edited by Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper, a name already synonymous with quality pike books. As well as writing his own books, including the classic and very highly sought after 'Broadland Pike', Harper has also designed many other books for a variety of self-published pike anglers. These include titles such as Mega Pike: The Return, A Piker's Progression, Ultimate Pike, PAC 30, Fenland Pike and many more. You can always tell a book designed by Stephen Harper, the quality stands out.
So back to Dream Pike, the premise is simple, a selection of pike anglers tell in their own words the story of the capture of their own personal dream pike. Each story relates to the capture of a pike weighing over 30lbs, that magical weight that is still the lifetime ambition of any specimen minded pike angler.
The tales vary a great deal in location and style. Everything from the culmination of years of dedication and hard work through to the angler that idly threw a spinner out the back of the boat on a summer's day and caught a leviathan. From the enormous windswept waters of Ireland and Scotland to the sedate canals and rivers of southern England. There's a little bit of everything in this book and the format makes it ideal to dip in and out of for a little inspiration whenever you might need it.
Obviously with every story being written by a different angler, each chapter is very different. Some contributors really know how to write whilst others are clearly better with a fishing rod in their hand than a keyboard. Some are well known names on the piking circuit, having contributed to many books or magazines previously, whereas for others it is the first time they have had their words in print. However the common thread of 30lb+ pike links them all and makes every chapter worth a second read...or more. I've yet to hear about the capture of a pike of this size that doesn't get mind racing during a run of blank winter sessions.
It would be unfair of me to single out a favourite chapter. Everyone that reads this book will no doubt relate to something in particular. There are so many tales from so many anglers from all across the UK and Ireland that there really is something for everyone. Fireside reading at it's best.
Available from Stephen's own website - www.harperanglingbooks.co.uk
First published in 2010 by Harper Fine Angling Books. Limited to 800 cloth-bound copies and 40 deluxe leather-bound copies.
Click here to go back to the list of all reviews.
So back to Dream Pike, the premise is simple, a selection of pike anglers tell in their own words the story of the capture of their own personal dream pike. Each story relates to the capture of a pike weighing over 30lbs, that magical weight that is still the lifetime ambition of any specimen minded pike angler.
The tales vary a great deal in location and style. Everything from the culmination of years of dedication and hard work through to the angler that idly threw a spinner out the back of the boat on a summer's day and caught a leviathan. From the enormous windswept waters of Ireland and Scotland to the sedate canals and rivers of southern England. There's a little bit of everything in this book and the format makes it ideal to dip in and out of for a little inspiration whenever you might need it.
Obviously with every story being written by a different angler, each chapter is very different. Some contributors really know how to write whilst others are clearly better with a fishing rod in their hand than a keyboard. Some are well known names on the piking circuit, having contributed to many books or magazines previously, whereas for others it is the first time they have had their words in print. However the common thread of 30lb+ pike links them all and makes every chapter worth a second read...or more. I've yet to hear about the capture of a pike of this size that doesn't get mind racing during a run of blank winter sessions.
It would be unfair of me to single out a favourite chapter. Everyone that reads this book will no doubt relate to something in particular. There are so many tales from so many anglers from all across the UK and Ireland that there really is something for everyone. Fireside reading at it's best.
Available from Stephen's own website - www.harperanglingbooks.co.uk
First published in 2010 by Harper Fine Angling Books. Limited to 800 cloth-bound copies and 40 deluxe leather-bound copies.
Click here to go back to the list of all reviews.
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