Understanding Fishing Tackle by Dick Lewers

Understanding Fishing Tackle (First South African Edition Angling Guide)

A Practical Guide to Saltwater and Freshwater Fishing Tackle by Australian Angling Writer Dick Lewers

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Understanding Fishing Tackle
• Author: Dick Lewers
• Publisher: Delta Books, Johannesburg
• Publication Date: 1982
• ISBN-10: 0908387172
• Edition Details: First South African Edition, Delta Books, 1982. First published in Australia by A H & A W Reed Pty Ltd, 1972; reprinted 1974 and 1978.
• Binding: Publisher's illustrated perfect-bound card wrappers, blue spine with cream lettering and the publisher's logo at the foot.
• Physical Format: Large softcover (trade paperback), approximately 235 x 155 mm. Illustrated with black and white plates and figures throughout.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good (VG)
• Exterior / Wraps: Glossy illustrated card wrappers with a blue spine lettered in cream. The spine is clean and straight with no obvious creasing. Corners and edges are generally clean, and the fore-edge is toned a light tan. The back cover is clean apart from some faint mottling in the blue.
• Interior: The text block is tight and clean. The pages have toned to cream, with the edges more browned. Pages checked are clean, with no markings or foxing. Many black and white plates and photographs. No inscriptions, bookplates or stamps.
• The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued)

Synopsis & Historical Value

Understanding Fishing Tackle is a practical guide to angling equipment, written for beginners and experienced fishermen alike. It covers tackle for both saltwater and freshwater fishing, from choosing and buying gear to using it and landing the fish.

The book deals with rods, reels, casting and rod repairs, and explains how to get the best from each item. It is illustrated throughout with black and white plates and figures.

The book first appeared in Australia from Reed in the early 1970s. This 1982 Delta Books edition, published in Johannesburg, is the South African edition. An Australian angling tribute has called the book the 'bible' of the 1970s, which speaks to its standing among anglers. It is a useful volume for collectors of Africana outdoor and angling literature.

Author Profile: Dick Lewers

Dick Lewers was an Australian angling writer who contributed to fishing magazines for more than forty years. He was best known for his long-running 'Ask Dick Lewers' column in Modern Fishing, and in 2017 he was inducted into the Australian Fishing Trade Association Hall of Fame.

His other books include How to Build a Fishing Rod (1981), Fabulous Bass and How to Catch Them (1995) and Fishing Knots and Rigs (2005). He died aged 92.