The early evolution of fishing as recreation is not clear. For example, there is anecdotal evidence for fly fishing
in Japan, however, fly fishing was likely to have been a means of
survival, rather than recreation. The earliest English essay on
recreational fishing was published in 1496, by Dame Juliana Berners, the prioress of the Benedictine Sopwell Nunnery. The essay was titled Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle,and included detailed information on fishing waters, the construction
of rods and lines, and the use of natural baits and artificial flies.
Recreational fishing took a great leap forward after the English Civil War,
where a newly found interest in the activity left its mark on the many
books and treatises that were written on the subject at the time. Compleat Angler was written by Izaak Walton in 1653 (although Walton continued to add to it for a quarter of a century) and described the fishing in the Derbyshire Wye.
It was a celebration of the art and spirit of fishing in prose and
verse. A second part to the book was added by Walton's friend Charles Cotton.
Charles Kirby designed an improved fishing hook in 1655 that remains
relatively unchanged to this day. He went on to invent the Kirby bend, a
distinctive hook with an offset point, still commonly used today.
The 18th century was mainly an era of consolidation of the techniques
developed in the previous century. Running rings began to appear along
the fishing rods, which gave anglers greater control over the cast line.
The rods themselves were also becoming increasingly sophisticated and
specialized for different roles. Jointed rods became common from the
middle of the century and bamboo came to be used for the top section of the rod, giving it a much greater strength and flexibility.
The industry also became commercialized - rods and tackle were sold at the haberdashers store. After the Great Fire of London in 1666, artisans moved to Redditch
which became a centre of production of fishing related products from
the 1730s. Onesimus Ustonson established his trading shop in 1761, and
his establishment remained as a market leader for the next century. He
received a Royal Warrant and became the official supplier of fishing tackle to three successive monarchs starting with King George IV over this period.He also invented the multiplying winch.
The commercialization of the industry came at a time of expanded
interest in fishing as a recreational hobby for members of the aristocracy.
The impact of the Industrial Revolution
was first felt in the manufacture of fly lines. Instead of anglers
twisting their own lines - a laborious and time-consuming process - the
new textile spinning machines allowed for a variety of tapered lines to be easily manufactured and marketed.
British fly-fishing continued to develop in the 19th Century, with
the emergence of fly fishing clubs, along with the appearance of several
books on the subject of fly tying and fly fishing techniques.
By the mid to late 19th century, expanding leisure
opportunities for the middle and lower classes began to have its effect
on fly fishing, which steadily grew in mass appeal. The expansion of
the railway network in Britain allowed the less affluent for the first time to take weekend trips to the seaside or to rivers for fishing. Richer hobbyists ventured further abroad.The large rivers of Norway replete with large stocks of salmon began to attract fishers from England in large numbers in the middle of the century - Jones's guide to Norway, and salmon-fisher's pocket companion, published in 1848, was written by Frederic Tolfrey and was a popular guide to the country.
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