EVEN THOSE WHO DIDN’T FISH KNEW AND LOVED JOHN WILSON

TV’s ‘Mr Angling’ dies at 75 at his new home in Thailand

Broadland rivers and a wealth of big pike, chub and roach.

One of his most memorable episodes, aptly titled ‘Weirpool Magic’, saw him catch 2lb roach plus a big pike and bream from a mill pool on the Wensum, the river he loved best of all.

John also commanded regular Angling Times and Sunday Express columns as well as writing dozens of books and where to fish guides.

His MBE in 2009 was handsome reward for a man who devoted his career to promoting fishing.

Within minutes of Angling Times breaking the news of John’s death, social media was jammed.

Fishing’s great and good all have their own memories of this wonderful man, not least Angling Times columnist Martin Bowler, his nephew.

“No man loved angling more than John, and in return angling loved him. He will forever be known as the greatest angler ever, and I find some comfort in the memories of the great trips I shared with him,” Martin said.

Four-times World Champion Bob Nudd was another who shared many good times with John, both at home and abroad, and he’ll remember the angling impact that the effervescent Londoner would go on to create.

“We spent many hours fishing together, making a few of his Go Fishing episodes, working with Anglers World Holidays and at the big fishing shows.

“John was always good company and an excellent and adaptable angler too,” Bob recalled.

“But I think more than that, he was the first angling celebrity. Even if they didn’t fish, people knew who John Wilson was through his TV work. He presented fishing to a completely new audience and we will always be indebted to him for that.”

NOW JOIN US OVER THE NEXT 10 PAGES AS WE CELEBRATE ‘MR ANGLING’ IN THIS SPECIAL ANGLING TIMES TRIBUTE.

OHN Wilson – voted the greatest-ever angler – has died.

John passed away on Tuesday, November 13, aged 75, at his home in Thailand after suffering a stroke.

His passing brings to an end an angling career and legacy that will never be equalled in our lifetime or beyond, an influence that encouraged thousands to pick up a fishing rod for the first time.

Aside from being a top notch all-round angler, London-born John was a media pioneer, engendering an idea for a TV fishing show in the 1980s that eventually bore fruit with what went on to become ‘Go Fishing’.

For 16 years John’s lively and passionate presenting style, coupled with a celebration of the great outdoors and fishing, captured viewing figures in the many millions, initially on Anglia TV and then Channel 4.

He continued beyond Go Fishing as digital TV welcomed a host of new series featuring the man himself in the early noughties. But it will be for that famous meandering Go Fishing theme tune and infectious laugh that John will be remembered for. He brought fishing to mainstream TV and showed that it was as far removed from the old man sat next to a canal catching a tin can as could be.

Instead, working with producer Peter Akehurst, John opened up a world that few watching could have experienced before. Crystal-clear chalk streams, windswept wild gravel pits and chocolate box estate lakes all played their part alongside, of course, big fish. Go Fishing was a celebration and John was the perfect ringmaster to get the joy of angling across to its viewers.

As the success of those early shows hit home, John spread his wings, with venues far and wide being selected for future shows. These included Africa, mainland Europe and his beloved Cauvery River in India where he landed massive mahseer and developed a lifelong friendship with local guide Suban.

But it was Norfolk that he developed the closest affinity to. Moving to Norwich and opening a tackle shop in the city in the early 1970s gave John access to the River Wensum and

“Go Fishing was a celebration, and John was the perfect ringmaster...”