The Expert Roach Fisher by J.W.Gosling

[MrCrabtree]

I have been discussing The Expert Roach Fisher (1934) with "Stour Otter" and have been surprised to find that it was published with two completely different dustjackets.
My copy has a wrapper that has no picture,as seen in the photo below, whereas we have seen other copies that have a wrapper showing an angler fishing from a boat and catching a fish.
As the editions are all 1934 any thoughts as to which was the first to be printed and why the publishers bothered to print different wrappers for them?

[Paul F]

I have the same copy as yours,and too have seen the pictorial wrapper version.

I understand on good authority, that it was printed 1st with the pictorial jacket, but sales were not as expected, so they reduced the price offering a plain DJ, the book itself was printed only in 1934.

It is one of the scarcest roach fishing titles, a nice read too

[AshbyCut]

I have the edition with the cover photo on the dust jacket ... let's just say that editions without a dust jacket of any kind are ... well ... most collectable !!!

[Troydog]

Good morning gentlemen. If I was to stumble across a book with this title in one of our second hand bookshops I would most certainly be interested in buying it. But I have never heard of the book or the author. Now I do have some lovely old books such as Roach Fishing by Faddist published in 1936. I wondered whether the book you are discussing offers good content and or new insights. Alternatively you may feel that is a rehash of much similar material that was available at the time?

[DaceAce]

I've got this book (no DJ!) but it's fairly basic stuff.

I have the rare 'Angling for Roach' by Faddist which is the earlier version of 'Roach Fishing'.

Of the early roach books 'The Book of the Roach' by Fennell, and 'Roach, Rudd and Bream Fishing' by J W Martin offer more insights into roach fishing.

[Olly]

I have both Faddist and Fennell books. Still very interesting books which give details of how to go about roach fishing in the 60's & 70's. Still valid today - if you can find the roach.

[Troydog]

Thank you gentlemen, I shall keep a keen eye out for some of the titles that you mention.......meanwhile I'm off down the road to prebait a couple of swims.....

[Troydog]

....roach swims by the way....

[MrCrabtree]

Many thanks for the information and good luck with the prebaiting

[Vole]

You'll be lucky to find a paper copy of Greville Fennell's book, but it is findable, free, online.
It really is fascinating, almost like an internet forum, because he had a huge range of friends to whom he'd write and exchange views, opinions and information; he always gave full credit, so everyone seems to have been happy to chat with him; a bit like Walton, but with a much better Post Office to work with (And Walton was not above a spot of unacknowledged plagiarism; Berners' layout is all over his first chapter, but nary a mention, as far as I can remember (an increasingly variable measure of actuality, I'm afraid). And he taketh the p. out of one of her recipes. Cad!).