A HISTORY OF YATELEY: VOLUME ONE. Compiled by Rob Maylin and Alan Cooper.

2012 1st edition. Large 4to (215 x 305mm). Pp304. Colour photographs, b/w illustrations by Gareth Fareham, colour maps of the lakes. Black boards, upper board and spine titled in gilt.

"The Yateley Complex and its famous carp are known by every carp angler in the country and probably most of the world for that matter. Although they have never produced a record carp, Bazil, Heather, Jumbo and their mates have been pursued by the UK's top carp anglers for over fifty years. Think of any famous carp angler in the last half-century and you can bet your life he's trodden Yateley's sacred grounds. Some only fished the odd season; others have spent a good part of their lives in pursuit of these legendary carp. They would all tell you that Yateley is a very special place. It has that unique vibe that very few carp waters aspire to. Why? Well it's a combination of factors: beautiful surroundings, peace, awesome scaly beasts with a reputation for being difficult to put on the mat, a great camaraderie within the syndicate and a chance to become part of England's great carp heritage are just some of the reasons. Yateley meant different things to different people: to some it was a way of life, to others an obsession, but for certain no one that fished Yateley ever took catching its residents lightly. This book compiled by Alan Cooper and [Rob Maylin] represents just a fraction of Yateley's history; it would have taken ten volumes and not two to include every angler who had achieved a personal best or goal. What we have tried to do is encapsulate the essence of this special complex. We have experts on the stockings and the early years and chapters from the anglers who caught these legends at their best weights. "Each lake has its own introduction written by Alan, and there are beautiful maps and drawings to accompany every lake on the complex. We have also tried to include every carp that ever lived at Yateley - not an easy task, but one we have taken pleasure in achieving. Not every famous angler who ever set foot on Yateley is mentioned here, but most are."