CONFESSIONS OF A FLY FISHERMAN!

Well I started this blog really as a diary to keep track of my fishing adventures, but recently domestic challenges seem to have eclipsed the fishing. However, that has not stopped folk from all around the world from viewing the posts so I feel I ought to confess why I have gone a bit quiet and why I have not been fishing.  The first distraction was my former company asking me to come out of retirement and help them design a training presentation for Facilities Managers.  I enjoyed doing this as it brought me into contact with former colleagues but it did take up twice as much time as I thought it would.  Then at the same time my youngest daughter, her husband and their two children, who had been living with us for nearly two years, moved out so as to be near dad's new job.  My wife and I spent two days at their new address making and hanging curtains etc.  So back at home we finally had the chance of making good all the wear and tear that two little fellers and five adults can produce.  To make it more challenging, my youngest son announced that he had his new girl friend arriving from Finland in a few days time and could we get the house sorted?  To give him credit he did help but his, and my wife's expectations were high and involved us redecorating the hall with new stair carpet, giving a face lift to the front garden and jet washing the drive (and the rest)!  Then we had to order a new double bed as we had now got our guest bedroom back.  The bed arrived on the same day that the Finnish girlfriend arrived and I was frantically assembling it only to find that two rather large components were missing so Finnish girlfriend ended up with the new (rather expensive) mattress on the floor!  The bed issue is likely to be the subject of a further post!

On the positive front let me tell you about two bits of technology I really enjoy.  First of all let me explain that when it comes to dealing with the latest technological gizmos I am a bit of a troglodyte (cave dweller)! However, I am a fan of satellite navigation systems and would not be without my Tom Tom especially when abroad. 

 

 

I really like my Tom Tom and was pleased that my son who works for Voicebox in the USA project managed the development of voice recognition for the Tom Tom systems in the USA and Europe.  The other bit of technology I enjoy is the BBC's iPlayer which enables you to catch up, at anytime, with BBC TV programmes you have missed over the last seven days.

 

 

It is absolutely brilliant and enabled me to watch the amazing fifty year anniversary tribute to the Dr Who TV series as part of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.  To see the look of wonder on the faces of the children as the alien figures moved about the audience was a treat.  If you have missed it on iPlayer you can view parts of it on You Tube.

 

 

Yes, the Daleks have finally taken over London!  So that's all for now but hopefully next week I will be on the chalk streams with my brother teasing a few brownies!

Good and Bad: Fishing and Fly Fishing on TV!

Over many years my work colleagues, knowing that I was a fisher, would often ask me if I had watched a particular fishing programme on TV.  Frequently, I would reply that I hadn’t seen it because I was fishing at the time!  I then would invite them to tell me what I had missed.  Nowadays here in the UK you have the benefit of being able to conjure up programs you have missed at any time using digital technology.  The BBC version of this is called I-Player and it is brilliant.  Other channels have their own programme recall versions as well.  This has meant that occasionally I have been able to check out a fishing programme during late evening.  

 

Now the bench mark I use for judging a fishing programme is a much acclaimed series called “A Passion for Angling” where Chris Yates and Bob James go on a grand fishing adventure across the UK.  See http://www.passionforangling.info/passion%20for.html

Chris is noted for his eccentric style and his passion for freshwater fishing often with a center-pin reel.  Chris prefers to fish using older methods and tackle, making him one of a rare breed of angler enjoying the cane rods and original fishing equipment of a bygone era.  In his books and films Chris always has a strong emphasis on the enjoyment of being close to nature, and the other pleasures that come with fishing.  What for me, made this series special, is that the two anglers are real gents, who show respect for the fish, the environment and for each other.  Amazon also have the DVD available.

Sadly, there is currently one fishing programme presenter who gets to go to wonderful locations and fish for amazing species with local experts but whose behaviour is disappointing.   He is probably a nice guy but some producer feels that to give the programme interest it has to be edgy.  I particularly don’t like the way the presenter, under the guise of competing against them, is rude to the local fishers who are trying to help him.  For me the programme would be far more interesting if more time was spent on techniques, tackle and the species.  We all know local knowledge is crucial so you should not be “biting the hand that feeds you” rather you should be showing appreciation.

Presenting fishing on TV and making it interesting is a challenge but there are plenty of talented people around who could do that.  Dare I say that golf is a boring game to watch, however, TV producers make it interesting because they have such good camera coverage, with knowledgeable commentators providing interesting background information.  I would like to see an international fly fishing competition (preferably a drift boat loch style competition) covered by a number of cameras (some afloat) with expert commentary and explanations.  Casting, reading the water, strategy, fly selection, manoeuvring and catching and netting could all feature.  I think that if done successfully it could do much to promote the image of fishing in general and fly fishing in particular.

This is how I see it in the UK, please put me straight if you think I am wrong.  I would also be interested in what happens on the TV front in the other 33 countries that are reading this blog.

Can I close by welcoming the fishers in Brazil, Venezuela, Chile, India and Romania who have recently started viewing the blog.  You are most welcome please let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover.  Kind regards  Alan C     alanjec@gmail.com