Des Richardson the “Ring leader” for the The Barbel Society (Wiltshire Region) invited me along to one of their meetings. I took along an old friend who I hadn’t met for a good few years, Andy Cowley. There Martin Bowler was giving a talk on his new video and book, A Fish For All Seasons. He took about 2 years to complete the video. Him and a mate worked on everything from the filming to the music in the background. Hat’s off to Martin for a quality production.
He also showed some clips that never made it onto the Catching the Impossible series.
Martin is young in years and in that time has caught fish that most of us dream about. However listening to him talk about his sea and game angling exploits I sensed that his directions are heading that way.
Who can blame him, our coarse fishing is being decimated by otters and cormorants. I have this feeling that we have had the “golden age” of specimen hunters. My personal view is that unless something is done to protect our venerable fish stocks then the youth of today and tomorrow will never experience that thrill of catching that first fish or see that first Kingfisher. They will either be found hanging around street corners creating mischief or be locked in the bedroom playing on the latest game machine. I looked around the room of barbel anglers, about 30 or so people and saw few under the age of 40. We all say time will tell, but I have this feeling that time will tell us a very bleak story. Take the otter they kill, and eat 10% of a fish, let’s say a barbel of 10lbs and 15 years old. Then the next night they feel peckish again and another barbel of the same age goes, then the next night and so on. These fish just are not replaced. I liken it to us killing a cow eating the udder and then leaving the rest. Then the next night we do the same. There would soon be a big pile of cow corpses. This is not too far that has happened on some of our fisheries believe me.
Somehow and somewhere we need to tell this story to the Politicians so that it becomes an issue for them. Us anglers under estimate the power we have in numbers and that all parties covet our support, however in return we get nothing. The government taxes us with rod licences and the EA and £25 million of pounds fob us off. If I could I would not give a penny.
It makes me laugh when I talk to the Avon wildlife people who collect money at some of the supermarkets. I ask them about otters and they say it’s wonderful that they are back. I often ask what they feed on. Eels is often the answer, I laugh again I cannot remember the last time (in years) I caught an eel on the Bristol Avon. Martin said something that amused me and that from European law eels are a protected species. Here we (they) are introducing a predator to feed on them.
Anyhow enough moaning and groaning it was an excellent evening which stirred emotions. I got my first edition book and sign as well.

While I was talking to the carp guy’s on Willow lake they were using this newish method to bait up. I was really impressed with the ease of use and the fact that there is no spillage. I’m not one to promote tackle, but this would be good for all particles and also slop type […]

The forecast was for strong winds and heavy rain for the next few days but who cares when large roach are the quarry. Linch Hill Willow lake was to be the venue again. The last sessions disappointment was put behind me. The day was bright and sunny as I made my way to the lake. […]

Well this is going to be one of my winter pursuits, after the large roach and rudd that swim in the 7 acre lake. I’m fishing it with Dan Williams who I’ve known from my time fishing for tench with him on an Oxford lake a couple of years ago. We arrived at 10am and […]

After a few phone calls during the week I secured a ticket for both Dan and myself to fish the Willow lake on the Linch Hill complex. So the ticket starts on the 1st of November and not wanting to waste anytime Dan and I agreed to meet on Monday the 1st November and start our roach […]

Well the last time I ventured out was at the beginning of the week, but it’s not all about fishing. Wednesday I met with Dan Williams a young man I fished with a couple of years ago for tench, to look over the Linch Hill Willow lake. Inspried by reports of roach to almost 4lbs […]

Well that was the worst frost of the year so far! The grass was still white on the lawn in the shade of the house as I set off at noon. the objective of the day was to fish for pike on some of the trout beats. I was using some sprats as wobbled baits. […]

I only had a couple of hour’s again to wet a line and I wanted to go and look at the area around Lacock. There are some good chub and roach that frequent a few swims. It was these that I wanted to just have a look and see what the swims looked like. My […]

Was invited along to the Oxfordshire & North Wilts PAC meeting by Vince Williams. Well just had a great evening listening to Julian Chidgey on his epic pike sessions as a youngster and then as he grew older stretching himself to include new waters as far away as Scotland and Germany in the Baltic sea. […]

First I need to share a joke from the late Tommy Cooper. “I was in bed with my new girlfriend last night, and she said I‘d got the biggest willy she’d ever laid her hands on” I said “You’re pulling my leg.” Well the alarm went off at 6.30am and from a cosy warm sleeping […]