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Colin F
I’ve been fishing since I was 12, but wanted to before that, which means I’ve been sitting behind a wet worm for 35 years, so consider myself a virtual beginner. I was lucky enough to discover a little magic when a younger angler, helped by Gramps, but then ‘real life’ intervened and I misplaced it. Fortunately, I’ve unearthed some more magic in the last few years and with a bit of luck it’ll get shared around.
Residing in Dorset, most of my angling is done hereabouts, but I have fished all over the place. I’m lucky as I have a young family and manage to get my tackle out most weekends. Until recently I thought my opinions on today’s over commercialised angling were very much ‘just me’, but the discovery of ‘Waterlog’ and its forums was cheering and has led me here.
I’ll fish anywhere for anything, which is how I’ve come by mullet, grayling, wrasse and moray eels. I’ve had as much fun on 2 feet wide mountain streams catching bullheads and 1oz wild trout as I have catching tench in lily patches – although it’s true to say I’ve done a lot more of the latter.
I like traditional things, but not at the expense of picking the best tackle for the task in hand. I think I once got a Wallis cast about right; that is to say it went a good distance more or less where aimed without tangling on the reel handles or a tree. I’ve yet to catch a barbel or a 20lb carp, which I plan to change, but not fanatically so.
I’ve never used bolt-rigs, boilies or pellets, (trout or halibut) and plan to keep it that way. I like green and grey and also make a lot of floats, some of which I even use. I nearly always float fish, even when most sane folk have got out the ledger rod or gone home. Some call this obsessive; I prefer ‘dedicated’ and I’m usually to be found in a quiet corner of the lake, reclining under a hat, 6 feet from one of the aforementioned floats, apparently not paying any attention. I am a bit obsessed with knots though.
I tend to put coffee in my flask, as long as proper stuff is available and intend to invent an espresso attachment for the Kelly kettle. I’m overly fond of red wine, very dark chocolate and log fires. ‘Addicted’ is a word that has been used in respect of these things.
There’s no telling whether my children will find the magic, but I take them fishing anyway. Well, you never know and then perhaps one might wheel me to the water’s edge in my bath chair when I can’t get there myself…
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