Des Taylor’s
Diary of a Countryman
SHOW season has started! First for me was the Northern Angling Show up in Manchester, where I was busy to say the least!
For part of the day I was on the Nash stand, then on the DAM stand, then on the Barbel Society stand. In between times I gave two 45-minute talks on the Saturday and one on the Sunday. So yes, busy busy, but thankfully I still found time to get out fishing.
I also got stuck in helping my wife Margaret pack for our house move this month…
FRIDAY
Up to the show at Manchester with Scott Graham. I’m learning loads about fly fishing from Scott. Hardly surprising, since he used to captain the Welsh fly fishing team! I have caught numerous big trout from small stillwaters, but I have limited knowledge of reservoir fishing for trout, and Scott really knows his stuff in this department.
I’m enjoying being a pupil for a change – you’re never too old to learn new tricks, as they say. Even away from the water I am learning things. In the car on the way up to Manchester we were catching trout on lures and buzzers!
Scott is sales manager at DAM and I was to help him set up the company stand. That night in the hotel in Stockport, along with the Specimen Fishing UK team, I’d like to say I had a couple of pints and went to bed early, but I didn’t. Need I say more?
SATURDAY
I have never been so busy at a show! I was running around like a maniac, but it was great fun.
How these shows have changed! Years ago they were quiet affairs, but now it’s more like a rave, with music booming out of speakers and angling stars on the stage having arm-wrestling matches, wearing wigs and shouting over the mic. I suppose it’s all about ‘giving them what they want’.
Lots of anglers told me how much they enjoyed my talks and my column in Angling Times, among them a young match angler who really appreciates the three ‘what-to-spot’ wildlife shots each week. That’s really nice to hear!
On the Barbel Society stand we were trying hard to get new members. I told everyone who would listen that the society is fighting for barbel on rivers. If our rivers are healthy then all species will benefit, not just barbel, so if you’re a river angler please join us.
I left the show shattered. My knees and feet were shot from walking around and standing all day. Shows are hard work!
In the evening the same team joined up with barbel expert Jerry Gleeson and Dave Munden and his daughter Charley, two lovely people from the Lure Society.
Jerry is as mad as a box of frogs and great fun with a few pints down his neck, and of course we all went to bed ‘early’ again in preparation for the next day. I really must grow up and learn. Still, after all that training over the years I woke up Sunday morning bright and fresh, all ready to go another 10 rounds.
SUNDAY
Much the same as Saturday, if anything even busier, but I was over the moon that so many anglers came up and said they were pleased I had become an ambassador for the Barbel Society.
I promise I’ll do my best over the coming years to help the society and river fishing in general.
The Northern Angling Show was a great success, especially for the trade. Many companies were posting regular updates on social media, which is the way of the world nowadays. If you don’t use it you get left behind. I ended up doing loads of selfies with kids, families and anglers, some young, some as old as me. I love all that.
Alan Blair at Nash must have had eye-ache with the number of selfies he had taken, but he
is a great role model for kids wanting to go fishing. I hope he gets the chance to do TV in the future. Scott and I headed down the motorway at about 7pm that evening, tired but happy with our weekend’s work. I’m looking forward to next year already.
MONDAY
Needed a day off but there was no time for that! Ended up helping my wife pack for our house move.
TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY
Another couple of sessions after carp, which I really enjoy. I can’t wait for them to start showing at the surface and taking floaters.
The weather was pleasant, although on both mornings there was frost on the ground and a little chill in the north-westerly wind – but by feeding Nash Key boilies little and often and putting a three boilie stringer on the rig I managed a good run of commons to 20lb.
As I fished, my friend Lol Breakspear phoned three times about various subjects relating to the Barbel Society and also to tell me of a report about fish stocks in the Teme – or should I say the lack of them. Every time he phoned I had to cut him off, because I’d had a take from a carp!
I would then phone Lol back and tell him the size of the carp I had just caught! It reminded me of last summer, when Lol had to cut me off during a phone conversation because an 11lb barbel had picked up his luncheon meat!
As I left I put 30 boilies on the spot and a few crushed ones with them to give the fish something to eat before my next visit.