11 Saturday Mar 2017
Posted in Photography and video
Tags
angling, fenlans, fens, film, fishing, john, norfolk, pike, press, richardson, terriers, two, woodcuts
Art and the art of angling, I consider this to be a partnership that sits comfortably side by side, just like the landscape and the angler. Here is a new film where I find John Richardson a life-long angler and artist in his West Norfolk studio carving and then printing on his Victorian press, while the Fenland landscape dominates throughout.
17 Wednesday Apr 2013
Farlows of Pall Mall took on a slightly different mood yesterday as John Andrews of Arcadia and John Knott, author of the recently published ‘The History of Wilton Fishing Club’, both greeted visitors to No 9 Pall Mall, London.
Fishing tackle shops for me have become a lost world that only conjures up memories of childhood, sadly all the ones with character have nearly all but gone. I have mixed emotions about Farlows now, when I first moved to London in the early nineties Farlows was still an exciting place to visit, situated on the corner of Burlington Arcade and Piccadilly, a small packed shop full of tackle, a place of questions and discovery. From what I can recall the staff were generally elderly and extremely polite, even to a young rascal like myself who insisted on handling the large aray of Hardy rods and reels. I of course had no intention in buying but they knew that so with a little guilt I would purchase the odd nymph or dry-fly.
At that time there were still a few good local tackle shops surviving around London but the only other ‘premier’ tackle shop based in central London was Hardys (coincidentally in Pall Mall), this place seemed very upmarket to me and quite intimidating with its dark suited staff in comparison to the more friendlier and informal Farlows.
Farlows holds on in 2013 with speculation of buy-outs from afar but throughout the day a little soul was given back to Farlows as tea was poured and a hand of Happy Families was played across the counter.
04 Tuesday Dec 2012
Posted in Reading
Continuing on with the theme of old classic angling books, Within the Streams was found on EBay a few years back but strangely through the seller recognising my EBay name as a fellow professional photographer a dialogue started up which has now become a friendship and almost ended up in a few fishing trips, alas so far they have been aborted but we will go fishing one day…Nick!
Back to the book, first published in 1949 it covers a mix of a dozen or so coarse and game stories with a winter codling addition to complete a picture of a complete angler. The first chapter – Colliers and Carp at Dawn is a magical twenty pages that recalls the authors early days of angling and the realisation of the existence of carp, the coal miners who fished for them and the realities of working the mines and using carp fishing as an escape. This is not a flowery tale, it is a basic and raw story of strong men who at times have been broken by the pits and haunted by death. The principles of angling and its antidote to the daily grind hang heavy throughout this chapter, but it is excellent…
‘Mist, fish, the metallic call of the water birds and the prospect of a day with a rod was a splendid and never to be forgotten pleasure.
At dawn the miners would arrive.
Many of them came straight from the pits, unwashed and tired. They stretched out work-stiffened limbs, bent over the banks on their bellies and splashed the cool water into their eyes until it ran down their faces, making chalky channels in the grime. They loved the place too, and many of them were excellent fishermen.’
03 Tuesday Apr 2012
Posted in Tackle
Tags
angling, antique, box, boxes, carp, fishing, john, nixon, old, redmire, seat, tackle, vintage, wooden
There was a time when the majority of the nations anglers were firmly sat on creaking willow but some had taken on the wooden seat box as an alternative, perfect for the river rover or carp stalker who requires the occasion resting perch.
I’ve seen an example of this box in a photo gracing the banks of Redmire in the 1950’s, if I can recall it may have belonged to John Nixon? So in homage to its pedigree my example contains the content of my 1980’s carping tackle, Les Bamford Optonics, monkey climbers, a pair of Cardinal 55’s, Zip leads, boxes of Nash hooks and old bubble floats.
With the removable tray and space for line winders down each side this could have be designed for earlier tackle or even for the sea angler? Until someone puts me straight on this I shall picture this in Willow Pitch with a motionless angler perched on top with a Ambidex and Hardy L R H No 2 in hand.
05 Wednesday Oct 2011
Posted in Reading
Tags
andrews, caught, charles, chris, evening, jennings, john, luke, rangeley, river, stag, wilson, yates
Last night, Caught by the River held an evening with John Andrews, Luke Jennings, Charles Rangeley-Wilson and Chris Yates at the Stag in Hampstead. As John said “welcome to the CBTR lounge” and that’s exactly what it was, friendly, funny and at times quite moving. The ‘four’ all distinct in their style of writing and delivery created an atmosphere similar to that of a fireside chat after a day on the river, reading favourite passages and telling tales of monsters, lost and found.
Luke, you better finish that book…
23 Friday Sep 2011
Posted in Reading
Tags
andrews, by, caught, charles, chris, club, dennis, hampstead, jennings, john, luke, pye, rangeley, river, social, stag, water, wilson, word, yates
For those in the area of Hampstead, four days into the traditional pike season, may want to ditch the floppy hat and instead stroll proudly, Dennis Pye cap set at a jaunty angle, into The Stag to hear John Andrews, Luke Jennings, Charles Rangeley-Wilson and Chris Yates, all in conversation. So put down your Chapman’s 700, detach your pike bung and gimp trace, roll up your shirt sleeves and enjoy a pint or two in some marvellous victorian surroundings…
20 Tuesday Sep 2011
Posted in Reading
Tags
andrews, bill, brewery, brick, by, caught, dexter, drumond, eastend, john, lane, mason, petley, river, rough, taylor, the, trade, truman
An introduction to Caught by the River, with a Q&A session will take place at Rough Trade East, ‘Dray Walk’, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL, tomorrow evening at 6.30 (Sept 21st).
Those attending and chatting about CBTR include the proprietors, Jeff, Robin and Andrew, along with John Andrews and Bill Drumond.
Rumours have it that real ale will be served later at Mason & Taylor concluding in a raucous east end knees up… DJ’s verses the old Joanna!
11 Sunday Sep 2011
Posted in Reading
Tags
2011, andrews, arcadia, berry, bridge, caught, festival, jennings, john, jon, luke, museum, river, southwark, thames
Yesterday The Tuesday Swim put on hold a planned trip to catch a Lea Navigation pike and instead joined a celebration of Old Father Thames on Southwark bridge.
Friends of the tuesday swim were in attendants, Caught by the River and Andrews of Arcadia. The Caught by the River stage had fish related tunes spun by Richard Norris while contributions came from Jon Berry, Luke Jennings and the rather aptly dressed John Andrews…
Luke and John both read tales of London pike as darkened grey clouds blew in to the Thames basin adding to the darkened mood of large Serpentine monsters, gazette floats and characters stalking the towpaths of London. John also read out a marvellous piece on the London roach pole, an example of which was on display in the Miniature Museum of Thames Angling. The Arcadia van was suitably dressed in Efgeeco canvas, possibly the first bespoke tailored van in history, the fine work that could have come from the London area of St James.
Luke Jennings, Jon Berry and John Andrews standing on Southwark bridge.
Plenty of familiar faces appeared throughout the afternoon, some good Horsham Ale and welsh cider was drunk while a few loose plans were made for some forthcoming autumnal fishing trips. Lets hope they become a reality…
23 Tuesday Aug 2011
Posted in Music
Tags
clarke, cooper, festival, fleet, foxes, green, john, man, pecknold, robin, sea, trout, usk, valley, wales
The Tuesday Swim was under canvas last weekend at the Green Man festival, situated by the river Usk. A small intimate festival where ‘folk music’ loosely describes this very chilled out event. The festival meanders around a private garden and surrounding farm land, where a natural basin creates the auditorium for the main stage.
Harbouring next to the river Usk where sea-trout silently run by at night unknown to several thousand revellers engaged in a collective mix of John Cooper Clarke, a pedal powered dance tent and ultimately for me, the Fleet Foxes.
Robin Pecknold filled the Usk valley with his crisp and haunting vocals, the penultimate song performed was Oliver James sung as a solo by Pecknold that held the crowd open-mouthed, the Fleet Foxes were in a league of their own, true masters of harmony.
