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 …
Nestled between the hills of South Wales and the eastern shore of Swansea Bay is the town of Port Talbot – home to a once bustling Steelworks and also to angling writer Simon Smith. As soon as he discovered the great outdoors, Simon became something of a stranger to his parents, and when his grandfather …
For many anglers, the humble bleak (Alburnus alburnus) is looked upon with little fondness. It is a small fish, the British record is around 4 ½ ounces, that tends to congregate on large shoals and will snatch a bait intended for a quarry far larger. Found predominantly in flowing water, the bleak a long, slim, …
Richard Walker once described the perch (Perca fluviatili) as the biggest fish of all. Not in the literal sense, of course – that would be silly – but anyone fortunate enough to see a fish of 3lb or more in the flesh will understand his sentiment. In Africa, however, there swims a perch that would …
Fishpool has long been a fan of Channel 4. Aside from giving a massive shot in the arm to the British Film Industry and offering the viewer a diverse and sometimes controversial selection of programming, Channel 4 has also catered for us anglers. Go Fishing, Catching the Impossible and Screaming Reels have all featured in …
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 …
Walk a well-fished stretch of river and the popular swims are soon evident. Bare, muddy banks along with a noticeable lack of marginal vegetation. It is rare that the water itself will not hold a clue or two, while the proximity of the car park is also a factor, but generally, anglers are happier retreading …
On the southern curve of Torbay in Devon sits the fishing town of Brixham. Mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 there is evidence to suggest that a settlement existed here many centuries earlier. Its situation, being protected from the prevailing south westerly winds, made it an ideal spot for a harbour, and while Brixham …
1656 was a bleak year in the history of the bleak. For it was then, in Paris, that Francois Jaquin successfully extracted crystalline guanine from the fish’s scales. Known to many in the cosmetics industry as ‘pearl essence’, this substance was wisely used in the manufacture of imitation pearls, and suddenly, the bleak, who up …
We in Britain are often quick to guffaw at the apparent silliness of our American cousins across the pond. Oh how we laughed when we heard that more than a quarter of Americans surveyed believe that the Sun orbits the Earth, or that the same amount are unaware that the United States has declared independence …
