Written by: David Hall and Friends
Published by: David Hall Publishing in 2016
Rating ***
This book is a compilation of Articles entitled “Snide Rumours and Dirty Lies” as a
tribute to David Hall. David grew the
biggest angling publishing empire in the UK and was a keen match fisherman.
The first “SR & DL” was written
to fill a void in his Coarse Fishing
magazine. From then onwards the interest
or outcry made sure that David kept a page in future magazines.
The articles were a compilation of stories and anecdotes
about people mainly (but not exclusively) on the Match Fishing circuit that
David met regularly. Many stories arose
from the gossip on the circuit, some of them were based on a grain of truth,
but always written as a wind up. David wrote that in the early days, there was
little point in suing him as he didn’t have any money, so didn’t really worry
what he wrote.
The stories had me sniggering many times as I am of the age
when I can remember many of the individuals, and wincing at others, especially
when he insults anglers' wives which for me is a step too far. However, David was nothing if not even handed
as several items are also included about himself. I guess you must have to be thick- skinned to
work in that environment where taking the 'mickey' between individuals within
the publishing business was the norm.
The book is great to dip into when you have a quiet few
minutes, but I wonder how many anglers now would be able to appreciate the
stories without knowledge of the individuals. It may not mean very much to them
or be of interest. However, if you are nearing 60+ like me, there will be items
which will raise a laugh as you remember reading about these characters in the
Angling Press. It would be impossible to produce this type of article nowadays
in a politically correct society for fear of litigation but it is worth a dip
into the memory banks to recall what the sport was like when matches were made
up from hundreds of anglers and when there was rivalry between teams which
fuels these articles which were written over 13 years from 1989-2002.