Those of us who fish a lot work very hard to stay plugged in to the “fishing grapevine” because we know that without this informal network feeding back the “what, where, when and how” we are going to miss out on some of the seasons best fishing. It is not a one way street, you…

Many years ago, in fact more years than I care to remember, my father would take me off to the river Kennet for a days trout fishing during ‘Duffers Fortnight’ as it was known. If memory serves me correctly it was usually the first few days of June. In those far off days we thought…

I’m always looking forward to fishing after Christmas, but this is tempered by the fact that by then I only have about 10 weeks of the season left. Generally, being mostly restricted to weekends, that means ten days fishing, and if you consider that on average, for the weekend angler, conditions are only likely to…

During that period all I’d managed to put in the net was one bream of around two pounds. Then a shoal moved in and I managed to get another seven, giving me a 26.14.0 total and fourth place in the match. By the end of the competition I was wanting another couple of hours as…

It’s fair to say that a man’s value (in some ways at least) can be measured well by the quality of those who seek his company. If you accept that premise, then you will be pleased to hear that Fred Buller, a man who’s company has been sought by many of the great names of…

Address: Pickering Trout Lake Newbridge Road Pickering Yorkshire Y018 8JJ Phone number: 01751 474219 Directions: From York take the A64 to Malton and then the A169 to Pickering. The fishery is well sign-posted in Pickering and is next to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Fishery details: One fairly clear spring-fed trout lake of approaching 4…

Just recently the footpath to my favourite shore marks were re-opened after Foot and Mouth restrictions had closed them due to the farmer grazing his sheep over and along the cliff path. I have got to say these closures have made me growl just a bit.I was still in a growling frame of mind, when…

Over the past couple of years, Pete has become a self confessed “nut” about boat fishing, especially on Rutland, but he steers away from competitions. He pointed out to me that most of the flies, tactics and tackle that he uses were developed by the modern competition angler. Yet, he feels that he is not…

Day 1: Like the rest of you, December and January had seen me catch very little and I was more than happy to try something a little bit different. Jeff Kennett had invited me to have a day out on the Thames in his boat and so at the crack of dawn I helped him…

I had disgraced myself by casting a spoon into the rigging of one of these aquatic spacecraft and Jeff had gotten a little panic stricken as a result. He’d snuck aboard, freed the lure then swiftly bundled me into his truck and shot off home before we were spotted, and he was recognised. Once home,…