Even those who haven’t read Moby Dick, are likely to be familiar with the story or, at the very least, the great eponymous whale himself. The author of the novel, Herman Melville, was a man with great interest in the natural world. Though his knowledge of whaling came from first hand experience, Melville respected the …
Steve Roberts was born within casting distance of Old Father Thames, where he spent a halcyon boyhood catching perch from beneath wind ruffled willows. He evolved as an angler on the idyllic river Kennet, where he chased barbel among the thick, waving fronds of ranunculus. Having caught his fill of whoppers the lure of spring …
Prior to the turn of the century, the occasional appearance of the grey triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) in British waters was major news. Today, with the sea temperature rising year on year, there are areas along the south coast where triggerfish can now be targeted in great number. So named after their spiny dorsal fin which …
From the savagery of the bite, to the endless power of the fight, hooking a barbel (Barbus barbus) is an unforgettable experience. These are fish of fast flows and strong currents, using the weight and power of the water to hold station against the bottom – their stream-lined shape perfectly suited to life in the …
Many modern angling guides offer the chance to catch big fish with little fuss. Using modern techniques and baits and fishing venues with a proven pedigree. At River Days, things are a little different. Under the guidance of Steve Roberts (see People we Like) we can still expect a fish or two for our money, …
Now nearly twenty years old, The Wye and Usk Foundation is a charity created through concern of the ecology and, more specifically, restoring the habitat and water quality of the rivers Wye and Usk. The Foundation combats problems such as habitat degradation and pollution, while trying to reduce the barriers that might prevent successful movement …
In the Berkshire village of Aldermaston, is one the most well known day ticket river venues in the country. The Old Mill offers anglers the chance to fish the River Kennet, and it is likely that more people have caught their first ever barbel (see Fish we Like) here than anywhere else. There is a …
At the end of a terrace in the small market town of Usk, upon the river of the same name, sits the most extraordinary fishing tackle shop in Britain. Sweets Fishing Tackle has been trading on Porthycarne Street for nearly a century, and little has changed in that time. Originally founded by Harry Powell, inventor …
Just got one clue left to get in the crossword. Then I can start reading the articles. A man with sensible priorities from the forum The Path by the Water.
Mine turned up yesterday but Mrs Burr grabbed it first….. she was impressed. A man who married well from The Traditional Anglers Forum
Not many flies have a story quite like the dogsbody… Legend has it that a fishing farmer local to Usk in Monmouthshire, was sent a new pattern that he couldn’t replicate. He took it into the local barber, Harry Powell, who was also a fly-tier, rod-builder and founder of Sweets Fishing Tackle (see Places we …
One, oft quoted statistic, tells us that we are more likely to be killed by a falling coconut than a shark. This is of little consolation to a Galeophobic however, and frankly, most of us would rather take our chances lying in the shade of a coconut tree than go paddling with a great white. …
