Arthur Ransome the Fisherman
I often wonder why with AR's great knowledge and dedication to fishing, this pastime gets merely a nod from the Society.
Fishing both here in the US and I know in the UK is hugely popular, with tournaments and all kinds of competitions, every day there seems to be large groups of people casting lines, for the elusive fish.
Most children enjoy fishing, and it is certainly a theme in the books, it is something that could be exploited by the Society, are there any fishermen out there?
I must admit my own interest has always been sporadic, but my eldest Grandson is extremely keen and very successful both as a rod and line and fly fisherman, in fact I always feel if one gave him a bucket of plain water he could put in a hook and catch something.
Robin
Me too, Robin. Did not AR answer, when asked what his politics were, "Fishing"? I suppose the reason TARS does not organise angling events is because it is essentially a solitary activity. TARS members like to gather in groups and talk loudly - about the last thing you should do when fish are around.
All the same, there could be much more fishing theory and lore in the TARS publications. And Coch-y-Bhonddhu is actually a type of fishing fly, as well as a June Beetle, and a boat. Guddling, eel catching - it's all there. And under that famous chapter head in SA - "More Island Life" - we read about the Swallows' attempt at perch fishing, with varying success. Yet there is little talk of fishing, even on the Forums. Instead, all people want to talk about is the water pipes at Beckfoot, but not real water with real fish in it. Strange !
Interesting. My purely personal and anecdotal impression is that AR is still well known and respected in fishing circles as one of the classic fishing writers. References to him crop up occasionally in newspaper fishing articles, for instance. And I used to have a colleague at work who was a keen angler who had only ever heard of AR through that route, not via the SA series.
But I suspect Peter is right: angling is a largely solitary activity, and for serious anglers it is, well, serious. Give them some leisure time and they'll want to get out and do it, rather than join societies or talk about doing it.
As for the interest levels of existing, non-angling TARS: well, is it the case that the activity doesn't offer the same opportunities for non practitioners to "enter in" as, say, sailing or camping or hill walking? Take Swallows and Amazons: you may come to it as a non sailor, but boats and sailing become an integral part of the plot, essential in terms of taking part in the war, etc. We therefore need to get to grips with at least the basics of sailing in order to understand the wider story, and once readers do get drawn into that understanding, it may lead many to try the actual activity for themselves. I suspect that the same need to really understand fishing doesn't apply: AR gives us many really well written and enjoyable scenes , and I've no doubt these are full of accurate and fascinating technical details. But unless the reader actually wants to tackle these (no pun intended) they don't need to. They can simply read the scene and then go on to supper, which after fishing happens to be perch or trout rather than pemmican.
I've no idea whether that's a valid thought or not, as it has only just occured to me. So please do shoot it down if you disagree!
You're right Robin. All I have gleaned about AR suggests that he loved fishing primarily, and sailing came second (in a theoretical list of priorities).
To his fans though, I wonder if fishing often seems less appealing than sailing? Fishing is a way to catch fish (or get away from the wife) not much else. Sailing is a way to cross the lake, get to an island, have a race, enjoy the thrill of speed, enjoy the calm of nature, circumnavigate the world, get fit, travel cheaply, win an Olympic medal...
Sorry to infuriate fanatical fishermen with that statement, but I think its possible sailing has a wider variety of different aspects/goals to it?
All I know is, I read S&A at 7 and was seized by an overwhelming urge to sail, which has never left me.
Well I guess you may have infuriated quite a few wives as well as fishermen with that statement, but hopefully you'll survive...
Thanks for the overall comment though: that's largely what I meant in my previous post, but I think you've put it more clearly.
I can think of one "added value" shared by sailing and fishing, however, and this is something that came out of discussing the matter with my old angling work colleague. We concluded that both activities offer total immersion in the natural world. When doing them you really have to focus on what is going on around you. With sailing you're feeling the movement of the boat, feeling the wind on your cheek, watching ripples and wave movements for gusts, and anticipating the effects of near by land and trees, etc. With fly fishing, he was totally focussed on every detail of the stream, the wind, the effects of shadows, and so on.
As such, both activities are great ways to relax and forget about the stresses and worries of "normal" life (which I suppose might include "getting away" from your husband or wife!). So in defence of fishermen and women, I'd have to conclude there is more to it than simply catching fish.
I think Sailing certainly is more fun, but not everyone can do it, either because they do not live in a suitable place, or cannot afford to do it.
I was fishing before I read the books, it was something every boy or girl did, (more often boys in my time), I certainly got the taste for sailing after S & A but was never able to until I was an adult, I lived by the sea but financially it was a step too far for my family.
Now I know today's children are more able to partake in things today because parents mostly are far better off, but most children love to fish as well.
Certainly hiking and exploring is something that does not cost a lot, and I was lucky there as in those days were not so concerned about their child being away from their sight as today.
As to fishing being solitary, I suggest you wander any riverbank or pier at the weekend they are usually packed with fisher people and over here go out in the bay and it is a constant risk to navigation with the boats all out fishing.
How to harness this aspect this aspect of AR to increase members I do not know, the same could be said for bird watching of course we do not hear much about that.
Thanks Robin - good point about pier and river bank fishing: I must say I was tiniking more of fly fishing, which I think people usually do alone.
Most coarse fishing too is done alone - 'alone' meaning out of earshot. Wander along any canal (in the UK) on a Saturday or Sunday and you'll see squads of anglers - all spaced out at a regulation distance. And you do NOT shout to each other ! I agree, though, that pier fishing can be sociable - eg crab fishing, which Geraint and I witnessed at Harwich pier last May. However, I don't think crab fishing was AR's thing somehow.
If you want another literary theory here, I suggest that while sailing is an integral part of the "action" in AR's stories - WD has little else - fishing is a 'side activity' in the books. Generally speaking, the plot does not hinge on it. It adds strong local colour, as in PM and the 'guddling', and it's part of the Ds' education in survival in the wild, but it does not really advance the plot. Of course, we are all glad it's there.
The comment about fishermen's wives was merely a nod to the stereotype!
I did get a brief twinge of interest in fishing from reading the S&A series, but it was short-lived. However, I can still read Rod And Line, or any of AR's fishing columns, with real enjoyment - he manages to keep it interesting, despite the fact that I don't enjoy the overall topic. Now that is a gift!
Maybe we should remember Big Six, when it was certainly a key factor.
I think with any Sport and I am not sure why fishing, hunting and shooting are called sports as I am not sure the prey think of it that way. But with any sport those that partake can become pretty fanatical about it. which also includes the spectators at times. It is usually only when one takes up a particular sport do you realize the skills that professional players have.
AR was a very skilled fisherman, my grandson is becoming one I have learnt from him there is very much more than just dropping a line in the water, particularly when it comes to fly fishing.
Over here there is a lot of money to be made from this occupation with large sums coming from competitions where competitors are often sponsored by major corporations, so the days of a stick with a string and bent pin are a long way off, maybe being paid for catching the biggest pike was a start.
Incidentally, does anyone know the exact nature of a book/pamphlet simply called "Fishing" by AR in 1955? I cannot find any clear information, apart from an online library entry: COPAC says "an annotated book list...Bibliography...Published for the National Book League at the University Press"
The National Book League in London flourished in the 1950s-60s, partly as a book trade association, and partly as a social club with a good restaurant. It published a series of book lists on various subjects, and got AR to edit the one on fishing.
And while I am on here, I should defend the Society from Robin's 'merely a nod' that started this thread. At last year's Literary Weekend (see the next issue of 'Signals' and the latest of 'SfT' for some reports) we had a major speaker on "Fish on the Page, Plate and Screen". The fact that he was called Nick Fisher was a happy coincidence. It got a very positive response. Unfortunately none of you who have joined in above were able to be there. Watch out for the "Transactions", which will be published later this year, and on sale at the TARS Stall.
So what AR wrote for the Book League was merely a list of books then? Or did it have a nice introduction that he wrote too? Just curious. I don't suppose this will be in any library then, if it is not a 'book' as such.
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