HAPPY DAYS WITH FRIENDS

                         

Christmas - a time to celebrate our days of joy with family and friends during these past years and to look forward to many more wildlife and fishing adventures during this next year.

Yes, we’re well aware that a virus is running riot so for now, all of us will keep ourselves isolated from our nearest and dearest and try to stay alive … and if Sue and I don’t succeed, this could serve as a goodbye!

But before we leave … and contrary to most people’s attitude to writing Christmas cards, I really enjoy the process because it means our friends are instantly on my mind and the more I write in each card, the longer I’m with them in spirit, regardless of not having seen them for years. This enables us to pass on our news and love and every card is rewarding because for a moment, they’ve been right there with us.

Sue and I are blessed to have so many to write to and I for one know it’s a privilege to share the fun of fishing with all my worm dangling friends. So I hope you enjoy sharing this selection of catches they’ve made during these past few years. And I'll start with those I fish with most, my computer guru and good pal Chris Wild, with whom I shared the excitement of stalking this beautiful 22lb common carp in the shallows of a local lake.

Next up is Steve Derby for he allows me the privilege of sharing his rig for mullet fishing in Christchurch Harbour and we had a splendid year of success, catching quite a few up to six and a bit pounds, along with some lovely roach. I know I’ve banged on about how hard mullet fight but if you’ve ever tried to land one, you’ll know that they never give up and in shallow water, the battles can be seriously exciting.

Also a fan of mullet madness is Steve’s long time friend, Brian Naylor, an ace angler who delights in making me jealous by telling stories of battles with giant sea trout in South America. We’ve shared a few scares together too as the feisty mullet try to break our line among the anchor chains.

Another fish that pulls a bit is the Indian Mahseer and I enjoyed some wonderful holidays there in winter sunshine, having been invited to join Steve, Brian and not least that ace barbel angler who helped us with our TV series ‘Catching the Impossible’, Pete Reading. 

He caught us a twelve pound barbel to order and had lots of big mahseer during our adventures and it’s such a shame that those holidays together are no longer possible because the great wildlife and birding we enjoyed was only matched by our laughter.

Another friend sharing our Indian trips was Gerry Higham. He got lucky and caught a fifty pounder that for half an hour, dragged him all over the river in his coracle. He's an all rounder so is just as keen on catching delicate crucian carp in one of our local lakes.

Gerry is a lifelong follower of Manchester United and he kindly invited close friend Chris Yates and I to enjoy a match with the club we support, Southampton. Being in ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ was dramatic, with 70,000 fans cheering their teams and it must be very odd for the players today to compete in front of empty stands.

Chris and I love our crucian fishing and have shared many memorable days trying to spot their sneaky bites ... and sometimes succeeding.

Chris also loves his perching but on this occasion he’d forgotten his rod so, shock horror, he had to fish with one of my carbon ones and I promised not to tell anyone that he’d broken his tradition never to use such a modern monstrosity.

Though I do enjoy crucian fishing, especially with Chris, my first love is roaching and I particularly like this pic of Stuart Wilson, the legendary keeper at the LAA’s Britford fishery with a sparkler. 

I have many friends who love their roaching, including Malcolm Swinfen and luckily we've shared several two pounders. We also exchange fishing stories by email and with Malcolm being a good writer, they make enjoyable reading.

Many of our friends love catching big roach - of course they do, they are the best fish - and one who has done more than most for us anglers this last year by enabling us to start fishing again after lockdown is pal and Angling Trust guru Martin Salter. I was pleased to be alongside him when he caught this great big roach from the River Test. It wasn't quite a two pounder but it looks it!

I can't mention roach without acknowledging the lifetimes work of Trevor Harrop and Budgie Price and it's partly due to them that we can now trot the Hampshire Avon for roach again and stand a reasonable chance of catching one. Here they are landing a big chub! Sorry about that but I couldn't find the one of Budgie landing a roach of nearly two pounds.

I have friends who sometimes prefer bigger fish than roach and I was so lucky to be invited to join those ace angling archivists, Keith and Sandy Armishaw for a holiday sturgeon fishing in Canada. What's more, we had such a good time I was invited again and boy, did we catch a lot of big fish. 

This monster of Keith's took him 1hr 28mins to land and I caught one close to that size. We got very wet when it flapped and being  stuck in the mud, we had an early bath - cue laughter.

We also visited Vancouver Island, fishing not far from where Prince Harry and Megan lived for a while, and the salmon fishing was a bit special, Keith landing this monster King Salmon on trotted salmon eggs and I caught several beautiful fresh run silver bars on a fly.

Luckily I'd been taught to cast by John Slader, an Orvis guide on the Test and stalwart of the Salmon and Trout Conservation Trust, so I was extremely fortunate to catch fish instead of trees. We had shared a grand bone fishing holiday out west and now we share roach fishing on our poles alongside the Avon and enjoy that just as much.

I have other pals that love fly fishing too, non more so than Jim Wreglesworth. He catches some gorgeous big brownies from our local rivers on the fly, loves roach fishing and shares a love of tench, catching lots of fiesty smallish ones with me one evening. He was quite happy!

I have another great friend who I've fished with for many years and he's an inspiration because he makes such a commitment to achieve success and nearly always does, Mark Woodage. Only two years ago he caught a roach of 3lb14ozs from an 'impossible' water and helped me to catch one of 3lb10ozs so we were both rather happy chappies. He loves his tenching too and we've shared many happy days in the summer sun along with blanking on frosty mornings.

One angler I always look forward to joining for our trips down memory lane is Martin Bowler. We spent four years together creating our Ch4 series 'Catching the Impossible' and amazingly, after all that pressure to catch big 'uns, we remain the best of friends. 

I helped him out with a bit of filming for one of his productions a few years back and we will never forget the day when he caught giant perch of 4lb5ozs, followed soon after by a true monster of 5lb4ozs. He is arguably the finest all round angler in the UK and a lovely bloke too so I count myself lucky to call him and his wife Jo friends.

I haven't been fishing much this last year due to a need to hide away and I've missed our journeys into the wild, not least to the Hebridian Island of Islay where nearly thirty thousand barnacle geese spend the winter, the scenery is stunning and the malt whisky from the islands' eight distillaries is delicious ... but dangerous.

Here we are with our close friends, ace wildlife cameramen Michael and Penny Richards and the legendary John Aitchison who was trying to film golden eagles catching geese! They do you know.

We go to Islay together as often as possible, along with other birding holidays but our annual New Year celebrations with Michael and Penny and Rick and Jen is cancelled this year for obvious reasons. It's sad as we've never missed the get together for the last thirty nine years. This pic of us on the West Somerset Railway makes me think of that exclamation in panto "it's behind you"!

We'll just have to be patient and wait for 'together time' when the worst of the virus is over. Finger's crossed it won't be too long, but in the meantime, Sue and I are lucky to have a lovely big garden to look after and keep us fit. Our wildflower meadow is butterfly heaven.

Our daughter Katie and partner Simon love their gardening too and are joining us for Christmas lunch from just up the road but very sensibly, our Pete decided it was too risky to come from Plymouth as he didn't want to kill the old folk!

 

We'll hopefully be seeing him in the Spring when everything is smelling of roses and our world slowly returning to normal. ... and it won't be long before summer glows with life and we're picnicking on the top of Dorset's Golden Cap. Until then, have a great Christmas and stay safe always ... and thank you to all my fishing pals for their great company and all the laughs. 

With our love and best wishes, Hugh and Sue.

 

PERCH PERFECTION

a perfect perch for a cold winters day, 'only' 3/11 but still beautiful

We’re running out of time … we should be on the river I thought … only two weeks to go ... but if you end up with a perch as perfect as this one then maybe the decision to fish a lake isn’t so bad after all.

Sway on a cold and breezy day

The plan was to fish the Hampshire Avon at Britford but after heavy rain raised and coloured the river and a call to river keeper Stuart confirmed conditions were hopeless, Sway Lakes stood in as the alternative.

Great friend and ultimate Man U supporter Gerry Higham was coming down for an end of season get together so it was important I tried to put him on some fish, though I didn't want to put him in the best swim just in case he caught more than me. After all, I had to keep the Saints above Man U, even if only in the fishing contests. 

Sway can usually be relied upon to produce a few perch, even if a water temperature of 40 didn’t bode well for a roach. Add to that a cold wind blowing down the lake and the ‘banker’ swim too wild to consider, Gerry hid in a bit of shelter and struggled for a bite.

Gerry trying to make it happen

I tried roaching with a waggler and hemp and tares … yes I know it’s a summer technique but this time last year it produced plenty of big roach, so I ignored the rule book and failed to raise a bite!

My back up was perching, using a lovely delicate Drennan IM8 bomb rod with a swan shot paternoster to 1.8 line and an 18 hook baited with two red maggots, dusted in turmeric of course. Trickling just four to six free samples on a regular basis I soon started catching perch, all over a pound to close to two but if I strayed from my baited spot – nothing. The cold weather had shoaled the perch up tightly.

looked like a good 'un

Then at about lunch time it happened, the tip wrapped round and the rod bent double to the fierce head shakes of a good ‘un. I had to backwind as what was obviously a big perch ran for cover but eventually it succumbed to the pressure and I had a lump in the bottom of the landing net.

Weighing in at 3/11, I was told by the owner later that it was not only the largest perch in Sway but a lake record, so how lucky can you get. … [and how do I know it’s the biggest in the lake? Well, the management here net the lake to control stock levels every two years or so and only two months ago completely drained the lake to remove all the pumpkinseed and thin out most of the small roach and perch. One perch that was far bigger than the others was netted and I’d just caught it.] What a jammy sod.

what a cracking perch - they don't get any better looking than this do they?

Gerry did a lovely job with the camera before we settled down for a few more and I ended up with a dozen perch, all over a pound. The big ‘un isn’t big by modern standards but I was well pleased to see such a beautiful creature and it was my second biggest ever, a 4/6 from the Gt. Ouse caught while filming “Catching the Impossible” being my PB.

This fish was more memorable because when the light was too poor for filming I poached it from the tail of Mr.Yates’s swim, much to his chagrin. Chris was joining Gerry and I for one of Sue’s tasty dinners so we had plenty of time to commiserate about our respective teams losing at the weekend’s football while celebrating the capture of such a splendid perch with some excellent French wines. Gerry certainly knows how to pick’ em.

There was plenty of football banter, particularly when Chris reminded Gerry about our team Southampton beating his at Old Trafford. Chris even sent Gerry a sympathy card and to add insult to injury, didn’t put enough postage on it and cost him £1.11!

the shallow end at Sway

looking towards the Lightening Tree

Next day Gerry wanted to have another go for the big roach at Sway and I had a hunch that they might be in the shallower and maybe warmer end. 

Gerry concentrating on catching

I was right, for he caught several nice fat roach and some good perch. 

Gerry with one of several good perch

I also caught a few big roach to a best of 1/15. I need some new scales.

'only' 1/15 and I'm wondering if Gerry has the camera in the right place - of course he did

It had been a most enjoyable get-together … in spite of Gerry’s long drive from Manchester and back. You can’t beat sharing a couple of days on a waterside with a good friend and I hope to do so again at Britford before the end of the season. But until then, I’ll linger a little on the memory of a perfect perch.

the perfect perch and a happy Hugh

Thank you for the company and the splendid happy snaps Gerry … and if any of you are fortunate enough to be out there before March 14^th – be lucky.

CELEBRATING LIFE WITH FRIENDS

Chris concentrating on stripy dreams

You can’t beat sharing a day out in our beautiful countryside with good friends and I’ve been privileged to enjoy the company of many pals during this last year. So I thought it would be fun on this final day of the year to scroll through my diary of events and show their smiling faces … mine too if I’ve caught anything.

a perfect cup of Kelly Kettle tea

Mr.Yates and I spent many happy hours trying to catch perch on the River Stour, in between tea drinking and watching otters … but my best perch came from Sway Lakes when roach fishing.

a beautiful big perch 

Apart from Chris, my regular fishing partner is Trevor Harrop of Avon Roach Project fame. We try to get out for a day once a week but the realities of life mean that we only ever manage a few of the outings we hope for. Having said that, we always enjoy the banter and camaraderie, fish or no fish and though we did catch our share, that cliché I mentioned in my last post, “there’s more to fishing than catching fish” is never truer than when out with a good friend.

Trevor doing what he does best - trotting a float for roach

 

I was doing the same but only caught a bream

Jim's always smiling, even when blanking!

Whenever he had time off from the EA, our friend Jim Wreglesworth would join our happy gathering. He has two lads and is brilliant at encouraging them to go fishing. They love it and often show Jim how it should be done.

Charlie with River Ebble  grayling

a carrier caught pike for Ben

Charlie's big roach from a small stream

We must all try to invest in our children and encourage them to care for our wildlife and countryside in the hope that they become our future conservationists. Our rivers need all the help they can get and Jim is certainly doing his bit.

a splendid brownie for Jim

filming Matthew Wright on the Wylye

Avoiding work whenever possible didn’t always succeed and I ended up doing rather too much as usual, though I appreciate the chance to try to help our rivers survive the many threats they face. I made a film for the S&TA on their legal challenge to the government for not looking after our chalk streams properly.

Matthew with S&TA's CEO Paul Knight and Head of Science, Dr. Janina Grey

I also worked with the Dorset Wildlife Trust in trying to raise the profile of our lovely local river, the Allen, one of the finest chalk streams in the country. I made another film about it and gave several talks to raise the profile of the river and it’s fish life … and against my better judgement, ran two fund raising film shows on behalf of the Trust so that more habitat enhancement and protection could be achieved for the river’s wildlife.

I’m shy, so standing up in front of three hundred people [twice] is more frightening than facing an angry tiger … but thanks to DWT’s help and  the many generous supporters, we raised more than £4,000, so I guess it was worth the effort.

With publicity for our beleaguered rivers in mind, I did a long interview for the Angling Times, filmed for their website, along with another one for the BBC which went worldwide, so I was trying to get the message across to as many folk as possible, something I failed to do when filmed by the BBC for a major wildlife series. As I mentioned in my previous post, my warnings hit the cutting room floor, so maybe we need to shoot the messenger! At least I got to meet Ellie Harrison ; what a lovely lady.

Enough about work for one year. Mr.Yates is a keen supporter of our local football team, Southampton and one of my best fishing pals is Gerry Higham, a lifelong supporter of Man.U … along with being a generous supporter of the Avon Roach Project … so Chris and I were kindly invited up to Old Trafford for the match between our two teams, [I for the second time this year].

three great men?!

in the theatre of dreams - we came away with a point too

Gerry with a fat chub

Yates knows a thing or two about chubbing

We also fitted in a bit of fishing on the River Dane and were joined by ‘A Passion for Angling” fan Tommy. 

carp angler Tommy caught his first ever barbel on his first ever try at river fishing! 

We all caught fish and we shared the points at the football too, so we were all happy apart from Gerry who was sad to loose two points to us southern softies. I took him crucian fishing down here in the summer in recognition of his kindness and luckily delivered him his first ever crucian over a pound, a cracker of 2.8, so we were all happy.

Gerry with a cracking crucian

the Scillies are glorious - our little island of Brhyer from a hilltop on Tresco

our happy foursome - we go back almost to childhood

May saw Sue and I enjoying the lovely sunshine on the Scillies with long time friends, Michael and Penny and in between lots of walking and birding I managed a cast or two for a wrasse. What bonnie fish.

Then with my friend for life, wife Sue, enjoyed walking some of the most beautiful spots in sunny Dorset.

 

the views of the Jurassic Coast from Golden Cap are wonderful

dreaming about fish soup in Lyme Regis

Come June 16^th I had to abandon her for other friends! Crucians, roach, tench and mullet filled our heads and landing nets and we were smiling all the way home.

Angler's Mail portrait by Gary Newman

first day bar of gold

nothing like a risky swim if you have dodgy tackle

a perfect summer fish

Trev happily crucian missing

computer guru Chris Wild with a PB golden tench

celebrating the start of the season - why are these party pictures always blurred?

long time friend Malcolm with a biggie

a perfect Sway two pounder

a welcome round the door when I eventually returned - but not for long

countless mullet swirl before sunrise but you can't catch them!

The summer sun burnt down from a cloudless sky and many days were spent with friends, drifting Christchurch Harbour for roach and mullet. If a mullet grabbed the bait offered on roach tackle, the fear of a broken rod was very acute.

another battler for a happy Steve

pre wedding party with Ollie and Rachel on my birthday - blurred again!

Michael and Penny’s son Ollie and Rachel were married in Sussex so I had to clean some of the mud off my wellies ... but it was a happy weekend of lovely frocks and tasty food.

Summer rolled on into Autumn. A brief foray into the Fens to go back to my childhood haunts before yet more harbour battles, then barbel called.

Chris Hammond with a lovely big Fen rudd

Steve with a monster mullet and a fight to remember

a tasty sea trout for Sue - but I had to put it back

Trev laughing at the diver that rose in our swim

you couldn't make it up

so we moved and Trev caught this thin but sparkling bass

we smiled a lot in the Bridge Pool because we caught lots of roach

what beautiful golden fish - wye don't I fish for them more often?

Autumn is a time for reflection perhaps. We have all lost loved ones and angling has too, though it's not for me to single out any names as we all regret their loss in our own ways. My great friend from childhood Robin Pratt passed away and I shall always miss him. We had so many adventures in the wildest places and grew up together. and though he's gone physically, I'll always have the memories to treasure.

Robin in the Andes Mountains of Patagonia

their garden has spectacular Cotswold views - and some

We spent a lovely Autumn weekend in the Cotswolds with long time friends Rick and Jen ... we worked together in the BBC film unit forty odd years ago and have met up every year since - it's a tradition we treasure ... and our friend from BBC Springwatch filming Mark Rylands came to study river monitoring locally so stayed and cooked us a memorable Thai meal.

Rich and Jen taking the sun 

blurred yet again

 

as tasty a plate as you could ever wish to eat - Mark can catch barbel too

Lots of filming and editing was required in the Autumn and so was a holiday to mark Sue’s birthday and our 42^nd wedding anniversary … blimey, that’s a long time! We went to Islay again … one of the most wonderful places for wildlife in Britain … and malt whisky!

Hebridean skies like a Turner painting - I tried and failed

self portrait on the exact spot we camped on 42 years ago

A days walking and birding on Brownsea Island followed before the storms hit. The River Stour cut Wimborne off and sadly, two large birches were blown over in our garden but we didn't suffer hardships like some poor folk.

it was so warm that it was difficult to believe it was December

 

River Stour floods closed the road to Wimborne

50ft of old growth birch uprooted by the gales

the old birch on the left on it's way over - it was woodpecker heaven too

A treat before Christmas involved filming the catching of winter carp for Martin, then Trev. put the iceing on the cake by catching that rarest of fish, a two pound river roach.

a glorious winter carp for Martin

in Britain it's now one of nature's rarest creatures 

Ain’t it wonderful when friends smile into the camera in delight at actually getting to touch the creature of their dreams. No wonder fishing is good for you ... and Sue loves it too because when I return from a day out with my mates, I’m a happy man. And today we have Michael and Penny and Rick and Jen coming for our New Year celebrations. All six of us have gathered at each others homes for over forty years and we still manage to stay awake until after midnight ... but only just!

Do hope you all have an enjoyable year of happiness and fulfilment. It’s good out there in the wilds … we'll certainly be trying to be there more often next year.

wonderful walking country - and there's eagles in them there hills