1898

This book contains 2 plates with 36 original fly tying materials... 1898! Old school.

Just thinking that someone sat down over a century ago to tape some materials from their bench into these books is astounding to me.

Ronalds, Alfred. The Fly-Fisher's Entomology. 1868 First Edition

This book contains 20 hand-colored plates depicting the flies of which the author speaks. 1868! Old School.

Awesome.

Atherton, John. The Fly and the Fish. 1951

First edition, 2 colored plates of flies... Apparently this is a pretty sought after book.


Hills, John Waller. A History of Fly Fishing for Trout. 1921

"The sport is so royal that there is neither gentle no villein, if it knew of it and loved it well, who would not be more honoured for that reason by all who understand it.
Good Sir, if all knew it, would it be less honoured than it is now?
Nay, rather it would be more honoured, fair gentle friend, know it well."

La Chace dou Serf. About 1250. Translation be Sir Henery Dryden.

"The angler must intice, not command his reward, and that which is worthy millions to his contentment, another may buy for a groate in the Market."

 A Discourse of the Generall Art of Fishing, Gervase Markham. 1664.

How cool is that?


Walton, Izaak. The Compleat Angler; or the Contemplative Man's Recreation. 1948

The complete list:

Keene, J. Harrington. Fly-Fishing and Fly-Making for trout, Bass, Salmin, Etc. New York: Forest and Stream Publishing Co., 1898
Walton, Izaak. The Compleat Angler; or the Contrmplative Man's Recreation. New York: The Heritage Press, 1948
Bergman, Ray. Trout. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945
Wanless, Alexander. Thread Line Angling. London: Herbert Jenkens, 1935?
Wanless, Alexander. Threadline Fly Fishing for Trout and Sea Trout. London: Herbert Jenkens, 1948
Wanless, Alexander. Fixed Spool Angling. London: Herbert Jenkens, 1951
Wanless, Alexander. The Science of Spinning For Salmon and Trout. London: Herbert Jenkens, 1946
Wanless, Alexander. Light-Line Fly Fishing for Salmon. London: Herbert Jenkens,
Macdougall, Arthur R. Jr. The Trout Fisherman's Bedside book.  New York: Simon and Schuster, 1963
Bates, Joseph D. Jr. Spinning for Salt water Game Fish. Boston, Toronto: Little, Brown and Company, 1957
Ronalds, Alfred. The Fly-Fisher's Entomology. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 1868
Rhead, Louis. American Trout-Stream Insects: A guide to Angling Flies and Other Aquatic Insects Alluring to Trout. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1916
Gabrielson, I. (ed.) The Fisherman's Encyclopedia. New York: Stackpole, 1950
Bates, Joseph D. Jr. Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing. Stackpole, 1966
Gingrich, Arnold, (ed.) The Gordon Garland: A Round of Devotions by his Followers. New York: The Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, 1965
Hills, John Waller. A History of Fly Fishing for Trout. London: Philip Allan & Co, 1921
Williams, A. Courtney. A Dictionary of Trout Flies. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1949
Jordan, Evermann, Clark (ed.). Check List of Fishes of North and Middle America. Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1955
Peterson, Edwin L. No Life So Happy. New Your: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1940
Platts, W. Carter. Modern Trout Fishing.New York: The MacMillian Company, 1947
Bergman, Ray. Just Fishing. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945
Bates, Joseph D. Jr. Spinning for American Game Fish. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1947
Bates, Joseph D. Jr. Streamer Fly Fishing in Fresh and Salt Water. New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc, 1950
Bates, Joseph D. Jr. Trout Waters and How to Fish Them. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1949
Bates, Joseph D. Jr. Spinning for Fresh Water Game Fish. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1954
Hastings, MacDonald. Cork on the Water. New York: Random House, 1951
Farrington, Chisie. Women Can Fish. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1951
Fox, Charles K. Rising trout. Foxcrest, 1963
Scott, Jock. Spinning Up to Date: Trout, Salmon & Pike. London: Seeley Service & Co. 1950
Carson, Rachel L. The Sea Around Us. New York: Oxford University Press, 1951
Ovington, Ray. Spinning in America. Pennsylvania, The Stackpole Co. 1954
Ovington, Ray. How to Take Trout on Wet Flies and Nymphs. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1952
Thommen, George V. The Complete Guide to Spinning Tackle. New York: Crown Publising, 1954
Thommen, George V. Spinning Reels & Tackle. New york: Crown Publishing, 1949
McClane, A. J. Spinning for Fresh and Salt Water Fish of North America. New York: Prentice Hall Inc., 1952
Schrenkeisen, Ray. Fishing Lake and Stream for Bass, Muskalonge, Pike, Pan Fishes, Salmon, and Trout. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1946
Meck, Charles. Memory Rising: Hatches, Waters, and Trout. Columbia, PA.: Bonasa Press, 2003
Traver, Robert. Trout Madness. New york: St. Martin Press, 1960
Koller, Lawrence R. Taking Larger Trout. Boston: Little Brown, 1950
Godfrey, Joe Jr. Salt Water Fish: A Guide Book. Whitman Publishing Company, 1939
Flick, Art. Streamside Guide to Naturals and their Imitations.New York: Putnam's Sons, 1947
Schwiebert, Ernest G. Jr. Matching the Hatch. New York: MacMillan and Company, 1955
Brooks, W. A. Fishin' Fun: A Treasury of Fishing Humor. New York: Derby Press, Inc., 1954
Burns, Eugene. Fresh and Salt Water Spinning. Dell Publishing Company, Inc., 1952
Farson, Negly. Going Fishing. London: Country Life Ltd., 1944
Atherton, John. The Fly and the Fish. New York: Macmillan Company, 1951
McClane, A. J. The Practical Fly Fisherman.  New York: Prentice Hall, 1953


-Alex who is trying to figure out how to read a couple thousand pages in the next two weeks.