'How angling saved my life'

Almost a year ago to the day, highly respected match and specimen angler Andy Renton was on a life support machine and wasn’t expected to live to see the next day – but he’s now being billed as ‘The Miracle Man’, after staging a remarkable return to winning ways.

The Daiwa Goldthorpe team member had collapsed after suffering septicaemia, pneumonia, a ruptured spleen, kidney failure and a cardiac arrest in a matter of hours, and was also diagnosed with leukaemia. But in an incredible turn of events, described as nothing short of a ‘miracle’ by the doctors who treated him, he has made virtually a full recovery.

Doncaster-based Andy, who is also part of the Don Valley Specimen Group, has put a lot of that recovery down to fishing, plus reading Angling Times every week in hospital!

He celebrated his return to health by competing in the White Acres Winter Festival last week, winning a match there in the process. He has now spoken about the day his world was turned upside down – December 18 2012.

“I felt like I had a bit of cold and I passed out that night, then I woke up six days later in intensive care. One of my first thoughts was that I would miss my next winter league matches!” he told Angling Times. “All my family were there because the hospital didn’t think I’d still be alive the next day.  But I was and on January 1 I was moved to Sheffield to start chemo and I spent a total of four months in and out of hospital.

“Fishing kept me going. When I was well enough to look at my tackle again I cleaned it and tied some hooks, and the doctor said I looked visibly healthier. I was getting up in a morning because I had the motivation to do things. I just tried to get on with it because life goes on and the support from everybody has been unbelievable.  Now I’m here for a good time rather than a long time!” added Andy.


Jeremy Wade fishes Chernobyl in his most extreme TV series yet

Jeremy Wade’s River Monsters is to return for a fifth series on ITV in the new year, Angling Times can reveal.

The hugely popular show, which is shown around the world, is back for six more episodes plus a two-part special on the origins of the Loch Ness Monster.

This series, which will air in early January in a primetime slot, begins with Jeremy tackling catfish and the threat of radiation in the shadow of Chernobyl’s fourth nuclear reactor. Other episodes will see the former biology teacher fly fish for tarpon from a float tube, investigate a stingray thought to have dragged a honeymooning bride to her death in Columbia and some extreme-depth fishing in a Norwegian fjord.

Jeremy told Angling Times: “Before this series I was thinking ‘maybe we are running out of things to cover’, but as we dug deeper we actually found some subjects that were really interesting and it was a fantastic series to film.

“Some of it is new angles on fish we have done before, but with completely new stories.”

On the first show, set to be screened in the first week of January, Jeremy caught zander and catfish on soft lures and deadbaits in the Ukrainian city of Chernobyl, which suffered a catastrophic nuclear accident in 1986.

He said: “There are actually fish in the cooling pools of the reactor, which is a weird silver lining from the disaster. It’s like an extreme version of the old electricity cut on the River Nene at Peterborough, which was full of carp in the warm water pouring from the power station.

“The radiation is quite patchy there and I had a real-time doss meter with me at all times. In some places you would stumble upon a hotspot and if I hadn’t had the meter and just stayed there I would have actually reached my exposure limit in half an hour.”

Jeremy is also taking his show on the road with a series of lectures across the country in March. For more details visit www.rivermonsters.tv


Poacher nabbed by EA bailiffs after filming his crime and posting it on YouTube

A foolish poacher who made a boastful video of his crime which appeared on the internet has been brought to justice after a fisheries officer saw the footage.

The shocking clip entitled ‘Poachin in Poole’ shows 31-year-old Benjamin Cook, from Poole, Dorset, using a barbaric monofilament net to remove sea trout from his local River Sherford. In the film he brags, ‘Basically boys this is how you poach…it’s in the blood like a drug addiction and once you’ve got it, you’ve got it for life ’.

But the clip, that was uploaded to the popular video sharing website YouTube, has led to Cook’s downfall after an Environment Agency enforcement officer viewed  the footage and recognised the bungling criminal, who has previous convictions for poaching and obstructing a fisheries officer.

Cook was arrested at his home on February 15, 2013 and taken to Bournemouth police station where he admitted fishing for salmon and sea trout without a licence and confirmed he’d seen the video.

He denied uploading the video to the site, but when asked about his feelings on being seen on the internet he said ‘he didn’t care’, and added that if the video received enough hits it might be ‘shown on the telly’ and he could become ‘famous’.
It’s the first time the EA has used social media to secure a conviction and officials have warned that any form of poaching will not be tolerated.

“This is perfect proof that we will come down very hard on anyone fishing illegally and would urge anglers or members of the general public to report any suspected incidents of poaching,” said an EA spokesperson.

Cook appeared before Bournemouth Magistrates on December 2, 2013 was fined £175 and ordered to pay £300 costs after pleading guilty to using an unlicenced net to catch salmon and sea trout on the River Sherford in contravention of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

To view the video use the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVvzj5A0P6E


Prime minister helps save club

The Prime Minister has helped to save a community angling club lake just weeks after its lease was terminated by its landowners, the Ministry of Defence.

Oakhanger AC had managed Kingsley Pond for 46 years but they were recently kicked off the venue following a dispute over the installation of new platforms.

The move caused uproar among its members and even the PM David Cameron wrote to the club to offer his support after hearing of their plight.

The lake is a popular fishing spot and is regularly used to coach junior anglers as well as ex-servicemen.

The argument arose after a new surveyor employed by the MOD had questioned what Oakhanger AC deemed as a routine installation of new platforms to replace damaged old ones. The club refused to comply with orders to remove all the platforms and claimed the MOD was unwillingly to meet at that time to address the unfortunate situation.

An agreement has now been made between the two parties and a new licence is being drawn up, following a meeting between which also included the Angling Trust and the Environment Agency. Kingsley Pond Fishery manager, Fred Bell, said that he was relieved to have the lake back again.

“We agreed to forget what has happened over the past three months as mistakes have been made on both parts. We now have a much stronger agreement than ever before and the MOD has even offered to buy and install new disabled platforms,” he said.

“We would like to thank them for accommodating our wishes, they stated that they always wanted us to have the licence at the pond and praised the way we control and maintain the area. It was important to have The Angling Trust and the EA advising us during this time,” he said.


Ed Skillz joins Avid

Avid Carp are delighted to announce that renowned Dutch carper Ed Skillz has joined their growing team of Benelux consultants. Ed is an accomplished angler who brings a wealth of carp fishing knowledge to the team.

Avid’s brand manager Jon Jones was delighted to have signed Ed, commenting: "As well as being heavily involved with the development of new products for anglers on the Continent, Ed will also play a large part in the media and marketing of Avid Carp across Europe. Ed brings much more than just angling ability to the table. He’s an extremely skilled photographer, videographer and has a natural flare for directing and editing videos. We’ll certainly be utilising these skills and look forward to working with him on a number of interesting and exciting projects over the coming months. If you haven’t seen any of Ed’s work, head over to www.carpcrossing.com and prepare to be astounded. His work really is out of this world! I’m confident this is going to be the start of a long and productive relationship”.

Ed was also extremely pleased with his new position at Avid Carp commenting:
“Avid Carp is a fast-growing company and I cannot wait to help promote the brand across Europe. I’ve known a number of the team members for a while now and I know I’m going to love working with them. The company is like a large family and everybody is striving for the same end goal. This is very important to me.”

 

 

 

 

 


Angling Trust unveils new website

Planning your next fishing trip has just become a whole lot easier thanks to a new website which has been launched by the Angling Trust.

Fishinginfo.co.uk combines data and resources from The Met Office, The Environment Agency, The Post Office and the Angling Trust to give anglers a mobile-ready, online tool which allows anglers to find a venue as well as view fishery contact information, water levels, weather data and even buy a rod licence to fish it. The site, which is viewable on PCs smartphones and tablets, also allows you to locate tackle shops, coaches, clubs and charter boats all over the UK making it easier when travelling to new parts of the country. Users can save their favourite venues interactively on the site to view at any time and there is also a full map, including an Ordance Survey option to make finding new venues easy.

Paul Sharman, Head of communications at the Trust believes the new tool will help anglers make decisions more readily when it comes to deciding on a venue: “It is a great resource for anglers in that it pools together all the data which was only previously available on separate websites and makes it far simpler for anglers to prepare for a day’s fishing at their favourite venue or find a new water nearby.”
Currently the website, which was developed by IT specialists, Shoothill, is more suited to freshwater anglers but the Trust are planning a second version of the site which will include saltwater venues. The site may also be launched as an app available for most smartphones in the near future.

Visit the site at: www.fishinginfo.co.uk

**FISHINGINFO.CO.UK FEATURES**
• Find every EA river gauge to view the current water levels
• Thousands of stillwaters, rivers and canal fisheries in your area or elsewhere
• Provides either a road map or google satellite view of the venue you are viewing to help you pick a swim
• View information for your chosen venue including permit prices, fish stocks and telephone numbers
• Add your own venue on the map, if it does not appear on the site
• Buy a rod licence


Commercials respond to silvers boom

Millions of silverfish are set to be stocked into a host of the UK’s biggest commercials in a bid to keep anglers catching this winter.

Huge catches of carp dominated the headlines during the summer and several venue bosses have now shown their commitment to keep the prolific action going by intoducing large quantities of roach, bream, tench and perch.

Officials at Woodlands Lakes in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, were among the first to alter their stocking policy after calls from match and pleasure rods to bring in more silverfish. Fishery manager Jimmy Kent told Angling Times: “It’s all about keeping anglers busy and it’s not uncommon for visitors to take 30lb nets – even on the coldest days.

“We have regulars that used to put their tackle away for winter but the abundance of roach and skimmers in our waters means they now fish all-year round.”
Further south, Oxfordshire specimen complex Linear Fisheries has placed hundreds of quality tench and perch into Hunts Corner Pond, with Devon’s Stafford Moor undertaking a similar process on Tanners Lake.

Staff at Surrey’s Bury Hill Fisheries have stocked large numbers of roach to 2lb and owner David deVere said: “There is a bigger demand from anglers for quality silverfish now than ever before. Only last week a visitor had a brace of 2lb-plus roach and the more word gets out about such catches, the more people want to have a go for them.”

Other venues have taken even bigger steps to promote silverfish action, with Staffordshire’s Baden Hall and Berkshire’s New Farm Fisheries both opening new lakes where carp will barely feature.

The increase in demand has seen numerous fish farms struggle to keep up with the sudden surge of interest and Quiet Sports chief Steve Barnes claims he and his staff are working at their limit.

“Quality bream and roach are as popular as ever and last year we ran out of fish,” he said. “We anticipate the same problem this year and urge people to get their orders in quickly to avoid disappointment.”



Unique cased lamprey could save club

A rare brace of cased fish expected to fetch thousands of pounds at auction could secure the future of one of the country’s oldest angling clubs.

Crewe Amalgamated Angling Association control a variety of waters in the local area, with over 150 members of the social club they operate from regularly meeting for a day on the bank. But now the outfit have run into financial trouble and have been searching for ways to raise funds.

In a bid to reverse their fortunes they plan to sell a pair of lamprey that were cased by the legendary J. Cooper & Sons taxidermists after they were caught from the River Severn by a club member in 1924.

Early estimates from Peter Wilson Fine Art Auctioneers – the business charged with conducting the bidding process – suggest that it could fetch over £8,000.

Committee memberJeff Soper is desperate to see the association remain intact and said: “I have been fishing almost all my life and I am now 60-years-old. This club has given me so much throughout that time.

“We need money to keep our clubhouse going as without it no one will get together and the fishing section will almost certainly die off.”

Auctioneer Chris Large believes the unique item will prove a popular lot during the event at their premises in Nantwich on November 27 and 28. “It is unusual to find a single lamprey preserved and mounted, but exceptionally rare, if not unique, to find a pair,” he told Angling Times.

“The fact that the preservation and display work was carried out by Cooper only adds to its importance. The high quality of their work and uncompromising attention to detail is unrivalled.”

Who are J.Cooper & Sons?
John Cooper was born in 1825 and began taxidermy of birds, fish and mammals in 1844. In 1850 his son – also named John – joined the business, with both of them skilfully casing hundreds of fish until they handed the business over to the Griggs family in the 1930s. Their work is highly sought after, with collectors travelling the length and breadth of the country to visit auctions where their pieces are on sale.


Still time to get your tickets for Northern Angling Show

There is now less than three weeks until one of the biggest events on the fishing calendar!

The Northern Angling Show launched in early 2013 with what has been described as ‘the best fishing show for years’ and this December the event will be bigger than ever. A perfect day out for the whole family, located next door to the Trafford Centre, Manchester. Doors open 9am both days and tickets are available on the door - £12 and £15 for concessions and adults. Under 10s go free.

The show, taking place on the weekend of December 7 and 8 at EventCity, now boasts the biggest stars and celebrities of the sport as well as many of the major brands and manufacturers showing off all the latest tackle, bait and more.

The show now features more than 100 confirmed stands including all the major players from the coarse, match and carp worlds plus a pole alley to try out the latest gear. Add this to the two stages complete with ponds for live talks from the countries best anglers and you have a weekend that cannot be missed.

To top off what promises to be the largest angling event ever held in the North, everyone who pre-orders their tickets online via the NAS box office can claim a free copy of Angling Times or Improve Your Coarse Fishing magazine.

Check out the new website where you can book tickets, sign up to the newsletter and find up-to-date information as it’s released on stage times, exhibitor lists and floor plans.

Visit: www.northernanglingshow.co.uk or www.facebook.com/NorthernAnglingShow for more details

 


Kayak angler urges club anglers to give it a try

An ambitious kayak angler is taking the sport to new levels – by launching his craft on UK canals, rivers and even commercial carp lakes!

Andrew Hoyle regularly catches carp, pike, roach and bream while afloat and he is now encouraging others to do the same, by offering demonstrations to encourage clubs and fisheries to allow them. The Manchester man is one of England’s top kayak anglers, a fast growing arm of the sport which has so far been largely confined to saltwater in the UK.  He told Angling Times that he recently fished a small carp lake for the first time with his one-man vessel, much to the surprise of anglers sat on seatboxes nearby.

“For me it’s the intimacy of fishing at such close quarters to the water and the fish. I think you miss this when you’re sat high up on a bank,” explained Andrew. “The closest thing I can compare it to is wading out into a river and bringing fish to hand waist deep. You also see a lot of things you wouldn’t from the bank, such as fish flashing over your bait. You can get away with really light tackle because you don’t need casting power so it’s very enjoyable fishing.”

The only thing hindering Andrew and other freshwater kayak anglers at the moment is a lack of access, because he says that a lot of clubs will not allow kayaks on their waters. He is adamant, though, that kayak fishing causes the minimum of disturbance.

“We glide across the water so it’s all very quiet and subtle and my own kayak has peddles to operate a small propeller underneath. It’s not suitable on really narrow canals or on lakes which are very busy in summer, but where appropriate it’s become a very addictive platform for fishing. The adrenalin really gets going when you hook a big fish and fight it directly beneath you,” he added.

All the fish he catches are photographed and submitted for points in the worldwide Kayak Wars competition, an annual series of leagues in various continents. He is currently ranked sixth in Europe and second in the UK.

**For more information on kayak fishing or to request a demonstration from Andrew, email: manchesterangler@gmail.com. **


Angler spends £15k to fish at Cudmore!

A globetrotting angler showed his determination to fish the venue that hosts the Fish O’Mania final by making a 20,000 mile round trip from his home in Australia!

Lancashire-born Tim Waldron emigrated to Hervy Bay near Brisbane over two decades ago but decided to embark on the long-haul trip back to the UK after he watched the showcase event – which is staged on Arena Pool at Staffordshire’s Cudmore Fisheries – on TV.

And despite spending over £15,000 to spend two days on the prolific complex he is adamant that it was money well spent: “When I watched the final in 2012 I decided I must pay Cudmore a visit and although I’ve had two hip replacements within the last year it wasn’t going to stop me from making this trip,” he said.

“During my time in the UK I visited family and friends but I saved my two days of fishing until last and it was fantastic, with a personal best tench of 4lb and a 12lb ghost carp the pick of the fish caught,” he added.

The 64-year old water supplies expert has fished all over the globe and has already put plans in place to make a return next year. “I'm speaking at a conference in Vienna next spring so it would be a shame not to pay Cudmore another visit!”

Professional angling coach Andy May was hired to provide expert advice during Tim’s stay and he was full of praise for his dedication to the sport. “It was a real pleasure to help Tim and I really enjoyed the day. I thought it was a joke when I first heard someone wanted to come here to fish from Australia but as he’s proved, it was a genuine desire to give this great fishery a go.”


Angling Times National Angling Awards 2013

It's been a year packed with incredible big fish catches, exceptional tackle innovations and shocking news stories – and now you can vote for your favourites in the 2013 Angling Awards.

Almost 40 different categories have been created to honour the pride of the sport, with ‘angler of the year’, ‘lifetime achievement’ and ‘best river and stillwater’ just a selection of the topics that need your feedback to help us pick the overall winners.
Tackle manufacturers will also be looking on eagerly as they battle it out to take victory in a range of fields including ‘best flagship pole’, ‘top float rod’ and ‘greatest innovation’.

Angling Times editor Steve Fitzpatrick is urging everyone in the sport to get involved with the awards. He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for anglers to vote for who they feel are the big achievers in fishing this year and help their choices gain the recognition they deserve. There have been so many great catches made and tackle items released this year that some of the categories are just too close to call.

“There may be other awards in angling, but these are the ones the nominees really want to win, and only you can help your favourites take the glory.

VOTING HAS NOW CLOSED. FOR THE RESULTS OF ANGLING TIMES NATIONAL ANGLING AWARDS 2013 SEE ANGLING TIMES ON SALE TUESDAY DECEMBER 23, 2013


10 million fish stocked thanks to your rod licence money

A significant milestone was reached this week with the stocking of the Environment Agency’s 10 millionth coarse fish.

The landmark fish was one of around 5,000 roach and crucians from Calverton Fish Farm – the EA’s national coarse fish rearing unit – to be introduced into Corby Boating Lake in Northamptonshire, as part of a routine re-stocking strategy, the like of which occur on waters across the UK every autumn. The fish arrived at the lake in special oxygen fed tanks after making the 50 mile journey from Nottingham following a recommendation from regional fishery officers.

EA team leader Alan Henshaw, who was present at the stocking, said: “We are very proud to have our 10 millionth fish produced on site to be introduced to the environment. It takes us approximately two years of hard work to raise these fish, by which time we consider them to be an acceptable age and size to release into the wild.

“Our fish are raised in a special way to ensure that they can survive and hopefully produce offspring. That’s how we boost the fish populations throughout England and Wales by giving nature a helping hand.”

Calverton Fish Farm is run on rod licence money, produces between 350 and 400 thousand fish each year and has been in operation since 1939. The unit emphasises their fish rearing strategies with the rejuvenation of waters, particularly rivers, in mind and this is evident in species breakdown, with nearly 50 per cent of fish leaving Calverton being running water species such as dace, barbel and chub. However, the amount of stillwaters being stocked in recent years is now on the increase.

Andy Beale, a monitoring officer for the EA, added: “It is difficult to balance anglers needs with that of the fishes, so we have to consider both when we make stocking decisions. In this lake we added roach and crucians because these are species already present and also they are easier to catch which is vital on a council run lake like Corby where kids like to come and fish.”

Milton Keynes Angling Association chairman Trevor Johnson, whose club control over 15 miles of canal and riverbank in the South East as well as numerous stillwaters, believes fish stockings are necessary for the future of UK waters. “Venues such as Adams Mill on the Great Ouse have profited significantly from the recent EA barbel stockings and the anglers will reap the rewards from this in years to come. I am delighted to see the EA achieve such a milestone and look forward to the next 10m being stocked” he said.

See this week's Angling Times for a behind the scenes look at the work done at Calverton, on sale Tuesday, November 12.

Percentages of EA stockings by species:
Roach - 21.2%
Chub - 18.2%
Dace - 17.3%
Tench - 13.6%
Bream - 12.7%
Barbel - 8.4%
Crucians - 5.8%
Rudd - 2.8%


Clubs invited to bid for share of £15 million fund

The latest round of bidding for Sport England funding has opened and angling clubs are being invited to bid for a slice of a £15m pot.

Over 1,300 local community sports groups across the country have already benefitted from the outfit’s Inspired Facilities scheme and they are now looking for new applicants who are in desperate need of improving the waters and amenities they offer.

Sport England Chair, Nick Bitel, said: “With £15 million available this time and a further £40 million in future bidding rounds, there are plenty of opportunities to benefit from this fund.”

Several clubs have already benefitted from the project - which was launched following the London Olympic Games in 2012 to boost participation in all sports - with Burton Mutual AA receiving £50,000 last year to create a new clubhouse to conduct indoor tuition sessions.

Who can bid?
Any angling club who encourages the local community to get involved in the sport is eligible to bid for funding. Grants of up to £50,000 are available to help with issues such as lake restorations and buying tackle to use on coaching days. For more information on how to submit your application visit www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities


Sea anglers win fight to save clubhouse

A campaign to stop a local council demolishing a club house that was central to the plans of an angling club looks set to end in victory.

Officials at Weymouth AC were told that blueprints had been drawn up to knock down the harbour-side building to make room for a new car park.

Plans were created to host a meeting between councillors and members of the 113-year-old outfit so that both sides of the argument could be put forward, with a petition also being circulated to gain support for the crusade.

By the end of the exchange, councillors voted that the base should remain and the club should be given a new 10-year lease to secure their future.

Although a final decision won’t be made until next month, there was plenty of reason for optimism and club chairman Billy Short said: “Members helped build this club house with their own hands back in 1974 and we have since invested in new disabled access and many other modernisations.”

“We are very grateful to anglers from all over the world, and to the Angling Trust, for supporting us at this time.”


Des Taylor to film new fishing TV series

Bosses of a major TV channel have shown their intention to create new angling shows after one of the sport’s biggest stars was approached to present a brand new programme.

Angling Times columnist Des Taylor is widely regarded as one of the most talented and charismatic figures within the industry and has now been charged with creating an entertaining series capable of capturing the imagination of millions.

The news comes just a week after Channel 5 revealed they had hired the services of Chris Tarrant and John Horsey to host a new fishing show.

Although the concept is in the early stages, the currently unannounced TV station is set to commission a pilot in the coming months and Des is confident he can create a unique programme that will draw in a large audience.

“Angling has been short of a new show presented by a true fisherman for years and I believe I am capable of delivering that now,” explained Des.

“I want to appeal to anglers and non-anglers alike and I’m delighted that the makers looked further than the current crop of people who are displaying fishing ‘on the box’ in a slightly false light.”

“I won’t be remodelling myself just to suit a TV show – it will be Des Taylor doing what he does best – fishing at beautiful waters in the UK while allowing my personality to shine through,” he added.

In the meantime, fishermen craving an instant TV fix will get the chance to rewatch Kevin Green’s hit Improve Your Coarse Fishing series.

The highly regarded journalist was editor of the same-titled magazine for over eight years before he sadly passed away after a battle with illness and staff at Discovery Shed are now set to honour his illustrious career by showing several episodes, starting at 10pm on November 1.


Campaign to boost club memberships

An ambitious campaign to boost membership numbers of clubs across the country has been launched by the Angling Trust.

Hundreds of associations have seen the amount of fishermen on their books dwindle in recent years as a result of the booming commercial carp scene, but the sport’s governing body are now aiming to reverse the trend.

In order to readdress the balance they have roped in external help, with experts convinced that a well-thought out marketing campaign involving social media could transform the fortunes of those on a downward spiral.

Industry experts, Club Leaders, have held seminars and tuition sessions with various sports outfits in recent years and have seen groups that were on the verge of extinction go on to hit their peak after following simple advice.

Those in the Northamptonshire region will be among the first in angling to take advantage of the service and scheme coordinator Helen Simmons said: “We are committed to providing support to help clubs become more sustainable, thereby increasing participation.

“Our seminars give people an interactive learning opportunity to ask questions and share experiences and over 80 per cent of those that have taken advice from us have acted upon it to help meet their goals.”

Trust Regional Development Manager James Roche played a major part in initiating the project and is urging clubs to get involved to help secure their future. He said: “Effective marketing and promotion is a vital part of helping angling clubs to grow and these sessions will help them find new ways to promote the facilities they offer.” 

That is a view shared by Earl of Harrington’s AC secretary Teresa Parr who, with the Derbyshire club in decline, decided to utilise Facebook in a final attempt to stop the rot. “There is absolutely no doubt that if you work with social media the rewards are enormous,” she told Angling Times. “Our membership numbers have risen 100 per cent in a year.”

**Angling club officials are being invited to attend the first session on November 6 at Moulton College, Northampton. Experts will be on hand between 7pm and 9pm and you can book your spot by calling James on 07791 786251**


Dedicated angler's six hour commute to fishery by train

Thousands of anglers will claim to be the most dedicated person in the sport – but the title almost certainly belongs to Ken McCormack who travels thousands of miles on public transport to go fishing.

Despite working for Ford for 30-years the Aigburth, Merseyside-based rod has never owned a car or held a driving licence. But this hasn’t prevented him from enjoying his favourite pastime and he insists on getting on the bank at least three times a week regardless of the conditions.

Instead of choosing a water on his doorstep, however, the 66-year-old endures a three hour train journey each way, making a trio of changes at peak times to get to his favourite water - Rufford Meadow Fishery.

His unique approach has even seen him become something of a local celebrity, with commuters instantly recognising him as he moves between platforms laden with a seatbox, carryall and rod bag.

“I just love fishing and I’m willing to do anything to get to venues that I enjoy targeting. I’m always looking for new spots that are close to a train station and doing a six hour round trip each time I go doesn’t faze me at all,” explained Ken.
“There aren’t many people that walk around a busy station with lots of fishing tackle so I’ve become fairly well known with those I share the same journey with,” he added.

Time spent waiting for connecting trains is also spent wisely, with tackle being prepared for the session ahead and he told Angling Times: “I’ll regularly sit on a bench and have all my gear sprawled around me, tying rigs and making sure everything is in place for when I get to my destination.

“People ask why I never learned to drive – especially as I worked for Ford  – but I don’t have any regrets about it and I have no intention of changing my routine.”


The Angling Times is sad to report the death of the Tackle Boat owner

The Angling Times is sad to report the death of Mark Thame, owner of the Tackle Boat, as featured in the August 27 edition.

The 54-year-old passed away suddenly on October 2 and now his wife Debbie has decided to place the barge ‘Le Souk’ into brokerage at Whilton Marina on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire.

Anyone interested in making an offer for the vessel or donating to the two local charities which the couple supported, Billy's Wish and Homes4Dogs can contact Debbie on: 07527 098491.