If life already seemed rather like a weird, not entirely pleasant hallucination after a diet of covid, war, fuel hikes and even England winning a bloody football tournament, summer has had its own drama on the water. Fresh from reporting on the Thames drying up at source for the Angling Times, I now hear that… Read more
Category: fishing
Epic chub and new fishing reads!
This time of year can feel a bit ominous at the best of times. Just as you pine for one last weekend of t-shirt weather that never comes, you inevitably finish summer with so many dreams unrealised. In my own little world, though, things have been very finely balanced. My switch of jobs to the… Read more
Late summer angling highlights
What a difference a few weeks make in fishing. From heatwave conditions, it now feels decidedly autumnal. Summer has gone in a blur. My daughter is growing up at a scary rate and I’ve changed jobs. Any chance I can press pause and just have one more perfect summer afternoon please?! Unsurprisingly, I’ve been a… Read more
Last orders & fresh hope
I won’t lie to you, late winter has felt endless this year. There is indeed light at the end of the tunnel (and we’re assured it isn’t a train coming to smash us to bits), but life still feels like it’s in slow motion. For some reason, the whole situation reminds me of one of… Read more
Fear, lockdown and keeping it local!
What a strange, ominous start to the year it has been. In spite of the vaccine arriving, there have been few other reasons to celebrate. If you have been feeling anxious or suffering from extreme cabin fever, you are truly not alone. In my case it has been really tricky to balance the pressure of… Read more
From Chew Valley perch to chub on the fly
As excellent as so much of it was, another summer feels like it has been and gone all too quickly. Everything is damper and cooler as I sit here in the last evening light and reflect on recent events. I feel weirdly both fulfilled, but also as if I could and should have taken a… Read more