'IMPROVE' MAKES BETTER ANGLERS

ANDY WHITELEY, NOTTS

Having rediscovered angling after a 35-year absence, I am pleased to say that one of my first discoveries was your excellent magazine. I did a very foolish thing a few years ago: I sold all of my coarse fishing tackle! I had held on to it for years, moving it with me from house to house, but eventually I decided to get rid of it thinking I would never find the time to rekindle my fishing days. Now, having retired, I have returned to the fold and am falling in love with the sport all over again. I have even introduced my Dad to the wonders of coarse fishing. His only previous experience was sea fishing so I am having to teach him to be a little more refined in his methods and remind him that he's not reeling in a large cod from 50 feet down! I am fortunate enough to have found a great little tackle shop in my home town and the guy who owns it has been a massive help in getting us set up with all the gear, as well as being a good source of information, which he is only too happy to share with us. Needless to say, things have moved on a great deal since I last wet a line and I am still confused by a lot of the jargon and the mind boggling number of different tactics and rigs that seem to be employed these days. Fortunately, your magazine is helping to make sense of it all and I have already utilised some of the tips contained therein, with varying degrees of success. Personally, I don't mind if I have a blank day, I am just enjoying rediscovering the immense pleasure that the sport gives me and the memories of my teenage years that keep flooding back.

2nd PRIZE