Passion for Pike by Ad Swier

(Click on book pictures to enlarge)

Ad, a Dutch fly fisherman has been fishing for pike for over fifty years and Passion for Pike is his musing about this journey. Passion for Pike is not what I would call a "how to" instructional book. This is a book about a fly fisherman's passion about fly-fishing for pike. Ad being an artist paints in words about this passion and takes us into his world of pike fishing in Holland and Ireland. Within the book there is a seasoning of photographs, Ad's Art work (excellent by the way), stories, and humor along with educational insights.

The book is a treasurer trove of information on pike biology, fishing techniques and effective flies. Ad also explains the barbaric practice of culling pike to protect the "poor" trout, and fishing competitions.

The book contains contributions from other pike fly-fishermen from the USA, Canada, England, Sweden, Netherlands and Ireland. Ad devotes separate chapters of fly-fishing for these pike in those very different countries. In the April/May 2007 issue of the In-Fisherman, who stated that the world's top twenty largest Pike were caught in Europe. Hmm, something to ponder here.

I personally enjoyed the book. I was a relief to read a book that a fellow fly fisherman pours out his soul on a species of fish that does not get that much attention on the fly fishing community. If you fly fishing for pike this is a must for your collection. This is not for the trout faint hearted which think of pike as "hit men" of the fishing world. I will be going back to the book to cull information that I may have missed.

Ad lives with his in Netherlands, on the River IJssel. He is an artist, writer, and photographer. Hardy once produced a pike rod designed by Ad called the "Pike Teaser". He has also designed a series of pike hooks which are manufactured by Partridge.

 

Published by:Coch-Y-Bonddu Books/Paul Morgan, Wales United Kingdom

Cost: £19.95