2018 ROCKED FROM HOME TO THAILAND
A very special year for me in so many ways
SO AS another year comes to a close it’s time to look back at the highs and lows of 2018.
Fishing-wise, it’s been great, even though the weather did its level best to make things difficult, what with the worst winter for many years closely followed by the hottest summer since the mid-1970s.
Being an all-rounder, I plan my fishing around the weather rather than being a slave to one species, whatever the weather may throw at me.
Before I move on to my fishing highlights, I must say a huge ‘thank you’ to all the readers of Angling Times who tell me they like my column so much.
I have have written for this publication for the best part of 30 years now, and it still really gives me a buzz when anglers come up to me and say things like: “I read your piece religiously every week” or: “You inspire me to go fishing.” It really does not get any better than that for an angling writer! Now on to the seasons…
WINTER AND SPRING
Although I caught some nice chub, grayling, zander and pike in the Thailand, and a giant arapaima for yours truly. depths of winter I then turned my attentions to big stillwater rainbow trout that love the cold weather.
I fished with two Shropshire friends, Andy and Bob Taylor, and had trout to 13lb, ending up over that period with eight over 10lb – great sport on the fly rod. It was that cold some days that we lit a fire next to the water and warmed our hands before making another cast. On one day we all had a couple of double-figure trout each, the best to Andy at 15lb-plus. What a day that was!
However, the highlight during this time was a day in March with John Chester in Holland. First John landed a 4lb 15oz perch, which was the biggest one I had ever seen. Then, seconds later – indeed before John had time to weigh his fish – I landed a 5lb 8oz monster. But this trip was not only about catching big fish, it was about learning about ways to catch these huge fish from a true expert in his field.
That man was Willem Stolk, a guy that could catch a big perch from a water without one in, he really is that good! Although I had lure fished a lot over the years and in recent years done a lot of drop
shotting, I wanted to learn how to use small rubber shads on jig heads, and learn I did.
The weather was awful – indeed, we fished in the middle of the second ‘Beast from the East’ before it reached England. It was bloody cold, I can tell you, but we still managed a number of perch over 4lb with some nice zander and pike thrown in. A memorable trip to say the least.
SUMMER AND AUTUMN
Although it was the hottest summer for many years I still had a great time. Indeed, my barbel guide days on the river were the best ever, with my customers ending up with more than 400 fish, with 10 into double figures to 11lb 6oz and other species like chub to 6lb-plus and roach over 2lb. What a season’s guiding for me and my customers!
I was going to pack up guiding at the end of this year but to be honest I enjoy it so much I think I still have another year or two left to help other anglers achieve their goals, and it gives me a bit of extra money to do the things I want to do in the sport.
On a personal note I caught chub to over 6lb from the Severn – big fish round this neck of the woods – with some great catches on the float of both barbel and chub. On the Warwickshire Avon I caught a number of good barbel over 11lb, including a fish of exactly 14lb. What a brute!
Then there was my unbelievable trip to Thailand with Steve Greenway that included a 310lb arapaima, a 320lb Mekong catfish and a 192lb Siamese carp, plus 27 different species that included numerous other fish over 100lb.
The place I fished was the one the late John Wilson was always raving about and that was Palm Tree Lagoon, a water noted for its big fish. From start to finish my luck was in and every time the alarm sounded another monster was hooked up... incredible.
I had never fancied Thailand or at the least the fishing, but after talking at length to Steve Greenway on our winter pike trips he convinced me to go with him, and I’m glad I did.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and not everybody rates this kind of fishing, but if you take it for what it is there is a lot of fun and laughter to be had, and in such a serious world that’s got to be good.
WINTER
This season has already started well with a couple of decent zander and pike, including one of 19lb 8oz from the river. That one fought like a tiger on the Nash Scope rods.
I thought it was well over 20lb when it hit the net but it was not to be, although I fancy it to go well over 20lb come the new year.
I have my eyes firmly fixed on a couple of personal bests this winter, but either way I will enjoy the moments out in our wonderful countryside.
I would like to end this week by wishing all our readers a fabulous festive season and a Happy New Year. May you all catch the fish of your dreams!