BOOKS OF THE BLACK BASS
Bass Books Published in Europe and Africa
The Black Basses (Micropterus
species) are not native in any of the countries listed below but have
become very important sport fish in each of them. Sorry that many of the newer books aren’t
listed but I’ve dropped the ball on these recently. There are links
below to a few European Web sites that use the local language. Using cut
and paste you can translate the written material from
those sites by going to either: AltaVista Translations
or InterTran
(tm)
Black
Bass Books from France
BRETON, BERNARD and TAJANA & RÉGIS GÉRARD - Toutes Les Peches De La Perche Et Du Black-Bass. 12
mo. 128 pages. 2000. Editions Gisserot. Bordeaux.
Soft cover. Illustrated with color photos and black & white drawings. Black
Bass section runs from page 91 through 123.
HIAASEN, CARL - Peche En Eau Trouble. 423
pages. 1998. Denoel (Editions) Thrillers. France.
Also published in a soft cover. 478 pages. 1999. Pocket - Presses de la Cite.
This is the French language version of Double Whammy. A novel that
centers on professional Bass fishing and murder with lots of humor thrown in.
LE BULLETIN de B.B.F. a 20 page magazine published quarterly
by Black Bass France. Michel Brousse had told
me about this group quite a while ago but he didn't have any idea how to
contact them. Finally, Club President, Franck Rosmann
contacted me and was kind enough to provide me a few copies of the publication.
This is the first and only Bass club in France.
Illustrated in color and black & white with a full color
cover.
LE PECHEUR DE FRANCE - Le Savoir Pratique: La Perche Et Le Black
Bass. 4to. 50 pages. 1997. Le Pecheur De France.
Paris.
Softcover. Illustrated with color photos and
drawings. About half on yellow perch and the rest on Black Bass. Published by a
magazine publisher in a magazine format without ads. I received this one from
my friend Michel Brousse.
RENAULT, RAOUL - Le Black Bass ou Achigan Ses Moeurs
- Ses Peches. 12mo.
64 pages. 1951. Borneman. Paris. Written in
French. This book is directed to Bass fishing in France.
Jim Potts quoted from this work in his Book Of The Black Bass II, he
translated this paragraph and suggested that we see French nationalism at work
here. "In Canada, its country of origin, the French Canadians, who
preserved with so much care and love the life of their ancestral tongue, have
since always called it achigan (at-chi-gane: "the one that struggles" said the Algonquin
Indians in their vivid language). That the Yankees choose to call it black
bass, is their affair, but it seems to me that we must retain the name in
French d'achigan. When Canada
became dominately English, for the most part the
Canadian towns put into their coat of arms the proud motto "I
remember." Includes chapters on Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Rock Bass.
Illustrated with fish drawings and drawings of rods, reels, lures, flies, etc.
Ends with a page on cooking Bass.
Also printings in 1952 & 1954.
VANSON, JEAN-CLAUDE - Le Black-Bass, ses moeurs, sa pêche.
12mo. 128 pages. 1958. Crépin et Cie. Paris. Illustrated with black & white drawings and
photos. Softcover. The two versions of this book
(Spanish and French) were given to me as a gift by a French friend, Michel Brousse. Michel is an educator and a distinguished author
in his own right, having written Le Judo, a large fully illustrated
history of Judo published in 1996. Michel's book opens with a historical look
at Judo in Japan
beginning in the year 1192 and ends with modern times.
Here are
a couple of Canadian books that were published in French so I decided to add
them here for French speaking anglers who might be interested.
CAMPEAU, PATRICK – 101 secrets
de la pêche à l'achigan à petite bouche (101 Secrets to Fishing for Smallmouth
Bass). 12mo. 204 pages. 2002. Laval. Québec Canada. Illustrated with black & white
drawings.
LAMARCHE, JACQUES - L'achigan à petite bouche (The Smallmouth Bass). 8vo. 81 pages. 2000. Val-des-Monts,
Québec : Éditions Maréchal. Illustrated. Not seen.
Black Bass Books from Germany
![[IMAGE]](germany.gif)
BORNE,
MAX von dem - Der Schwarzbarsch und der Forrellen-barsch (The Black Bass and the Trout Bass).
8vo. 8 pages. 1886. Parey. Berlin. The count received 45
Largemouth and 7 Smallmouth from the United States in 1883 and
in a few years was providing Bass for stocking all over Europe. In 1888 he rewrote this booklet and expanded it
to 35 pages. Not seen. Interesting that much early research on our American
Black Bass was conducted in Europe.
Also 44 pages, 1892.
Black Bass Books from Italy
![[IMAGE]](italy.gif)
Bassmania - a slick full color quarterly
Bass magazine published in Italy. First issue was
December 2000. A very well done magazine. Fully illustrated and the
Premier issue contains a feature on Ray Scott. Bassmania
CALIGIANI,
ALFREDO - Black Bass E Ciprinidi
con la mosca artificiale.
8vo. 86 pages. 1985. Firenze.
Olimpia. Softbound. Illustrated with black &
white and color drawings and photos. A book on fly fishing for bass and other
Italian game fish. All of these Italian books came to me through the generosity
of my good friend, Italian Bass Pro and writer, Massimo Zanetti.
PACCHIARINI, PAOLO
– Il Black Bass: Strategie E Artificali. 116
pages. 2004. Soft cover. Illustrated with color photos and plates
of flies. Not seen but I do have a
copy coming.
CAZZOLA,
ROBERTO - Pesca al Persico Trota Black Bass E Artificiali.
8vo. 123 pages. 1988. Firenze.
Olimpia. Illustrated with color and black & white
photos. It is the first Italian book on bass fishing with artificial lures.
HIAASEN,
CARL - L'Esca Mortale
(translated by Gian Domencio
Bocchi) The Italian verision
of Hiaasen's Double Whammy. I haven't been able to obtain a copy
but did read an Italian review of the book and confirmed it is Double Whammy. I actually traded for a copy of
this book but the fellow in Italy never followed up
with his half of the trade.
MENCHI,
ALESSANDRO - Lucci e persici.
8vo. 123 pages. 1979. Firenze.
Olimpia. Illustrated in black & white. This book
is not specifically on Black Bass. It is about the fishing of Black Bass, Royal
Perch and Northern Pike both with artificial lures and with live bait.
PACCHIARINI, PAOLO
– Il Black Bass: Strategie
E Artificali.
Square 8vo. 118 pages. 2004. GEA –Gruppo
Editoriale Accademico. Modena, Italy. Soft cover. Illustrated with outstanding color
photos including fifty flies, some are full page. Most of the flies are named in English
while descriptions are in Italian.
In addition to flies, he provides details about equipment and how and
where to use it for Bass. Italian language.
SMANIA, MARIO E SILVIO - Black Bass - Strategie
di pesca a spinning con esche artificiali.
16mo. 112 pages. 1997. Firenze.
Olimpia. Illustrated with black & white and color
photos. Softbound. A book on bass fishing with artificial lures.
Black Bass Books from Portugal
![[IMAGE]](portugal.gif)
RODRIGUES,
HERMINIO - Achigã. 8vo. 194 pages. 1995. Published by author. Lisbon, Portugal. Softcover. Illustrated with black & white photos.
Herminio told me in early 1998 that this is the first and only book on Black
Bass published in Portugal. He felt there was a need
for such a book so he sold his Bass boat to pay the cost of publishing the
book. Now that is a real labor of love. Ray Scott mentioned this one in his
column in the November 1997, Bassmaster. That set me off on a three
month search on the Internet. I finally stumbled on to a fellow from Portugal
who was in the Master's Program at the University of Michigan.
He had an e-mail address for Herminio and I was able to contact him for
details. The search paid off for me because Herminio has become a close
personal friend and I now have a copy of the book.
RODRIGUES, HERMINIO – Achigã Reflexos
(Bass Reflections). 8vo. 201 pages plus ads. 2005. New book by Herminio. Illustrated with color photos.
Achigã
- a magazine published by APPA (Portuguese Society for Bass Anglers and
Nature Defense). Along with many other anglers, Herminio and his friend, Jorge Inácio, helped to found APPA in 1992. This magazine
is published for members only. As of June 1999, 20 issues of the magazine had
been published. Through the kindness of my friend, Herminio, I have all
of that 20 in my collection. Herminio is currently working hard to
establish a B.A.S.S. Federation in Portugal. The APPA
now has a web site -- it is in Portuguese but there is a lot of information
there. Associação Portuguesa
de Pesca do Achigã e Defesa
da Natureza
Black Bass Books from South Africa
![[IMAGE]](safrica.gif)
ANONYMOUS
- Largemouth Bass. 47 pages. 1944. Union
of South
Africa, Inland Fish Dept. Report #1. Covers
the introduction of Largemouth Bass into new waters in South Africa.
Not seen.
BASSAFRICA a monthly
magazine published by South African Bass Angling Association. I haven’t seen this one. South
African Bass Angling Association
BASSIN' SA
a bi-monthly Bass magazine that began with the Dec/Jan 2000/2001 issue. I
had been told this one was out of business. Another bad trade I made with
someone from another country. I
agreed to mail a copy of The Blackbass in America and Overseas for a couple copies
of the magazine. I did my part but
the magazines never came. I guess I
should have waited for the magazines before I mailed the book.
DONALDSON,
ROGER (editor) and Contibuting Bass Anglers – The Complete Guide To Bass
Fishing Southern Africa.
4to. 190 pages. 2007? Associared
Media Inteernational (Pty) Ltd. Cramerview
South Africa. Illustrated with color maps and
photographs. Hints and techniques
from the professional Bass anglers of South Africa. Includes maps of dams, pros favorite
lure choices, hot fishing spots, bank angling opportunities, accommodations and
facilities. The Complete
Guide to Bass Fishing S.A.
GOODMAN, LEON - BASS - The Artificial
Lure Angler's Handbook. 90 pages. 1994. Fineline
Reproduction and Printing Studio C.C of Maitland, Cape Town(?). Illustrated
with black-and-white sketches. Not seen. I've been searching for a copy of this one
for several years but haven't had any luck so far. Help in finding a copy would be greatly
appreciated. Jacques, “The BassMaster,”
from South Africa
wrote me, "As I recall, Dr. Goodman is the holder of the South African
record Smallmouth Bass. He practised as a dentist in Cape Town, South Africa and later
retired to open a small tackle shop in his home which later had to move to
larger premises. He apparently spent much time fishing during his
retirement."
HARRISON,
A. CECIL - Black Bass in the Cape Province. 92 pages. 5 plates. 1934.
Union of South Africa
Dept. Comm. and Ind.,
Fish and Mar. Biol. Survey Div. Pretoria. Report 4. A Report on the Early
History of the Acclimatization of American Black Bass in the Cape Province.
HARRISON,
A. CECIL - Black Bass in the Cape Province. Second report on the
Progress of American Black Bass (Micropterus Salmoides, Lacepede-). 8vo. 119
pages. 1936. Department of Commerce and Industries, Fisheries and Marine
Biological Survey Division, Report No. 7. Pretoria, Union
of South
Africa. Illustrated with 2 full page photo
plates plus foldout map. Softbound. A comprehensive study of the stocking of
Largemouth Bass all around South Africa.
"Forty-five largemouth black bass fingerlings (bred in Holland in 1927)
were brought out by steamer under the care of Mr. R. J. Neville, Hon. Secretary
of the Rand Piscatorial Association, Johannesburg, and were handed over to Mr.
F. G. Chaplin, Curator of the Government Trout Hatchery, Jonkershoek,
Stellenbosch, on February 20th, 1928."
Experiments were also conducted to determine how Bass could acclimatize into
sea water. The Bass were healthy in water containing 50 percent sea water but
55 percent seawater was lethal for the Bass. They also ran tests to learn the
lethal effects of sea salts on the egg and larvae stages of Largemouth Black
Bass.
NORMAN,
CHARLES - Bass Fishing In Southern Africa.
Where, when and how to catch bass. 12mo. 160 pages. 1984, 2nd impression 1986,
3rd impression 1993, 4th impression 1997. Chris van Rensburg
Pub. (Pty) Ltd. Johannesburg,
South Africa.
Paper covered boards, decorated with color photos. Illustrated with black and
white photos. Includes details on over forty of the top fishing waters.
PRETORIUS,
ANDRÉ - Sukses met Swartbaars:
Die volledige gids vir die baars-en kunsaashengelaar. (Success with Black Bass: The Complete
Guide for the Bass and Artificial Lure Angler). 192 pages. 1996. J.P. van der Walt and Sons Pty Ltd, Pretoria. Colour
photographs. Softcover. Written in Afrikaans. This
book and a large amount of information on other African fishing books with
Black Bass content came to me through the kindness of Richard Barnes, Gauteng, Republic of South Africa
PRETORIUS, ANDRÉ – Bassing
Destinations in South Africa: A Guide To 67 Bass Dams and Rivers, per
province. 8vo. 120 pages. 2005. Boekjol
Publications cc. Silverton. Soft cover. Includes an outline drawing of many of
the bodies of water. Includes
location, capacity and directions to each dam. Also, entrance fees, security, Bass
species available, background to the dam and Bass fishing, best time to fish,
structure, lures, other fish species, bank angling, limitations on Bass
fishing, warnings, etc. I read the
warnings expecting things like snakes and wild animals. A couple mentioned crocodiles, one
listed hippos but most of the warnings were about security of the campsite and
vehicles, underwater obstructions, and dangerous winds. Illustrated with color photos, mostly of
smiling anglers holding up nice Bass.
Bassing
Destinations in S.A.
SA Bass – a
monthly, full color magazine from South Africa. Served as the official magazine of South
African Bass Angling Association, which was previously the SA BASS Chapter
Federation for the first two years of publication. Published by Hannes
Lindeque,
BB Print,
PO Box 24938,
Gezina, Pretoria
0031. First issue was April
2001. I made the same deal with
these guys that I made with Bassin
SA and
they sent me three copies of their magazine. It’s great to deal with reliable
people.
Black Bass Books from Spain
![[IMAGE]](spainc.jpg)
ARNAL
FONT, JOAN - La pesca del black bass. 8vo.
301 pages. Not dated (1999). Tikal Ediciones. Barcelona. Spain.
Soft cover. Ilustrated with color photos
and two color drawings. Lots of photos of anglers with nice sized Bass.
Covers all the standard fishing methods and lures; crankbaits,
spinnerbaits, jigs, jerkbaits,
Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, flipping and pitching, finesse fishing, jigging
spoons, etc. My copy was a gift from Bass angler, Jim Bucklew
of Wisconsin
who picked up a copy for me while in Spain.
BAUER,
ERWIN A. - La Pesca del Black Bass. 8vo. 272
pages. 1967. Editorial Sintes. Barcelona, Spain. A Spanish
translation of The Bass
Fisherman's Bible. This one is hard bound with a dust jacket.
It appears that all the illustrations in the original book have been
included.
CARRIÓN
MOLINA, FRANCISCO JOSÉ - Confesiones De
Un Bass Adulto (Confessions Of An Adult Bass).
237 pages. (c)1995 MC Ediciones. Barcelona.
Illustrated with numerous color photos.
CECILIA
GÓMEZ, JESÚS ÁNGEL - La Pesca
Del Black Bass: Desde tierra
y embarcacion (Black Bass Fishing Both In Bank And
Boat Fishing). 8vo. 224 pages. 1995. Editorial Hispano Europea.
Barcelona.
Spain.
Softcover. Illustrated with 248 photos, mostly color,
and 30 black & white drawings.
Another by Hispano Europea. 2001. I don’t know if this is a revised
edition or just another printing.
COLL ALCALDE, ROBERTO - El Black Bass Y Su Pesca À Mosca. 8vo.
160 pages. 1997. Editorial Hispano Europea. Barcelona.
Spain.
Softcover. A book about fly fishing for Black Bass.
Ninety eight color photos and 50 black and white illustrations. My good friend
in Portugal,
Herminio Rodrigues sent me this one.
Another by Hispano Europa in 2000.
I don’t know if this was a revised edition or just a reprint.
FERNÁNDEZ
ROMÁN, EMILIO - La Pesca Del Black
Bass: De la A la Z (Black Bass Fishing From A to Z). 8vo. 160 pages. 1994. Ediciones Tutor. Madrid, Spain.
Softcover. Illustrated with black and white drawings.
Includes Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass. Coverage on lures, live
bait, and flies, including how to fish with the different methods in addition
to fishing different types of structure. Second printing in 1998.
SUAY,
FRANCISCO - El Black Bass: Vida, costumbre y pesca. 8vo. 240 pages. 1968. Editorial Hispano Europea. Barcelona, Spain.
Illustrated with black & white photos and drawings.
VANSON,
JEAN-CLAUDE (translated by Juan-Francisco Llatjós:
- El Black Bass o Perca Negra:
particularidades y metodos
de pesca. 12mo. 204 pages. 1969, 1980. Manuales Pulide. Barcelona Spain.
Illustrated with black & white drawings and photos. Softcover.
Also, 160 pages. 1972. Publicaciones Literarias y Deportivas. Second
edition, 224 pages, 1996. This is a Spanish translation of a French book and as
I mentioned in the France section, came to me from
Michel Brousse.
Maite Belaustegui - Booksellers A
Spanish bookseller with a Web site in both English and Spanish. They
provided a quick reply to my request for a Bass book.
Black Bass Books from Zimbabwe
IMPEY,
ALLAN B. W. - Bass Fishing in Southern Africa.
8vo. 71 pages. 1966. M. O. Collins (Pvt.) Ltd. Salisbury, Rhodesia.
Photos and drawings of tackle and fish. A basic book with quite a bit on lure
methods, most of the lures described are American. Covers many of the better
Bass waters in Rhodesia
and South
Africa. Softbound. Bookseller, Judith
Bowman, brought me a copy back from Africa
when she was over there visiting Jim some years ago. I might mention here that Rhodesia
became Zimbabwe
in 1980 and Salisbury
is now Harare.
Links to my other webpages
B.A.S.S. FEDERATIONS
JAPAN
HISTORY
BASS ON THE FLYROD
SMALLMOUTH BOOKSHELF
BLACK
BASS MAGAZINES
Updated
April 23, 2008
