Who I Am

I am in my early forties, live in Buckinghamshire and about as far from the sea as you can get. So why do I go sea-fishing?

Well I gave up coarse fishing sometime in 1995, having been a keen angler since the age of 8. I just realised that I wasn’t enjoying it anymore, and wasn’t getting any fulfilment from the sport.

In 2000 I decided to take up fishing once again. Only this time I was going to make sure that when I caught a fish, it would be something to put a bend in the rod. Sea fishing was the answer; its cheaper than coarse fishing, you can eat your catch and for the present there’s no license to buy before you can start.

My wife Sharon and I have two children, David and Samantha. Although not into fishing themselves, they do give me every support possible. I usually go out fishing once a month, more if I can get a “pass out” from the “Boss”. Two or three times a year I enjoy a trip out on the Tamar Lady, a boat owned by a friend. This usually entails a whole weekend away from home, with two or three friends, fishing out in the Solent, or further out in the English Channel.

Am I an expert, or should you listen to me? Well I am certainly not an expert and have never considered myself to be particularly good at it. I did win the BSAC Boat Championship a few years ago, and an award for the biggest Cod of the season at 15lb, so I can’t be too far wide of the mark.

Like many people these days money plays a big part in how much fishing I do. I therefore find myself fishing “on a shoestring” as it were. Oh I’d love to buy all the top-notch equipment, who wouldn’t? But it does give you a good feeling when you occasionally haul in a good-sized fish next to another angler, who does have all the gear. But that is what makes fishing a unique sport. You can fish alongside some of the top people in the sport, and beat them! Ok not all the time… but it does happen.

Recently I offered my services, and space on this website, to a friendly competition that has in the past, been a bit of lark between various anglers on the Internet Angling Club Sea Fishing list.