Product Description

Though an enthusiastic sea-fisher as a child, Chris Yates has concentrated on freshwater throughout his fishing life. In Out of the Blue he describes his return to the sea after half a life-time and his increasing passion for its changeable moods and habits. Remaining faithful to his fundamental angling ethic – fishing simply with the minimum of tackle and always using his old split cane carp rod – he ventures into different waters and nets a cast of new experiences. Far from the quiet enchantment of his local reed-fringed, willow-hung waters, he discovers another, more elemental, more mysterious world . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41226 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

About the Author
Chris Yates is a photographer and author, but first and foremost he is a fisherman. When he was five, he was inspired by the discovery of a monster carp in his village pond. Thirty years later, he caught what was then the biggest fish in England. He went on to talk about his experiences in books, magazines and in the BBC2 series A Passion for Angling. His latest book is How to Fish.

Customer Reviews

The Passionate Angler
Maurice Wiggin's book, The Passionate Angler inspired the world-class BBC series, A Passion for Angling, in which Chris Yates starred. The success of this film catapulted this quiet, modest man into the limelight, and into the homes of anglers and non-anglers alike. It opened up a whole new world of exploration for him, and when Penguin/Hamish Hamilton published 'How to Fish' in 2006, it became an overnight success.

'Out of the Blue' published by Hamish Hamilton on the 4th September, 2008, has outstripped our book shop sales of 'How to Fish' by almost 90% so far, with the leather-bound special edition achieving rapid sales. Out of the Blue is already on its 2nd print run, which might come as a surprise to people who previously saw Chris as a coarse fisherman, because this wonderful new book is about sea fishing; bass in particular.

It's not an instructional book; it's a journey through the hot summers of school holidays spent rock-pooling with his brother; of becoming stranded on rocks and almost being washed out to sea; of his return and rediscovery of childhood haunts, and the thrill of catching, then releasing his beautiful bass to the mysterious depths of the ocean.

Chris's mastery of prose is unrivalled in the world of angling, and those who have previously read his books will not be disappointed by this latest gem. When asked recently which was his favourite book, he replied, 'this one.' It is certainly his latest passion but it goes beyond that, because in an interview with Charlotte Cross of Lantern Radio, North Devon, he expressed concern over the commercial fishing of bass, and warned of its potential demise.

Out of the Blue is an evocatively written book - read it and you'll smell the sea, feel the warm sun on your back and hear the waves crashing against the rocks. Your eyes will search an imaginary horizon for a glimpse of the magnificent bass, and who knows, it may stir readers enough to take a closer look at what is happening to the fish stocks in our coastal waters.

Above all, read and enjoy Chris's latest mastercast; I did, and if for some reason you can't go down to the sea right now, read 'Out of the Blue,' for it will surely take you there.

(Published: Special edition of Out of the Blue published by Mayer Benham. Bound in blue Chieftain goatskin, this truly special edition contains new material and a previously unseen photograph. Limited to just 50 hand-numbered copies, each is signed by Chris. Visit River Reads to find out more. Also available: signed copies of Catching the Impossible by the celebrated film-maker Hugh Miles. Starring Martin Bowler & Bernard Cribbins, this latest masterpiece is a must for anglers and nature-lovers alike.)

Good but not a classic.

Being on the west side of the pond, I enjoyed fishing for striped bass for several years. Circumstances have taken me away from it and I dearly miss it. Surf fishing is the ultimate fishing experience, along with rivers, in my opinion. What could be more exciting than a high energy environment of endless moods and character? Yet, to find a good book on surf fishing is impossible, it seems. We have countless good books on fly-fishing, here, but that is all. A lyrical book on another method is an oddity and that is partly why I started reading English coarse fishing books. Some of them have writing equal to any fly-fishing book and Yates's, Casting at the Sun, was a perfect example. I read it years ago and was entranced by its poetic qualities. I, therefore, had very high hopes that, Out of the Blue, would be the same and awaited it eagerly.

I got it yesterday and breezed through it in 2 hours or less. I don't know what the word count is but it is not a long book. I guess it would be a 100 pages, or less, in a regular sized book. I was a little disappointed that it didn't live up to my hopes. While it is well written account of his reintroduction to sea angling, I was looking for a more experienced perspective. Approaching a subject as a neophyte can often provide fresh insight, but here, I had the impression that Yates' lack of exposure limited his ability to reflect deeply enough. There isn't all that much fishing in the book. A few childhood reminiceses and then some trips ashore and afloat are the extent of it. The scenes where he and his friend drift over a reef are very enjoyable but a few more would have been fun. The best freshwater to saltwater transition piece I have seen was in, An Angler for All Seasons: The Best of H.T.Sheringham. He pretty much nailed the mystery and magic, not to mention bewilderment and awe, that an angler feels moving from confined freshwaters to global salt waters. Yates comes close, but, I think, the book would have been better served after a few years on the salt, rather than just a vacation on the beach. It is still much better than most sea fishing titles, however.

What took you so long?
Chris writes about his rediscovery of sea fishing, having left it as a boy and spent most of his life fishing rivers and lakes. As a sea angler myself, I can't understand why he didn't go back to sea fishing before! We are all familiar with Chris from his appearances on television and other books on fishing, and this book is no less charming than his previous work. When Chris writes, you are there with him and you can share every sparkle on the water, distant swoop of a gull and the murmur and suck of a quiet sea. Chris brings the delicate touch of his freshwater style to sea fishing, so I wonder how he would deal with the rough and tumble of sea fishing in rougher places? He wisely keeps away from that! I would give Chris a five except for one thing. Why the obsession with keeping away from the rest of mankind? No wonder more sociable nations think us a strange lot in England.