Kevin Wilmot, Deputy Editor
Favourite moment of 2017: The look on Nathan Howard’s face after he had caught his first carp.
My daughter Chloe’s boyfriend lives close to Decoy Lakes, which seemed the obvious destination when she offered to take him fishing for the first time since he was a lad. With Mum and Dad in tow, of course!
Non-angler Nathan wasn’t over-excited at the prospect, but his spirits lifted when he set eyes on Decoy’s Four Islands Lake, an intimate little water with only 10 swims and surrounded by trees.
We’d brought a picnic, and Chloe and Nathan were soon set up with a short pole while my wife Nikki and I fished at the other end of the swim, looking forward to lunch.
Chloe was soon explaining the finer points of feeding and rig control, then, 10 minutes after starting, I turned to see Nathan with a look of mild panic as metres of elastic streamed from the pole.
“Just let the elastic do the work; follow the fish slightly; okay, now remove a section!” Chloe’s instructions were spot-on, and I can still see the joy on Nathan’s face as he held his first carp.
It was the first of many carp, along with some feisty barbel and tench, and when we had to pack away four hours later Nathan wanted to know when we could come again. He was hooked… and the picnic was delicious!
Three things I’ve learned this year: 1 Never underestimate your kids. Chloe was the perfect instructor for Nathan on our Decoy day. 2 Martin Bowler is incredible. For one man to consistently catch the monster fish he does, and to produce stunning photographs week in, week out, never ceases to amaze me. 3 I haven’t learned anything else because I’m so old I know most things already.