William Wyatt has fished for longer than he can remember. He grew up in East London, where he was driven to distraction by the wily chub of his local rivers the Lea and Roding. He had more success with crucians in the ponds of Epping Forest, and he still has an affinity for the species …
It’s the 15th of January, three weeks past Christmas, and we should surely by now have christened that new rod that we found at the end of the bed or under the tree on Christmas morning. Few people can have contributed more to the advancement of young anglers than Santa Claus. He is not an …
Regular readers of Bits and Pieces (though surely there can be no such thing as an irregular reader?) will be only too aware of the pattern found among many of the fish featured. All too often the species in question is either in decline or facing extinction, and though this particular fish might not be …
Though fairly rare in the British Isles, the Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) is quite widespread across the deep lakes of Scotland, with populations also found in Ireland, Wales and the Lake District. This is a fish of coldwater that is found throughout the northern hemisphere, with a particular abundance in Norway. In some areas they …
Anyone fortunate enough, and sensible enough, to be a regular reader of Fallon’s Angler will be familiar with the brilliantly left-field scribblings of Dexter Petley. This is a man who writes quite unlike any other, and he is clearly inspired by those who also follow literary paths of their own. In 2009, The Raven Press …
Now that the New Year is well and truly upon us, Fishpool can look back on the festive season with a tinge of regret that he or she didn’t manage to cast a line on Christmas day. Back when Fishpool was still little more than a sprat, he or she woke one Christmas morning to …
Rising on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, not far from Luton, is one of the most famous angling rivers in the world. Many anglers have set foot on the banks of the Lea, many inspired, in part at least, by the writings of Izaak Walton – who cast here himself back in the 17th …
In the south-east corner of Scotland, some fifteen miles north of Berwick upon Tweed, is the rocky promontory of St Abb’s Head. Located beside the village from where it takes its name, this is a spot revered for its beauty, wildlife and fishing. The Head itself is a National Nature Reserve – designated in part …
As the weather finally threatens to turn chilly and remind us that we are, after all, in the middle of Winter, Fishpool recalls visiting a local pond as a child, fishing rod in hand and with thick ice bank to bank. My normal practice was to find a spot close in to the bank with …
The New Year inevitably brings with it a tinge of regret when those extra pounds (or kilos) around the belly first show themselves on the scales. But gluttony is thankfully a mainstay of our festive season, and resolutions are quickly made (and broken). It is popularly believed that it was Henry VIII’s fondness for turkey on Christmas Day …
