Martin Bowler’s Adventures
Not good in health terms, but the fish made up for that
The ups and downs of a year on the bank...
WHERE does the time go? Plans soon become memories, and January 2017 rolled around after one of my best fishing years to date.
I doubted it would match the previous 12 months, and had no intimation of the roller coaster I was about to board.
Two weeks in the sun was a great way to re-energise the batteries and hopefully catch a Siamese carp over 100lb. My wife and I run a holiday company, Bowler’s Thai Fishing, and own property in the Land of Smiles, so for us it’s just a case of clearing the diary and booking a flight.
A tropical paradise awaited us, and it was good to meet up with ex-pat John Wilson and his brother Dave. There was, however, an element of work to the trip. I needed fresh images for a revamped website and forthcoming shows. Fortunately Thailand has more than its share of monster fish, and I captured many on camera. Little did I know, as I boarded the plane home, that I was going to meet another.
The year 2016 had been an incredible predator fest for me, and I have to admit that I was feeling slightly piked-out! But I was never going to turn down an invitation from my good friend, Terry Theobald, to fish Chew Valley Lake.
I made my way to the legendary
“2017 rolled around... I had no intimation of the roller coaster I was about to board”
reservoir as a storm battered the South West. Fortunately we were bank fishing, so we could at least put the rods out, but huge whitecapped waves ensured the bait boat stayed on the gravel and the 10ft-deep sweet spot remained out of casting distance.
Perhaps foolishly we had picked the windward bank, but I just knew there was a big fish out there. With some storms there is a moment when it takes an intake of breath before blowing even harder, and in this short spell a window of opportunity presents itself.
So it proved now. I reeled in and chucked a smelt into the bait boat hopper before launching it, then checked its progress on the echo sounder, desperate to see 10 foot appear. The hull rode a final angry wave and I was able to dump the rig. By now the wind was back to gale force, pushing everything in towards the bank – including the bait boat.
Tightening the braid, I placed it into the clip of the drop arm indicator, only for it to immediately fall out again. Despondent, and convinced the lead was being dragged, I applied a huge amount of tension to the clip and repeated the process.
Drifting weed wasn’t the culprit, but a 36lb pike – a personal best under incredible circumstances. For the rest of the winter I busied myself catching everything from wrasse to chub, but it was another stormy night that
stood out for me. I’d fished in the heyday of big barbel, catching 14lb-plus fish from several rivers, but I dearly wanted to improve on that. A 15lb 2oz fish from the Trent gave me my eighth river barbel over the 14lb mark and I was ecstatic to see such a lovely fish in my landing net.
Early spring can be a tricky time for the coarse angler, when rivers close to fishing and predators go off the boil. Fortunately, I am able to fish running water all year round.
The mighty salmon of the Wye and Hampshire Avon were a joy to pit my wits against – there’s nothing like a fresh-run springer to raise the adrenaline levels. Stand-out moments were a brace from the Avon one morning and a 17lb bar of silver for which the Wye is famed – dates to cherish in my angling calendar.
Tench weren’t to be my main coarse fish targets for spring – instead I chose carp, and what a wise decision that was! I started well with a forty and numerous thirties, but a switch of venues in April resulted in something incredible.
I had fished this particular pit for years without seeing any fish out of the ordinary, but maybe I was just storing up my luck. I hit the jackpot in April when, after a nerve-shredding battle, 59lb of mirror carp ended up in my arms.
Unknown to all but a handful of anglers in the carp world, this really was a special fish, unnamed and never before reported.
I felt privileged, not because I felt catching such a fish was beyond me, but because in my line of work I just don’t have the time to spend in pursuit of a single fish.
All this changed with the monster mirror from off the beaten track. In quick succession I added a 48 and a 45, and I was on top of the world.
What next? Being rushed to hospital by ambulance wasn’t in my plans. You never forget the pain of a kidney stone, and with numerous attacks over the next three months I felt at a really low ebb. In fact as I write, with winter again upon us, I’m still suffering the repercussions.
I have the best job in the world, but living on the bank and swallowing huge amounts
of painkillers isn’t the best way of avoiding regular trips to hospital. I guess I’ll just have to grin and bear it.
There were some lovely moments to compensate – fishing with Chris Yates and catching crucians, a true summer species. The carp bug didn’t leave me either, with a seemingly endless stream of big fish ending up on the mat despite my health handicap.
Regaining a little strength, I made amends for a cancelled trip to Ireland after six-gilled sharks and did indeed find monsters in the shape of bluefin tuna. It might surprise you to learn that off the west coast of the British Isles one of the world’s highest populations of this incredible fish gathers every autumn. We have returned to the heyday of the 1940s and the Tunny Club.
Watching fish in the region of 1000lb taking dead herrings off the surface was one of the most spectacular sights I have ever witnessed. Just five years ago it wouldn’t have seemed possible. It’s this variety, against a backdrop of the changing seasons, that ensures I never get bored.
The year has been one of incredible highs and lows, and as I bring this article to a close I can’t help but think of the future.
As always, I have plenty of exciting adventures ahead, but good health for my family and me in 2018 is all I really need – the rest I’ll leave to the angling gods.
I wish all the readers of these pages the same – best fishes!