You have to be in it to win it

 (Roach. Published January 3 2010)

On New Year's Day I arrived about lunchtime as the afternoon is when the river will be at its highest temperature-wise. So many anglers are oblivious to the fact that at this time of the year the few hours before dark - and after - give the best chance of catching a fish. Just because the sun starts to set and it's cold for us, it doesn't mean to say that the water is following the same trend. And even though the conditions were what you might call polar, the water rose by 0.2C in the time I was there. And that's a step in the right direction........ click here for more 

Even the tackle shop owners think I'm mad

  (Roach. Published January 15 2010)

Apart from the roach I caught a big dace. It was the first time my scales have been brought out this year and even though the fish was spawned out (dace spawn very early although I was surprised at this fish due to the recent bitter weather) and very hollow, it still took the digital readout to 10oz. A great fish! On the nature front this session I saw a female teal on the river. The frozen stillwaters are bringing a lot more birds to the rivers at this time. I looked in vain for the more brightly coloured male, but the bird was alone. And although I didn't capture the muntjac on film I did manage to get the duck, complete with green speculum showing well against a drab dusk background....... click here for more

Every cloud has a silver lining

 (Roach. Published January 22 2010)

I had no knowledge at all of the venue and in a way that was exciting. Although I was going to set my stall out for roach as I figured they would be in there, that was about it. Running at four feet, the brook was well up and with the water coloured I was confident that any resident roach would be targetable. I started getting bites from the off and was very pleased to catch a fish early on. It's a confidence booster when you know that there's at least one fish in front of you! ....... click here for more

Honesty and realism

(Perch. Published February 19 2010)

Due to the weather I wasn't intending to do any perch fishing until the conditions improved, but when Steve Collett asked me if I fancied visiting a lake where some big fish had come out recently, how could I resist. So on a very cold morning we met up on the car park and eyed up the pegs where we were due to spend the rest of the day. Unfortunately there was a mix-up and the spots that we thought were kept for us (Steve's the Director at Harris Sportsmail and so through contacts had arranged for us to have reservations) were occupied by other anglers. But no worries, we set up camp a little further along the bank....... click here for more

It comes good in the end

(Pike. Published February 25 2010)

The only downside is that it is a bit of a walk, but assuming you are reasonably fit and don't mind that, the rewards are worth it. I love it in the early part of the year, fishing a deadbait for pike. Cast the rods out, sit back and take in the wider package that the venue has to offer. Already this year I have seen a female smew and a firecrest and this time round I managed a lunchtime barn owl in flight as well....... click here for more

Plodding along after pike

(Pike. Published March 7 2010)

I did two sessions at Dudmaston on the Kinver Freeliners ticket and three on the middle reaches of the River Severn. The odds were that the river would have produced the goods, instead it was the lake that handed over the fish. The Severn looked good with water clarity, temperature and overall conditions pointing to at least a few pike. But I had absolutely nothing at all. On the other hand it was the average looking lake where I caught my fish. That's angling for you eh!....... click here for more

Picking up where I left off

(Perch. Published March 13 2010)

It all came together so quickly. I was pike fishing on the River Severn and had a call from Steve Collett, who when he realised I was in his area, decided to bring his rods and fish (At my suggestion by the way!). A telephone call that Steve then had from the bank with angling cameraman Ian Chapman had me being asked the question 'Are you free tomorrow?', as an opportunity had arisen to fish a water in North Wales that had turned up some big perch for the bailiff. With lots of flexibility in my schedule, the next day and I was up nice and early; and before the cock had even crowed I was on the road, eventually heading into the Principality with Mr Collett........ click here for more