Des Taylor’s Diary of a Countryman
A fantastic week puts me in the mood to meet you all at two big angling shows
AS A man of the country, I love this time of year. Finally, after the drab, short days of winter, it seems everything is waking up. And if there is a better sound in the whole of nature than the dawn chorus, I have yet to hear it.
The rivers might be closed, but I’ve been busier than ever fishing lakes and canals near home...
THURSDAY
Asked wife Margaret to drop me off at Stourport-on-Severn, my intention being to walk back to Bewdley along the river. It was good to be alive – the better my mood, the slower I walk!
There was so much to see and hear. Nature is at its loudest right now as everything is either mating or trying to find a mate. Buds and blossom are on the trees, the river is a lovely colour and fish are rising to the surface to take terrestrials blown in by the recent winds.
It took me about four hours to get back home. I met bird watchers and dog walkers along the way and we all had a good chat, as you do. The common denominator among all of us was a love for the countryside.
Back home we had a home-made chicken curry and a bottle of wine and we talked of what I had seen. Margaret was soon bored, of course, but I am still like a kid when I talk about the countryside.
SATURDAY
Chub fishing on a new stretch of canal with a view to sussing it out for some evening sessions over the next few weeks.
As I suspected, I had no takes. That was par for the course on a clear canal in daylight with runners and bikers everywhere. It will be different at night when all is quiet and those big chub come out to play!
I now know where to park my car safely and where to fish once I get there. I put a bit of bait in before I left and I have a good feeling about future sessions there.
That afternoon I went to see Jonathan Read at Bells Mill Fishery, near Stourbridge, which is close to where I have been fishing. He’d invited me to see his new café at the fishery and had been telling me of some decent perch coming out the match pool.
While enjoying a bacon and egg sandwich and a coffee made by Jonathan’s lovely wife Laura I watched an angler in front of the café catching perch to over 2lb. Bells Mill is certainly worth keeping my eye on in the future. Perch grow big and fast in such waters.
In these diécult times it’s nice to see a success story, and I am made up for this family-run business.
TUESDAY
I’d been looking forward to a spot of carping with my friends Phil Goodsell and Ray Cutler, but the prediction of a warm southerly wind turned into a cool easterly, and on this water that is not a good sign.
We spread along the bank and all cast out boilie-baited rigs. It made a pleasant change to be on a stillwater rather than the river.
I still love my carp fishing, although I seem nowadays to be labelled a river angler. I’m not – I am a proud all-rounder and love all species of fish.
As I put my new Slaphead bobbins on the line I looked at my gear and said to Phil, a fellow member of the Worcestershire Specimen Group from 40 years ago: “How the gear and bait has changed, Phil lad!”
In those days we had homemade rod rests, Michell 300 reels, fibreglass rods and catfood made into a paste for bait!
We agreed it was great to look back on those days and think that here we are still doing it and enjoying it as much as ever. Phil was in after about 30 minutes – a nice double – and then had another of about the same size an hour later.
Ray and I sat waiting for our first take, but this is an easy water and we were soon catching. We left at 7pm, the best fish falling to Phil at 17lb 12oz. Highlight of the day had to be Ray playing a carp while the first swallows of the year were skimming the water in front of us.
WEDNESDAY
Spent the day preparing talks for the Northern Angling and Big One shows. Appearing at these shows is part and parcel of being a ‘professional’ angler and it’s hard work, to say the least.
I will be away three days on both, standing up answering questions and giving talks. I love it, but when someone comes up to you and says ‘I have been fishing for 20 years but catch very little. Can you tell me where I’m going wrong?’ you know this guy needs a lot of help. The problem is, you can only spend so much time with each person.
It’s funny how some people react to me saying: “Why not book a day with me and I’ll really be able to help you?” Even though they may have the money to spend on a guide day, they usually reply: “Oh no, I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s a waste of money.” Believe me, a day with me or any other good guide would save you money and heartache in the long run.
But you can lead a horse to water, you can’t make it drink!