The Art of being an awful angler by Tod Collins A review by Ian Cox

Tod Collins’ “Art of being an awful angler” is one of the best flyfishing reminisces I have ever read. I say so, not just because of the quirky subtlety of the title and the journey you embark on when reading this Underberg veterinarian's tale of a lifetime of fishing. That is enough to make this book great. But what makes it extraordinary is the way Tod describes those fishing moments of being, not in the context of the fantastic angler (FF as he calls them), but foranglers for whom fishing is a pastime rather than their main preoccupation. Tod is well qualified to write this book. His is the busy life of a country veterinarian, naturalist cum canoeist and mountaineer and family man He has number of well received books to his name.

He claims to be an awful angler, but do not be fooled. According to Tod, awful anglers can and do fish. It is just that they do not make fishing the centre of their lives. Angling, for the awful angler lies more in the warp and weave of the cloth into which the tapestry of their lives is stitched. It is not the main event.

Tod writes well making this an easy read. The book weaves a skilful tapestry of stories, some of which are hilarious, in a book where fishing and especially trout fishing, give expression to the wonderful sense of being we all enjoy from time to time. It is a book where the story lies more in the reading than the plot. Its bloody clever and simply wonderful.

The older reader will love his passion for the old traditional patterns such as Connemara Black, the Teal and Green and the Walker Nymphs. Who amongst us still fishes the Mooi Moth? Tod Does. And the names. Tod has lived and worked in Underberg for decades. The characters who made this fishing mecca famous are his friends and mentors not just in fishing but also in life. But this is not just a trip down memory lane. Tod is a river fisherman who fishes simply but is aware of and enjoys his surroundings. Like most of us, he loses as many fish as he catches. But he is an awful angler who loves to fish. There are lessons that the FF or the fanatically fantastic fisherman (an FFF) can learn from this book. The rest of us will take pleasure in the laughs, the travails and the pleasure of experiencing a fellow anglers joy of being on a river and in the moment.

Bookshops are hard to find these days. I live in a city of over 3 million people but must travel over 40km to get to a half decent bookshop. If you are similarly afflicted, you can contact Tod Collins directly at Tcollins@isat.co.za to purchase a copy.