THE ENGLISH ANGLER IN FLORIDA; With Some Descriptive Notes on the Game Animals and Birds
Rowland Ward. 1898 London, 1st edn, xii, 122pp, frontis with tissue guard, photos, 2 unnumbered pages at end. A very good copy, scuffing of cloth along spine and corver. Signed, inscribed and dated by Rowland Ward. Item #002970
The only fishing book published by Rowland Ward Ltd and the only sporting book written by Ward himself. The book describes an extended fishing trip to Florida that Rowland Ward went on in 1897. He and "Mrs. Ward" left in March from London on the SS Majestic to New York and traveled from there south to seek tarpon which they fished for around Ft. Myers among other places. His biggest tarpon was 128lbs, a monster to be sure, by still not near as big as the record which was obtained by a Mrs. Stagg and at that time was claimed to be 205lbs. Ward was able to photograph the landing of a 600lbs saw fish that a fellow anger hooked. At the end of the trip he did some “small fishing” during which he caught moon fish, black bass, sheep head and other fish. Taking the train back to Washington DC he visited the Smithsonian. There is also a list of the biggest tarpon caught in the 1887 season as well as an extract of the Florida Game Laws and a copy of the report he wrote for The Field once he was back in England. For what ever reason this is an very rare and hard to find publication. THIS IS THE FIRST EDITION FIRST PRINTING, later re-issued.
Price: $1,000.00