Hugh Tempest Sheringham was, quite simply, one of the greatest angling writers to have ever put pen to paper. Born in Tewkesbury in 1879, on the confluence of the River Severn and Warwickshire Avon, most of Sheringham’s casts were actually made further to the south-east in the Kennet valley. Here he developed an attitude that …
Who could forget those wonderful moments in the Passion for Angling series? Quotes from the likes of Sheringham and Ted Hughes read so perfectly by the silky-voiced Chris Sandford. Sandford spent many years as an actor before realising that his voice was his meal ticket. Stage performances and a two year stint on Coronation Street …
No fish commands such fear and awe, or is perhaps so misunderstood as the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). This is a truly massive fish – specimens approaching 20 feet in length have been reliably reported, while many believe the great white can grow significantly larger. They are found throughout the world – though require …
Only one fish can follow a shark that grows to 20 feet in length, and that is a shark that doesn’t grow more than twenty centimetres…. The dwarf lanternshark (Etmopterus perryi) is widely regarded as the smallest shark species in the world. It is also one of the least known, with a small population only …
Based upon Peter Benchleys’s 1974 novel of the same name, Jaws celebrates its fortieth birthday this year. Winning three Academy Awards, the film was an enormous success, but despite being commercially and critically acclaimed, the depiction of the great white shark as a man-eating monster has not helped the species’ true identity. Director Steven Spielberg …
It is 21 years since Hugh Miles first astonished us with what is surely the finest angling series ever made. Featuring Chris Yates and Bob James, A Passion for Angling was exquisitely shot and brought a richness of tone and sentiment never before captured on film. Hugh’s camera work had earned him plenty of awards …
For many years South Africa was regarded as one of the premier spots in the world for shark fishing, with anglers coming from across the globe, many hoping to hook a great white shark. As the great white became increasingly threatened throughout its range, many countries, South Africa included, banned the fishing for them. This …
Way back in Issue 13 of Bits and Pieces, Fishpool sang the praises of the Royalty Fishery – but there is more to the Hampshire Avon than those hallowed banks. The river around Ringwood is renowned for barbel and chub, while a little further upstream, at Ibsley, huge roach used to ghost across the gravel …
Every summer, with Parliament out and news stories slow, someone will spot a shark off The Needles or the Cornish Coast and the papers will explode with tales of Jaws prowling around our beaches. Invariably, the sighting proves to be a basking shark, an enormous, but utterly harmless plankton eater. Just occasionally though, these stories …
One of the greatest moments of an angler’s day is, having been caught by a sudden storm, to happen upon a little hut beside the river. It will be unlocked and built for no other reason than to shelter anglers such as he or she who has just stumbled damp through the door. Largely built …
