THE RAPTURE OF THE RIVER

258 pages, frontispiece, 103 illustrations, blue vynide, a good copy in worn dust jacket now preserved in a protector.

Curtis (Paul) Fishing Wider Margins, A History and Bibliography of Angling in Africa, Platanna Press, 2015, page 113, ‘Based on Hey's carefully kept fishing diaries, recording happy days on rivers, lakes and estuaries in different parts of South Africa over a period of fifty years. As the author of several government Blue Books on inland fisheries, Hey had the unique opportunity of visiting all the worthwhile waters. He grew up in the Border region and started work at the Department of Post and Telegraphs as a teenager. He worked in the Department for the next 47 years, enjoying postings all over South Africa (always close to good fishing spots!). In 1925, the Union Government initiated a survey of all inland waters and Hey was appointed to fulfil the task, despite his lack of formal scientific training. He described every river, stream and vlei in South Africa and as a result the government was able to stock rivers and dams with fish in a more efficient manner. "If you only ever collect one [fishing] book, let it be RAPTURE OF THE RIVER. There will never be another that sums up the soul of South African fly fishing as brilliantly".’