The Song Of The Solitary Bass Fisher Book

James Batty seldom ventures further than about 20 miles from his Cornish home, west of Penzance. He fishes from the rocks and beaches in a handful of places and this is quite enough for him. For his quarry – the European bass – is a challenging one and you need to know exactly how it behaves, what it is feeding on and where it is likely to be lurking if you are to stand a chance of catching it.

Batty has been a dedicated specialist bass fisher for many years and he uses the tackle best suited to the conditions: fly, lure or bait. He fishes in the anti-social hours of dusk and dawn when the tide brings the big bass in close to the shore. And catch them he certainly does – often in surprisingly shallow water, close to his leaky boots. James Batty is a thoughtful, intelligent, amusing angler who writes with clarity and refreshing insight.

• Hardback: 192 Pages