Two anglers have fished the same waters for decades without meeting; until the Hampshire Avon brings them together to chase chub as the temperature begins to drop. Kevin Parr and Adam Chetwood take refuge in the pub to talk strategy in the hope it will do the trick. Fishing draws us together in shared moments …
Kevin Parr fishes a favourite swim for roach, dace, chub and perch, under the scrutiny of a ravenous pike, and is distracted from his task by the tea-making genius of Chris Yates.
Garrett Fallon meets Bob Hornegold, chairman of the Osprey Specimen Group A thick mist clings to Epping Forest, oozing from the ground like smoke from a burrow, badger bonfires blocking out the world. It obscures all, revealing light only at the very last moment: dodging cars on sharp bends, clenched teeth and arse cheeks desperately …
A river in the south of France leaves a lasting impression on Garrett Fallon. After weeks of lockdown, my fishing season is drifting slowly into focus as a punt might emerge from the mist, gently nudged along by a benevolent breeze. With relief, I’ll soon be casting a line again, but regardless of this enthusiasm, …
After a huge lost fish, Garrett Fallon takes a novice fishing on the Thames, to learn at the hands of river guide Steve Roberts.
Fallon’s Angler goes in search of a 2lb perch on the river Kennet with Kev Parr. Kev talks about his return to Aldermaston Mill after a long break and reflects on the river and the fishing while catching some winter chub and perch. A film by Nick Fallowfield-Cooper.
Six winters have passed since the last spell of prolonged cold weather in this part of the south. We have had odd sprinkles of snow during that time, and one decent covering, but Dorset has remained fairly balmy for the most part. As a result, the recent blast of Siberian winter came as quite a …
Parr’s Diary – February 2018 – Beastly Easterlies Read More »
“Tramp” said her eyes, sunk into an intolerant, pityless look that contorted her face. “Weirdo” said the face of another, while hastily averting his glance less I ask him for any spare change. “Fisherman” said the welcome smile of a third. She knew her onions, recognised the rod as a tool (not a weapon), recognised …
I went for a walk yesterday afternoon on my local patch. It was only a few degrees above freezing, but I had in mind that the sunshine might have tempted an adder out. I may have been proved right, but left it half an hour too late. The south facing bank where I had hoped …
I have long entertained a penchant for old fishing tackle. Collecting it was a hobby of my late father’s, though as a determined wordsmith, he was mainly interested in rare fishing books. Nevertheless, his office was stuffed with all manner of angling ephemera, mostly gathered from house auctions that proliferated the Irish midlands in those …
Of a certain vintage: drop shotting with split cane Read More »
Written by Greg Freestone There’s a river not far from here. It’s a miniature river, a Trumpton river winding through toy-towns and out into their rural hinterlands, flowing beneath hilltop churches, through ancient fords and under bridges, draining and watering this ever-thinning strip of old farming Essex, a shallow agricultural valley still surviving against constant assault …
Having read of the president of the International Game Fish Association proclaiming Zyg Gregorek as ‘The Greatest Angler in the World’, it got Fishpool thinking… Though Zyg has made no such claims himself (to Fishpool’s knowledge), it is an interesting statement. In terms of Game fish caught, Zyg is without equal, and his achievements warrant …
Born in Kent in 1937, Martin James was just 4 years old when he caught his first fish – a stunted rudd from a local pool which he hooked during a German Air Raid. He subsequently developed a love for all forms of fishing, with a particular love of fishing overseas. A favourite venue is …
Many of our coarse species drift into torpor as the cold of winter takes a grip. Fish such as tench, crucians and carp respond to a dip in water temperature by slowing down – often becoming inactive and uncatchable. Other species are more responsive when the thermometer plummets. Grayling will feed with ice in the …
My older brother spent 25 years in sales, driving all over Ireland—staying in hotels and B&Bs, attending expos and events, meeting customers—his arse sunk in the back-straining seat of his car or van, gravity doing all it could to drag his spine into the ground. He’s out of that now, fitter and at least an …
Autumn is coming and with it our rivers are beginning to wake up. The weed is beginning to thin, and the water levels are rising. Soon, those stretches that have slept all summer will be sparkle with every shower and thicken with fish. The chub (Squalius cephalus) is surely the epitome of a river fish. …
First produced in the 1930’s, the Wallis Wizard, or simply the Wizard, is one of the most successful fishing rods ever made. Built by Allcocks, the Wizard comprises of three sections – the butt being whole cane and the other two sections split cane. The ‘Wallis’ tag, which is not included on all models, came …
