ANGLING’S SPRING HEROES!

The closed season may be upon us, but for angling’s many intrepid volunteers and workers there’s no busier time of year! This week, Dom Garnett goes behind the scenes to meet some of the sport’s unsung heroes...

STUART WILSON River keeper at Britford on the Hampshire Avon

WHILE you’re hanging up the river rods and dreaming of June 16, spare a thought for our river keepers. From clearing up post-flood carnage to dealing with fly tippers and poachers, their efforts are priceless.

“I wish I had a quid for every angler who told me ‘bet you’re glad it’s the closed season so you can take a break’. If only!” laughs Stuart. “It’s our busiest time of year. Your work’s never done and everything has to be ready for June 16. One day it’s a tree blocking a sluice, the next it could be anything from clearing swims to coming up against poachers.”

No two days are the same, and issues like rubbish, predation and seasonal extremes loom large for today’s river keeper. “The floods can sweep away a lot of last year’s work and wash all sorts into the river. I’ve removed seven bin liners full of rubbish just today, and we even get settees and garden sheds washed down!”

As for other unwanted arrivals, Stuart works hard to manage predators. Both visual deterrents and a limited amount of culling get rid of cormorants, while he’s been trapping mink for years to protect our native water voles.

Managing a dynamic, living habitat is a job that you have to live and breathe. “Many anglers just think about fish, but they’re just one part of a much bigger chain of life” says Stuart. “After more than 20 years doing this, I wouldn’t change it for the world, but it can be full on.”