UK
Angling & Fishing Videos
and DVDs on the joys of
being by the waterside with
Chris Yates, Bob James and Hugh
Miles.
A PASSION FOR CATCHING - STILL GOING STRONG
The iconic series first shown on BBC2 in 1993 to audiences of over six million
‘A Passion for Angling’ and ‘Catching the Impossible’ are still capturing big audiences, for they describe the magic of being by the waterside with a rod and line like no others.
'Catching the Impossible's' Martin Bowler with 44lb4oz common caught on a float
I’m bound to say that because I filmed and produced them, along with funding their production but because so many folk write complimentary letters constantly assuring us that they arethe best fishing films that have ever been made, who are we to argue!
Bob James, Hugh Miles and Chris Yates with two of Bob's memorable catch of ten two pounders
We started filming ‘Passion’ on June 16th 1989 so it is remarkable that the adventures of Chris Yates and Bob James are still appealing to anglers … and non-anglers after all this time. Both series took more than four years to complete, not just because we wanted to capture the very essence of what it means to be by river or lake but because I had to do my ‘day job’ in order to be able to afford the luxury of being so particular about filming everything in the most perfect light.
You can't beat sunrise on a misty summers day
Filming mountain lions in the Patagonian Andes
I've been doing it for a long time but not often
enough in the African sunshine
The opening scene of 'A Passion for Angling'
- Chris on the famous dam wall at Redmire
For those new to our Websites and Blog, my day job is making wildlife films for a living and this enables me to fund fishing films. I could only do so as and when I had time in between expeditions to far off lands chasing exciting critters, so that is why the six hour long film series we made for BBC 2 ‘A Passion for Angling’ took over four years to complete. ‘Catching the Impossible’ with Martin Bowler and it’s nine one hour films for Ch4 took almost as long, partly because we were trying to catch ‘impossible’ sized fish. Martin did just that of course and most anglers now reckon that some of our targets would indeed be impossible.
So far as my day job is concerned, I won’t ever admit to having ‘retired’ but my body is so wrecked from staggering around in the mountains in pursuit of elusive big cats that I no longer have the joints to do so. Both hips have already been replaced and my shoulders are in line for becoming part of this moronic man, or should that read …
During our filming we certainly took infinite care to represent angling in a way that we felt did justice to the magic of the sport. In fact, Bob and Chris used to accuse me of being a perfectionist, Martin Bowler of ‘Impossible’ too but in Martin’s case that would be calling the kettle black. He was so professional in his approach to the challenges of catching giant fish that he almost put David Attenborough to shame, even if that would be impossible. Whatever we think, I hope that a couple of stories will help you to understand the trouble that we took to make both series as inspiring as possible.
We felt that the ‘Passion’ films had to include the famous record carp water, Redmire. In fact, my initial plan was to only make one film but our time at that magical pool was so idyllic and so successful that I convinced Bob and Chris that we ought to make a series of six films. After a further four years of hard graft, they were both wishing that they hadn’t agreed!
Chris and his catches at the legendary Redmire were famous because they culminated in his record 51lb6oz carp, a fish that followed the even more famous capture of Richard Walker’s 44lb monster.
Richard Walker with his
historic 44lb record carp
The scarecrow assembled in the Redmire shallows
So with so many happy memories of his time there, Chris was keen to return, not so that he could catch yet more big carp but so that he could finally try out his eccentric idea of a fishing scarecrow!
Chris had harboured this crazy idea for years but had been ‘dissuaded’ by the various syndicates to try it. I was much more liberal and jumped at the idea. The plan was to place a manikin in the shallows in the area where he had caught his record fish. It would be dressed in Chris’s coat and hat and be holding a rod. Once installed, we baited the spot for several days and the carp became habituated to this silent, stationary ‘angler’ and ended up feeding within a couple of feet … a lesson there for our modern day impatient and noisy angling.
At what we considered to be the most opportune moment, Chris replaced the manikin and stood stock still, [probably because he was stuck in the knee-deep mud]. He didn’t have to wait long before several carp approached him for a feed and I’ll always remember the magic moment when what appeared to be the manikin actually moved. It was Chris swinging his bait gently into the path of a feeding carp and he promptly missed the bite!
Unperturbed, the carp were quick to return and Chris didn’t miss the next time, battling a spirited common towards Bob who was waiting in the nearby reeds with a landing net. Chris was understandably pleased to prove that his madcap scheme would work and that we had another magical sequence in the can. In fact it was one of many, for Bob and Chris each caught two twenty pound plus carp, all using different methods, including Bob’s hooked from a tree and having to join the beautiful leather carp called Raspberry by jumping out of the branches into the water and deep mud.
Waiting for the carp to arrive
The jump, illustrated by Rodger McPhail
We also filmed a gudgeon match ‘to the death’, the pair reluctantly punting out into the hallowed waters through the mist as the sun was rising. Chris doesn’t do early mornings so it was a struggle, even if we did capture the most evocative summer sequence in the whole series.
I still love that sequence, even after twenty five years, for those misty images accompanied by Jennie Muskett’s perfect music and Bernard’s dulcet tones of narration capture the very essence of the magic of angling.
If you wish to purchase the DVD of the six film series of 50min films, then please visit www.passionforangling.info
You can also purchase Chris Yates' film on escapist carp fishing 'Caught in Time'. It's a perfect hours viewing with the maestro doing what he does best.
Sue sending out the 'Passion' DVD's
Our website includes instructions on what to do to get Sue up and running with your order. She sends them out almost every day but please don’t leave ordering until a few days before Christmas as she will be busy cooking up a storm for the festivities and I hope to be out fishing.
‘Catching the Impossible’ is a different kettle of fish, intentionally of course as I felt it ridiculous to try to
emulate or even repeat the success of ‘Passion’.
This is a series that follows the adventures of Martin Bowler as he attempts to catch some of the biggest fish in Britain, the targets for the many species being of a size that might attract the impossible tag. Of course, nothing is ‘impossible’ and I hoped that Martin would prove this to be true! He is accompanied by narrator and ace angler Bernard Cribbins … when Bernard had the time to spare from his hectic schedule, especially when filming Dr.Who … and as they say, “didn’t they do well’!
Bernard with his beautiful 22lb snapper - it grew on to be over thirty pounds and was named Bernard!
Martin caught so many big fish that it’s difficult to believe but I was there with the camera to record the truth and we all know the camera never lies don’t we! Among our targets was a forty pound carp on the float, a fifteen pound barbel, a seven pound chub, a one pound dace, a ten pound tench, a thirty pound pike and a perch of over four pounds.
Martin with his awesome 32lb 6oz monster from an estate lake
I mention the perch last as Martin had already caught twenty-three perch of that size and we thought it would be easy to achieve. Wrong! The challenge nearly broke our resolve but in the end we didn’t just hit the target, Martin actually caught a perch of five pounds four ounces. The Angling Times informed us that it was the biggest perch ever caught from a river, [not any more], but at the time we were blown away by it’s size – and we still are!
What a fish! Martin with his 5lb 4oz Gt.Ouse perch
A three-pound roach was also on the list and at the time was far from impossible. After all, even I had caught four of that size so Martin raised the stakes and decided that the challenge should be a three-pound roach … but from a river. Now this was impossible, for after the squadrons of killer cormorants had invaded our rivers, even two-pound roach are very rare.
We reckoned we would need help to even come close to the target so called up friends Terry Lampard and Tim Norman for back-up. We tried lots of places on both the Hampshire Avon and Dorset Stour and caught some good roach but nothing even close to the target.
Then on a day of overcast skies, little wind and slightly coloured rivers, Terry and Tim tried the Stour while Martin and I tried the Avon. I was in one of my favourite swims and caught a 2/5 roach almost immediately, along with several others, then Martin called from downstream and said he had started to catch too. The roach were evidently ‘on’ and this was confirmed when Tim called to say they had already caught a two pounder and suggested we should get over to the Stour pronto as Terry was feeling lucky!
We arrived in the nick of time as Tim had just hooked a good roach that was lost to a pike. He had to re-tackle so it was Terry’s turn to trot the hot swim. I filmed a few tempting trots with bread flake when the float buried and a large roach rolled on the end of Terry’s line. It was a good fish which became bigger by the minute and when Tim finally netted it we all realised it was huge. At three pound five ounces it equalled the biggest roach that Terry had ever caught and in truth it was probably the only three pound roach still alive in the Stour.
Terry with his 'lucky' 3lb 5oz Dorset Stour roach
There was much celebration all round and expletives from Tim about how lucky Terry was. If my memory serves me right, the words included jam and bar steward. What a fish and what an angler.
Sadly, as many followers of our sport will know, we lost Terry after a short illness a while back, just as he was completing his second book, ‘Last Casts’. His lifelong friend Tim Norman has supervised the completion of the book which describes some more of his exploits in search of a great variety of fish and if it’s anything like as good as his first book, ‘First Casts’ it will be a splendid read. This was one of the best angling books I’ve ever read, so if you want to share Terry’s adventures you can order the book from the following website : http://www.terrylampardbook.co.uk/
Dear 'Lamps' sure was an ace angler - here with one of his many seven pound plus chub
Our big and colourful book of the series with it's three set DVD's
The series comprises nine one hour films in sets of three on three DVD’s so you don’t have to buy them all at once! They are full of great fishing and some folk even prefer the series to ‘Passion’ but we’ll leave you to be the judge of that. There’s a splendid book describing our adventures too, full of pictures [400+] along with film clips and beautiful illustrations by the celebrated artist Rodger McPhail so you don’t even have to read it.
However you choose to spend your time, Sue and I hope that you have a happy and enjoyable Christmas and if out fishing, please catch one for me.
Then our garden is coated in winter magic I'm certainly not going fishing,
even if the countryside does look beautiful
NEWSLETTER - NOVEMBER 2015
‘Passion’ was first shown on BBC 2 in September 1993 and it’s remarkable that it’s appeal lives on so strongly. Most TV programmes are dead in the water within a year or two but in spite of the BBC investing heavily in a new angling series recently called ‘Earth’s Wildest Waters - The Big Fish’, it seems inescapable that any films on angling get compared to the attractions so widely shared by our Passion enthusiasts. Our star anglers, Bob James and Chris Yates are understandably honoured that so many folk think PFA is the best angling programme ever made. Having filmed, written and produced the stories, I feel chuffed that this belief among so many lives on.
Many of you will be less aware of the charms of our film ‘Caught in Time’ but it’s a classic story of
Chris Yates’s desire to catch a big carp from a beautiful southern lake. It’s much admired and
many folk keep on writing to us asking when parts two and three are going to be available.
Sadly for them, Chris and I have decided to go fishing instead of making more films for the series …
but one day maybe?!
Sue and I have had a most enjoyable year with one or two holidays in between many days spent
tending our large wildlife garden. It’s a lot of work but we love it and the digging certainly keeps us fit.
My fishing trips have been too infrequent but I’ve been lucky enough to snare some cracking
fish including perch up to 3/11, several specimen roach and rudd of over two pounds, an 8/2 tench
and a 13/11 barbel.
Even more rewarding are the catches made by friends while sharing the adventures, including my
computer guru Chris’s beautiful 22lb common carp, Gerry’s 14lb barbel, Mark’s cracking male
tench of over six pounds and Steve’s awesome mullet of 7/12 that fought for an eternity and circled
our boat three times.
I’ve been helping out friends Trevor Harrop and Budgie Price in their quest to reinstate self-sustaining
populations of roach into the once iconic Hampshire Avon. Having released many thousands over the
last five years, anglers are once again beginning to catch these silver beauties … so congratulations and
thanks to Trev and Budgie for their imagination and years of hard graft.
I use my blog to promote admirable activities like this, along with the work of the Angling Trust, the
Dorset Wildlife Trust and the Salmon and Trout Conservation charity, all of which I’m a staunch
supporter of and if you’re keen to offer help to our beleaguered rivers I strongly recommend you
join at least one of them.
I see from last years PFA Newsletter that my blog has grown from 67,000 views to 107,000 so is
proving ever more popular, even in countries as far flung as Alaska, Russia and Brazil. So if you’re
keen to join the readers of my ramblings on gardening, angling, wildlife and conservation then please
visit : http://hughmiles9.blogspot.co.uk/
Writing and illustrating the blog is time consuming and keeps me from my other hobbies but does
fulfil my need to be creative. It also partially replaces the loss of my travels round the world making
wildlife films. I miss my colleagues and all the great locals I used to work with in far-flung places
but at least sharing fishing with friends is really rewarding.
With Christmas approaching fast, please ensure your orders arrive in time for Sue to post them. Also,
if you want any for birthdays etc. please indicate that to Sue in the order so that if necessary she can
post them first class. She sends the DVD’s virtually every day but please give her a chance
to meet your deadlines.
Post and package charges are always changing, especially when sending abroad, so please check the
details on the order form.
If you don’t want to send a cheque or postal order, you can buy PFA from Martin Bowler’s on-line shop and use PayPal. He has lots of other first class items too, including his two film series and books. His recent book, ‘Totally Immersed’ is a great read as well as wonderfully illustrated.
Sue and I hope you enjoy the festivities and
you all have a thoroughly happy and healthy 2016
…and if you’re into fishing, may your float sink more often and
your rod become seriously bent.
October 2014
Amazing really, for twenty one years after ‘Passion’ was first aired on BBC2 [Sept 1993] it is still going strong. Most TV programmes are dead in the water after a year or three but thanks to the fact that many of you still think these films are the best series of fishing programmes ever made, Bob and Chris and their adventures live on. We started filming in 1989 so as my wife Sue says ‘everything is a long time ago’!
Four and a half years in the making, we all took a lot of trouble to make the six films as well as we could and we are constantly grateful, even surprised that you think we made some good decisions.
Like all creative endeavours, making films is an inexact art, there is no right or wrong … which is probably why I was able to earn a living making wildlife films! I have made over sixty now, for all the worlds major TV companies, so I guess I got some of it right. Whatever the truth, it was a privilege to go to so many wild places to share my life with charismatic animals and meet so many great guys and gals.
I’m still trying to support the invaluable work of Dorset Wildlife Trust, the Salmon and Trout Association and Angling Trust by making films for them. Our rivers are in crisis and need all the help we can give them, so education is one way of making people aware of what they can do to help. However, when it comes to volunteering, Sue is trying to teach me to say no!
I was once super fit but my body is creeking now, so much of it hurts, the price of chasing pussy cats in the mountains and sitting in freezing cold and wet hides. But given the chance, I’d do it all again. I have two new hips and they are brilliant, so I won’t hear a word said against the NHS. Much of the rest of me is painful … as they say, ‘if it doesn’t hurt it doesn’t work’ so I have a season ticket with my physiotherapist Vicky. I’m retiring bit by bit, trying to do less work and a lot more play and fighting back by walking and digging.
Sue and I have a big garden … it seems too big on some days … so that keeps us fit and healthy. Then she has lots of friends and hobbies and I have fishing and birding … so there are never enough days in the week.
My fishing this year has been remarkable, for I have been lucky enough to catch three PB’s as anglers call them … meaning the biggest of a species in a lifetime of trying … and after sixty years of dangling a worm in the water some of the species I concentrate on take some beating.
Only yesterday I caught my biggest ever barbel … but as I seldom fish for them – why not I always think when I have such golden beauties on the bank, landing a PB wasn’t difficult. It was only 11lb 2ozs, not big as barbel go but I was delighted to see such a lovely fish, so much so that I took no proper pictures in order to return it immediately to the river.
More remarkable was the fact that it came from a swim just thirty yards downstream of where Chris Yates and young Peter caught a barbel in the first programme of ‘A Passion for Angling’. It’s called ’Childhood Dreams’ and catching a barbel will always remain a dream, a happy one.
Just two weeks ago I was fishing with Chris on the River Wye and he caught his first ever Wye barbel … only 7+lbs but a beautiful fish in a glorious corner of our countryside.
I’m first and foremost a roach and rudd angler so was delighted in April when I beat my ‘best ever’ roach by an ounce, all 3lb 5ozs of silver beauty.
Then in July I fulfilled a fifty five year old quest to catch a rudd of over three pounds. At 3lb 9ozs it was a true monster and I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to see it slurp down my large piece of floating bread. It was raining at the time so no proper pics, especially as I wanted to release this golden jewel as quickly as possible.
We filmed it all for Ch 4, making nine one hour films and you can read more about it and where to purchase the DVD’s on our ‘Catching’ website : www.catchingtheimpossible.info
Some also claim ‘Impossible’ to be better even than ‘Passion’, others disagree ; you’ll have to decide yourselves. Incidentally, we planned to catch a 3lb rudd for the series but that did prove impossible!
Sue sends out the DVD pretty much every day so please keep the orders coming in ; Chris, Bob and I need funds for Christmas! Do have a good one and a really enjoyable 2015 … already.
Where does the time go?!
If you want to read more about our year and conservation issues, please visit our blog … we have had 67,000 views already so some of you obviously have time to waste … http://hughmiles9.blogspot.co.uk/
Here’s wishing you all a good year … and here’s hoping we have as good a summer
as this last one … Hugh and Sue.
January 2013
It’s difficult to believe, but our series ‘A Passion for Angling’ was first shown on BBC 2 in 1993,
so September this year is our 20th Anniversary.
We actually started filming at Redmire on June 14th 1989 – no, we didn’t cast in until dawn on the 16th! – so it’s been a while. Some of Chris’s children hadn’t even been born and now they are all grown up … and as for us, we have grown old but certainly not wiser. Let’s face it, we haven’t even got the good sense to go fishing enough these days. The book of the series that takes us into another world might still be available on eBay.
Chris Yates on the dam at Redmire
The important cause for celebration is that the series of six fifty minute films are unchanged with the passing of time, depicting a peaceful world when there were lots of fish in our rivers and seemingly more time to catch them.
Happy Days with Bob and Chris + 2lb roach of course
The DVD is still available – and always will be – and is still considered by many to be the best fishing series ever made. Sales remain strong year after year, with new generations of anglers discovering that there is a whole world of fishing out there that doesn’t have to revolve entirely around carp, bolt-rigs and boilies.
Ten 2lb roach - not a bad day!
Sadly, production costs of the DVD and several postage increases mean the price for the complete set of six films is now £38.50 [incl. UK p&p and VAT]. This is the first increase EVER and we regret having to do so but Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon thinks it’s worth it!
Chris Yates film on carp fishing ‘Caught in Time’ is still £20 [incl. UK p&p and VAT]. We might add to this series one day, but book writing and film making mean we don’t have time at present.
Close friends Martin and Jo Bowler have added the series to their on-line shop and they have PayPal set up too. [We don’t have enough turn- over to justify the expense].
www.martinbowler.co.uk
Anyway, Happy New Year to you all, even if the turn of the year seems a long way off already. May this year be better than the last for you … dryer and sunnier too hopefully.
Thank you to all our loyal customers. The appeal of ‘Passion’ never seems to wain and like fishing, is passed on from generation to generation. Folk still claim that it is the best fishing series ever made and though it’s not up to us to comment, it is gratifying that it still appeals to so many for so long.
Equally satisfying, it’s finding new audiences too and if it attracts anglers to a more varied and ‘naturalistic’ form of fishing on rivers and wild lakes then we’ll be pleased. There’s a whole world of wildlife out there to enjoy and our fish life is a vital part of our ecosystems too.
As mentioned above, 2013 is our 20th Anniversary and by any standards, that’s some kind of a record for a TV programme. We all hope it continues, for though it will never make us rich, it helps to eke out the meagre pensions of Bob, Chris and ourselves … ‘every little helps’.
Sue has done her best to make sure you all received your copies during the busy pre-Christmas period, though many more are throwing us a challenge by leaving ordering until the very last minute. You ‘must try harder’ this year! Almost inevitably it seems, a few orders went missing but for those unfortunates, we hope you got the replacements in time for Father Christmas. Sue sends out your orders more or less daily.
For better or worse, probably worse, we have decided to start writing blog … “Hugh Miles –Wildlife Adventures”. We completed seven films last year for various wildlife charities, particularly our local Dorset Wildlife Trust along with the Angling Trust as part of our long running cormorant campaign. More of that on the blog but we’re hoping we might win a concession on their protected status that will help our precious fish life to survive.
The films we make are all gratis, (just in case you think we are trying to line our pockets at the expense of your subscriptions). It’s our way if you like of ‘putting something back’. Please join the Angling Trust and the Salmon and Trout Association. They are doing a great job and without them our rivers would be in greater danger then ever. We’ll put the films we’ve made up on the blog so that you can see what the threats are to our freshwater world. We hope you have time to view them.
In the meantime, have a great year and be lucky. Here’s Sue and I with flags
– well it was the Year of the Olympics and we did win ‘everything’!
With our best wishes,
Hugh & Sue
'Made for the Dorset Wildlife Trust, this little film about our local River Allen is a celebration of our treasured and unique chalk streams. 'Liquid Gold' is the title and appropriate it is too, for the Allen is one of the finest rivers in the country - a real jewel in our crown'.
January 2012
We all say it, but what happened to last year? It just flew by! It's been so busy that I don't know how I ever had time to spend my life making wildlife films. But thankfully, the year has been a lot of fun, not only because I got to make a few films - I love it - but also went fishing...not a lot...but being out there is always a treat, especially with close friends Trevor Harrop and Chris Yates.
Just like everyone else, we were frozen up last January but an escape to the Indian sun with friends in February was more enjoyable than ever, with several large mahseer to over 30lbs falling to my rod and several over 50lbs to a few lucky ones. Two absolute monsters were hooked but they turned out to have legs! After long and potentially dangerous fights, the lines were cut, but not before one of the rods was broken in half. Scaly crocodiles instead of shaggy dog stories to take home.
My favourite roach received some attention in March and a memorable trip to Oxfordshire working on a feature for the Anglers Mail with Gary Newman produced several three pounders and big twos. What a great two days they were.
March also saw the start of a project that will run for several years, an attempt to highlight the plight of our rivers. "Liquid Gold" is a little introduction to our local River Allen, a classic chalk stream with a rich diversity of wildlife, not only otters and water voles but a healthy population of the native white-clawed crayfish. Beautiful brown trout and even salmon and sea-trout spawn on the rivers' gravel riffles that have been created by anglers. The rich variety of fish life in the river provides an opportunity to inform wildlife enthusiasts and school children about the importance of nature that they can't easily see. ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ is something I am passionate about overcoming in the years to come so the film has been made for the Dorset Wildlife Trust and Salmon and Trout Association. The Angling Trust are showing it on their website too.
I'm working on a film for the Trust this winter, highlighting the excessive predation of our fish life by cormorants and the long term damage this may be doing to our bio-diversity. Without fish, our herons, grebes and kingfishers might decline, along with bitterns, and who knows, even those perennial favourites, our otters and ospreys might suffer too. We need a "Royal Society for the Protection of Fish" and the sooner our conservation organisations realise the urgent need to protect our rivers and lakes, the more likely we are to save our diversity of wetland wildlife.
Non-native cormorants of the continental sinensis race have colonised the UK in alarming numbers in recent years. Scientists have calculated that the numbers over-wintering total about 23,000 and that they need a pound of fish a day to survive...so they eat 23,000 lbs of fish EVERY DAY. This equates to about 12,000 two pound trout and/or 1,200 tons of fish every winter, twice the yearly tonnage produced by the largest trout farm in the UK!
There are also inland breeding cormorants, 2,096 at the last count in 2005, so the pressure on our freshwater fish is relentless and surely unsustainable. This is damaging our bio-diversity, and some rivers have already been denuded of their fish life. Members of the Avon Roach Project created a petition to attempt to change the law and make it easier for us to protect our wildlife from excessive cormorant predation. We plan to deliver the 16,000+ signature petition to the Fisheries Minister in February.
The Avon Roach Project led by friends Trevor Harrop and Budgie Price released hundreds and hundreds of three year old roach into the Hampshire Avon in December in an attempt to re-establish self-sustaining populations of this iconic species. The river was once famous for its' roach fishing and this is the best chance we'll ever have to see those glorious days returning. It might take ten years work, but we're up for the challenge. More details of this inspiring project can be seen on: www.avonroachproject.co.uk - and the little film I made on this website too.
Most experiences are more enjoyable when shared with close friends and a May visit to Skomer Island with Robin, who I've known since childhood was particularly memorable, with puffins and flowers covering the island. Sharing the roach fishing with Trevor at Sway was always enjoyable and on two summer days I managed to catch sixteen two pound roach up to 2lbs 12oz, though the angling press ignored this story in favour of yet more carp stories - a sad reflection on their judgement of 'priorities' in angling.
Late May saw an invasion to our garden when our Corfe Mullen BioBlitz visited, experts identifying well over two hundred species of wildlife in just a few hours and a total of over seven hundred in the whole village; inspiring stuff.
In June I fulfilled a long held ambition to return to the Fens where I grew up. A 2lb rudd was my ambition and I caught an absolute beauty of 2lbs 4oz. The weather was gorgeous too and the wildlife better than ever, with lots of Marsh Harriers and Bearded Tits to enjoy, along with hunting Barn Owls in the early morning mist and evening twilight. I'll be back to my favourite "Land of Skies", for I met some really friendly anglers as well as catching lots of fish.
Also managed a few days fishing with friends in the summer. Our computer guru Chris Wild landed a PB roach of 1lb 15oz. Mahseer Magic pal Steve Darby joined me in some mullet madness, Gary Newman too. Martin Bowler joined me for some Avon barbelling and we had the rare treat of a get-together with Bernard Cribbins for a "Catching the Impossible" 'fluff-fling' on the River Test with friend John Slader. We caught lots of brown trout too.
Daughter Katie came to enjoy the sunshine and wildlife, though we have fewer fish in the garden now as an otter set up home for six weeks and caused mayhem in the ponds. Sad to see twenty year old fish maimed or eaten but we weren't alone as whole villages had their ponds emptied. It certainly points to an alarming imbalance of predator/prey relations in our wetlands, where lack of fish and particularly the endangered eels is putting pressure on hungry otters. Sadly, 'ours' was killed on the road just outside the garden.
In October we enjoyed a little holiday with Michael and Penny Richards on Islay, where 37,000 Barnacle Geese, lots of Golden Eagles and a total of 92 species kept our walks inspiring. I first visited the island nearly 50 years ago and each time it seems better than ever.
Looking back, the year does seem to be full of enjoyment - and it was - but I did do some work (which I enjoy too), finishing the River Allen film, along with the Avon Roach Project film, helped the BBC with one or two projects and made a start on a barbel film with Pete Reading and a predation film too. I plan to add to the chalk stream project, edit an otter story and maybe even make a bass fishing film, so watch this space.
On the dark side, we still suffer from pirates who illegally copy our series and these thieves are stealing the money that allows us to make films that in turn try to help our freshwater wildlife and especially our fish. So please don't buy these counterfeit copies. They might be cheap but they are of inferior quality and threaten to stop us making any more films because we can't afford to make a loss.
Thank you all for your orders of "Passion..." (and "Catching the Impossible"). Sue worked hard to make sure you received them before Christmas but some orders didn't even arrive until Christmas Eve, so I guess we can blame the G.P.O for that.
Do have a happy and rewarding 2012 and a fish filled one too if that is what floats your boat.
With our best wishes,
Hugh & Sue
Message from Hugh & Sue Miles January 2011
A Passion for Angling Newsletter
Sue and I do hope you had a really good Christmas break, and that 2011 proves to be a cracker. We certainly had some really Arctic weather didn't we. In fact, Sue had to go by foot to the post each day with your orders because we were snowed in.
We really tried to get the films to you in time but the GPO were obviously struggling because one of your orders was posted on the 1st December and we didn't receive it until the 18th! Despite the difficulties, we hope you received your DVDs on time.
Copies do sometimes go 'missing' in the post, either lost or stolen and we are still plagued by thieves that seem to think that counterfeit copies sold on eBay are fair game, even claiming they don't infringe copyright. These criminals are simply stealing money from us, so please note that we are the only suppliers of "A Passion for Angling". Their copies are of inferior quality too, so please don't encourage them by buying their rubbish.
Going fishing is fun, especially with friends, and a days' roaching on the River Test with my pal Martin Salter was a real treat. Sue and I were honoured to join him and other fishing friends and VIP’s for his birthday party at the House of Commons. The dinner also served to celebrate all that he had done for angling during his 13 years as an MP. He's now in Australia catching many wonderful fish but "he'll be back" - and helping to support the Angling Trust and others in the battles ahead.
We have been trying to raise the profile of our beleaguered rivers and freshwater fish too, not only by keeping 'Passion' alive, but by spending six years making our series "Catching the Impossible" ... more of which on that website – www.catchingtheimpossible.info - We also created the Salmon and Trout Association film for their website to promote their invaluable work and just recently, made a little film on the River Wye to celebrate it being voted ‘Britain's Best River’. I made this for the Angling Trust, the World Wildlife Fund, the RSPB and the S&T.A. in the hope that it would help to 'build bridges' between conservationists, something I believe is vital if our freshwater fish are to be respected as essential parts of our dwindling wildlife. Without fish, there would be no herons or kingfishers, bitterns or great crested grebes and eventually, that great conservation success story, the return of otters to almost every county in the UK might be cut short by a lack of food. Maybe it is our stand against the forces of "progress" that was the reason I was honoured with the Arthur Oglesby Award at the Game Fair for services to angling.
Taking friends fishing is always more rewarding than going it alone, so sharing "mullet madness" with Brian from Norfolk was especially enjoyable. Summer days spent crucian fishing with close friend Chris Yates are always a treat and I helped Annabelle and young Joe catch their very first fish and all washed down with tea and Sue's delicious Victoria Sponge.
You often ask, and yes, Chris and I are discussing making further episodes of "Caught in Time", but with so many pirates out there, I'm losing heart at the prospect of getting yet more DVDs stolen. Profit margins are so small that this can tip it over the edge. Maybe we should just go fishing more often!
The very cold weather was hard for everyone out there, especially our wildlife, and I was very sad when this lovely buzzard that had adopted us in the garden finally succumbed to starvation. We had kept it alive for weeks with scraps of squirrel and rabbit but the weather cut off our supplies and with a foot of snow and ice covering the ground, there was nothing for it to eat. However, we still have twelve long-tailed tits though, thanks to the RSPB's fat-filled coconut treats .... they love 'em
Have a great year and thank you for your letters of encouragement and support.
Hugh & Sue
Message from Hugh & Sue Miles July 2009
Dear All,
Thank you for your continuing enthusiasm for what has become a cultural icon, “A Passion for Angling”.
The series of six one hour films was first shown on BBC2 in September 1993, and it is amazing that it is still showing on Discovery Channel after all these years. Few programmes can match “Passion” for television longevity, and considering all the changes that have taken place in the world and in angling these past sixteen years…not all for the good!...it is heartening that our portrait of the joys of angling can still pull the right emotional strings.
Your orders still arrive almost every day, often accompanied by charming letters, for which we are most grateful…and we always try to reply to the letters when we have a moment.
We always have stocks of the DVD, plus those of Chris Yates’ portrait of a carp lake, “Caught in Time”, and Sue tries to turn around your orders within a week, and quicker if we are asked to do so.
Work on our new series “Catching the Impossible” has been relentless, and we are delighted that the next three films of the series will be on sale at the beginning of August, and for more details and a view of some clips, visit www.catchingtheimpossible.info.
The response to the first three films has been the equal of your comments on ‘Passion’ and your enthusiasm has been a great encouragement to us in what has become a relentless but none the less enjoyable work load. Not much time for fishing, but I sure have been lucky when I’ve managed to escape. So thank you for your orders and encouragement…here’s hoping you are all enjoying life.
Avon chub of 7lb 1oz
2lb 10oz roach
June 16th joy with Chris Yates + Sue’s Cake!
With our best wishes …… Hugh and Sue.
Message
from Hugh
& Sue
Miles
9th.
September
2008
Dear
All,
Judging by all your complimentary letters and numerous comments on website forums and blogs, it seems that “A Passion for Angling” is still the brand leader when it comes to fishing films. This is most encouraging of course, but as Sue and I are well aware, there will be many who do not agree with this perception, so we’ve been working hard to provide alternative “cannon fodder” for the critics!
As some of you will be aware, Martin Bowler, Bernard Cribbins and I have been working hard for more than four years to create a series of eight films titled “Catching the Impossible”. These TV Programmes are a celebration of angling and Britain’s rich and varied freshwater world.
It’s been an exciting journey of discovery and revelation, particularly of the underwater life of our treasured fish and along with a galaxy of good friends, we’ve managed to film the catching of some amazingly big fish. Many of the pictures on this website are of those wonderful creatures, but if you want to see more, and learn more about the series, then please visit: www.catchingtheimpossible.info where we will be selling DVD copies of programmes 1-3 this autumn, along with the accompanying ‘book of the series’.
I love writing, which is fortunate, because this will be my fifth book…..and the biggest! Martin and I have contrived to write over 100, 000 words between us (….you don’t have to read them all!)….and the 372 pages are adorned with over 400 pictures, including the film strips of the actual images from the programmes. We also have over forty illustrations from that leading sporting artist Rodger McPhail, so the book certainly looks good, and as I said, it is BIG! In fact, if you have a boat, it will make a good anchor!
There is more about the book on our website, and we hope you’ll feel the films are a step up from the fishing programmes the TV companies seem to serve up these days. Amazingly, “A Passion for Angling” is still showing on TV, fifteen years after first broadcast on BBC2, so we must have got something right. We are certainly still selling lots of copies of the DVD every week and apart from sharing out the small profit between Chris Yates, Bob James and Bernard Cribbins, our share is being ploughed back into this new series.
We are still exasperated by the scum who steal from us by selling illegal copies on
eBay and You Tube, but thank you to those loyal clients who have tipped us off when
they’ve purchased these inferior quality copies. Please note that we are the only suppliers of copies of P.F.A. along with the film I made with Chris Yates, “Caught in
Time”. The law will soon be pursuing those who breach our copyright, so you’d
better stop doing it right now!
We plan to set up a credit card system for P.F.A. & C.I.T. payments very soon, and
this will be clarified elsewhere on the website.
With all this creative activity, I haven’t had much time to go fishing….in fact I’ve
only been twice this season, but I did manage to catch that 3lb 12oz PB crucian that
heads this newsletter….a couple of years ago. It’s time I went out again!
So, if you do go fishing, catch one for me.
With best wishes
Hugh & Sue Miles
Message
from Hugh
& Sue
Miles
15th.
September
2007
Dear
All,
Do hope
you avoided
the worst
effects
of our wonderful
summer
and kept
your feet
dry. The
lack of
sunshine
certainly
made filming
difficult
but that
is of little
concern
compared
with you
poor folk
who got
flooded
out.
Firstly,
thank you
again for
all your
orders but
above all
for your
many letters
of praise
and encouragement
and even
phone calls
explaining
your enthusiasm
for A
Passion
for Angling
and Caught
in Time.
I always
pass these
letters
on to Bob
and Chris
and I know
they appreciate
them too.
Well
have lots
of copies
available
for Christmas
presents
so if you
have friends
or fishing
pals who
dont
know where
we are,
please pass
on our website
details.
One point
of concern
is the continuing
illegal
copying
of Passion
for sale
on Ebay
etc. This
is against
the law
and is stealing,
so any thieves
out there
making copies
should know
that the
police are
coming after
you. But
I feel sorry
for those
whove
been unfortunate
to buy these
counterfeit
copies because
they will
be of seriously
inferior
quality.
We are the
ONLY suppliers
of these
titles so
dont
encourage
the thieves
by buying
rubbish...
and thank
you to those
customers
who have
kindly informed
us of these
illegal
copies.
As the pictures
alongside
this indicate,
weve
been out
with the
cameras
whenever
the sun
has shone
to continue
filming
our new
series Catching
the Impossible.
This portrait
of angling
has been
three years
in the making,
with the
eight one
hour films
revealing
the underwater
world of
freshwater
as never
before,
along with
catching
some seriously
big fish.
The Spring
sunshine
saw us on
the River
Dee with
Englands
Youth Fly
Fishing
captain
Lisa Isles
and Im
happy to
report that
Lisa recently
returned
from the
World Championships
in America
with a Bronze
medal, the
team having
beaten the
hosts into
fourth place
- so congrats
to you Lisa.
We also
filmed her
fly fishing
at Lechlade
with Des
Taylor,
catching
some beaut.
brownies.
May saw
us in Scotland
on the beautiful
River Spey
with Salmon
and Trout
Association
chairman
James Carr.
The salmon
proved elusive
but we got
lovely film
of ospreys
and red
squirrels
while catching
brownies
among the
dippers
and grey
wagtails.
We caught
some gorgeous
carp with
Frank Warwick
at Linear
Fisheries
near Oxford.
Then Bernard
and John
Wilson had
some fun
trying to
catch carp
using a
fly rod...
quite tricky
when the
weather
is cold
but lots
of laughter
too - yes
that
laugh!
Then weve
just finished
a sequence
of mullet
mayhem
in Christchurch
Harbour,
where the
mullet gave
us a serious
beating...
they sure
can pull!
So were
still on
schedule
to complete
the series
by the winter
of 2008.
Still lots
of editing
to do so
in the meantime,
please go
and catch
a fish for
me and enjoy.
With best
wishes,
Hugh and
Sue.
Message
from Hugh
& Sue
Miles
22nd February
2007
Dear
All,
Thanks to
all your
orders,
Sue had
a busy time
before Christmas
trying to
ensure you
all received
your DVD's
for the
festive
season...
we hope
we achieved
that. Inevitably
it seems,
there is
always the
odd one
that goes
missing
when with
the G.P.O.,
or that
have technical
faults,
so if you
are one
of the unfortunate
ones, please
let us know.
But whatever
the cause,
we will
always replace
problematic
DVD's...
and we still
have lots
of DVD's
(and VHS's
if you'd
prefer)
of both
titles.
As the new
pictures
indicate,
we've been
very busy
filming
the new
series 'Catching
the Impossible',
our eight
one hour
programmes
on the underwater
world and
the catching
of some
of Britain's
biggest
fish. Recent
highlights
included
the madness
of floodwater
barbel fishing,
inspiring
underwater
images of
big carp
wintering
under some
trees, big
roach on
the Hampshire
Avon, River
Wye piking,
Young Abe
catching
his first...
and second
pike - a
thirteen
pounder,
film of
a kingfisher
on the rod
and Bernard
Cribbins
catching
a large
pike but
more of
that another
time.
We've also
been out
fishing
with that
famous big
fish duo
and close
friends
Terry Lampard
and Tim
Norman and
you'll notice
on our website
details
of Terry's
book 'First
Cast' and
where you
can purchase
a copy.
I can assure
you that
it is the
best assembly
of stories
about big
fish that
I've ever
had the
joy to share.
I used to
fish with
Terry and
Tim for
the same
giant roach
that lived
on the River
Stour in
the heady
days when
we caught
three pounders
and that
chapter
is as good
as anything
ever written
about fishing.
And it was
wonderful
that last
winter we
filmed Terry
catching
a 3lb 5oz
roach from
the River
Stour, his
first three
pound roach
since 1990
and equal
to his largest
ever, as
mentioned
in his book.
It really
is a great
read.
Editing
of the series
is continuing
day and
night and
the programmes
are looking
promising;
we hope
to have
them finished
by the winter
of 2008.
No time
for me to
go fishing
but I'll
be out roaching
before the
end of the
season.
Hope you're
all enjoying
life too.
With best
wishes,
Hugh and
Sue
Message
from Hugh
& Sue
Miles
25th
November
2006
Dear
All,
I
dont
go fishing,
I dont
even like
fishing,
but Im
hooked
So wrote
a viewer
on a postcard
after
the first
showing
of A Passion
for Angling
on BBC2
in 1993.
This series
of six
one hour
films,
a fishing
adventure
around
Britain
that I
produced
with Chris
Yates
and Bob
James
has since
been widely
recognised
as the
best fishing
series
ever made
and we
still
receive
numerous
letters
of enthusiasm
and gratitude.
Many bear
repeating
but here
are just
a few
clips...............and
they arent
made up!
Thank
you for
changing
my sons
life.
Before
seeing
Passion
for Angling
his favourite
hobby
was stealing
expensive
cars!
........now
my wife
understands
why I
have to
go fishing
To
you I
say the
biggest
thank
you of
all for
finding
the time
to film
my dreams
My
wife was
diagnosed
with cancer
and through
our darkest
hours
Passion
for Angling
became
a great
comfort
to us
both,
and still
does
I
am not
a fisherwoman
but I
love watching
A
Passion
for Angling.
It is
my de-stress
material
and being
a mother
of five
children
I need
it!
Even
though
Ive
watched
it so
many times
and know
it off
by heart,
I never
tire of
it
Passion
for Angling
had a
huge impact
upon my
life and
turned
a minor
interest
with fishing
into an
obsession
It
really
is the
best fishing
film/documentary
ever made,
I remember
first
watching
it when
I was
13 on
TV. Im
26 now
and it
still
is
There
are many
similar
letters
and I
think
youll
agree
that to
receive
messages
like this
is both
moving
and an
honour.
Ive
never
made a
film that
has touched
the audience
so deeply
or for
so long
as A
Passion
for Angling
and thats
despite
a lifetime
making
wildlife
films
around
the world.
Our recent
snow leopard
film received
the honour
of an
EMMY nomination,
which
considering
the number
of TV
films
in America
each year
is pretty
amazing.
I have
won EMMYs
in the
past,
no luck
this time
but awards
are always
a pleasant
surprise.
The Special
Achievement
Award
for Snow
Leopard
from the
Japan
Film Festival
certainly
was and
winning
Best of
Festival
in France
came with
a bonus
- Euros!
which
Ive
already
spent
on our
new series
Catching
the Impossible.
Filming
has been
going
well,
and heres
a few
images
from this
years
adventures.
Every
waking hour
is spent editing
on the computer
and we plan
to have the
film available
by Winter 2008..
Weve had
so much success
that the series
has grown from
six to eight
one hours, so
weve got
our time cut
out.
We get lots
of enquiries
about Caught
in Time
Part II, but
sadly, completing
that will have
to wait until
this series
with Martin
Bowler and Bernard
Cribbins is
complete.
As Christmas
is coming up
fast, Sue and
I thought wed
assure you that
there are plenty
of DVD copies
available of
both A
Passion for
Angling
and Caught
in Time
and for those
still in the
dark ages, we
also have video/VHS
copies of them
both too. Sue
can let you
have them in
a few days but
as they make
the ideal Christmas
present, please
let us know
in plenty of
time so the
GPO dont
let you down.
Sue and I wish
you all an enjoyable
Christmas and
a happy and
prosperous year.
Its all
rush these days,
so dont
forget to smell
the roses along
the way.....and
go fishing.....its
a wonderful
world out there.
Hugh & Sue
Message
from Hugh
& Sue
Miles
9th
July 2006
Dear
All,
We do hope you
are enjoying
your fishing
while we have
been busy on
our new project
'Catching the
Impossible'.
I have managed
a few casts
while filming,
including the
capture of three
true crucians
over 3lbs to
a "PB"
of 3lb 12ozs
from a beautiful
little lake
in the Cranborne
Chase. We filmed
there with Chris
Yates and Martin
Bowler last
week for programme
one, and in
another lovely
lake nearby
with Bernard
Cribbins for
programme six.
The film looks
gorgeous...early
morning mist,
sun kissed lilies
and golden crucians
and tench...in
true 'Passion
for Angling'
style of course.
We still have
lots of copies
of 'A Passion
for Angling'
in both DVD
and VHS, along
with the portrait
of Chris (Yates')
favourite carp
lake called
'Caught in Time'.
so any orders
will be with
you speedily
as Sue turns
them round at
least twice
a week. We hear
of several 'pirate'
versions which
is quite distressing
as we need the
small profit
from each sale
to help fund
this new production.
We are the ONLY
suppliers of
DVD's and VHS's
so don't waste
your money on
inferior quality
copies or on
expensive 'ebay'
purchases.
A lot has happened
since our last
message in November
'05. Chris and
I haven't had
time to do any
more filming
for 'Caught
in Time' Part
II but Chris
has now finished
his new book
'How
to Fish' and
it will be available
in all good
book shops from
the end of September.
Chris has written
an account of
a days fishing
on a river which
becomes a story
of his fishing
philosophy.
Perch and many
other fish swim
through the
pages and it's
a cracking read.
Our Snow Leopard
film went out
on ITV on Jan
2nd and we recieved
dozens of messages
from folk about
how much they'd
enjoyed it,
so thankyou
for those. It
is most gratifying
after more than
four years of
hard labour
in the mountains
to recieve such
encouragement
so we hope you'll
enjoy our new
series 'Catching
the Impossible'
as that will
take four and
a half years
too!
We are nearly
two years into
the project
and during the
last six months
we have filmed
some remarkable
events. As you'll
see from our
previous message
our targets
included a 30lb
pike and a 3lb
river roach...'not
just impossible
but crazy'.
Well, on Nov.
30th we caught
a 32lb 6oz pike
and on Jan.
18th we fished
with Terry Lampard
and he caught
a 3lb 5oz roach
from the River
Stour. On Dec
22nd Pete Reading
caught a near
3lb grayling
and on Jan.
26th Martin
caught a 1lb
2oz Kennet Dace,
followed by
a 2lb 15oz roach
from a lake
near Oxford.
As if that wasn't
enough, Martin
then caught
a 5lb 4oz perch
frm the Great
Ouse - the biggest
ever from a
river according
to the Angling
Times - it's
capture on a
pole sure makes
an impressive
sequence. Then
Des Taylor caught
us a 39lb catfish
and to cap it
all Martin caught
a 44lb 4oz common
carp from a
beautiful lake
in Shropshire
- on a float
- and an Osprey
came and fished
in the background.
So the series
promises to
be memorable.
We have at least
two years work
to go but will
keep you informed
of progress.
Hope you enjoy
the pictures
in the gallery
of some of our
lovely fish.
With best wishes,
Hugh and Sue
P.S.
We have just
received some
great news from
the U.S.A.,
our Searching
for the Snow
Leopard
film has been
nominated for
an EMMY, in
the category
for outstanding
achievement
in science and
documentary...
so fingers crossed!
Message
from Hugh
& Sue Miles
5th
November
2005
Dear
All,
As a result of
your enthusiastic
response to A
Passion for Angling
and Caught
in Time
Sue and I thought
you might like
an update on progress
with our various
projects.
Firstly, for those
logging on for
the first time
, we still have
lots of copies
of both DVDs
and VHSs
of both programmes,
so those looking
for Christmas
presents, theres
no problem. Sue
turns round your
orders in just
a few days so
speed of delivery
depends on the
G.P.O. Best if
you allow a week
to ten days.
As a full-time
film-maker, Ive
produced more
than fifty wildlife
films but I still
suffer from follow
that! syndrome,
especially when
a film has been
an award winner.
This was certainly
the case with
A Passion
for Angling.
Its been
so well received
by so many its
been described
as a classic
- whatever that
is?! So for years
Chris Yates and
I hesitated before
making Caught
in Time
Part I. We feared
comparison with
Passion
but neednt
have worried as
all of you seem
to love it. The
film is a story
of Chris
favourite carp
lake (which is
also the location
of his best selling
book Secret
Carp).
Many of you have
asked about Parts
II and III and
though weve
filmed some sequences
for these, Chris
is so busy writing
a new book that
weve had
to put them on
hold.
As some of you
may be aware from
the angling press,
weve embarked
on a series of
six one hour films
with Martin Bowler
and friends called
Catching
the Impossible
- impossible because
of the size of
fish were
trying to catch.
Our targets
would make a specimen
hunters eyes water,
but after our
first years filming,
weve got
several in
the can.
15lb. barbel,
4lb. crucian,
10lb. tench and
a 7lb. chub. Then
theres several
near misses...
2lb. 11oz. rudd,
12lb. 10oz. bream,
36lb. carp and
27lb. 8oz. pike.
Were after
a thirty pound
pike next week,
and a three pound
river roach before
Christmas... not
just impossible
but crazy!
Weve had
generous help
from many landowners
and friends, including
John Wilson, Des
Taylor, Terry
Lampard, Tim Norman,
Bob Church, Chris
Yates, Nigel Williams,
John Everard,
Peter Orchard,
Peter Drennan,
Frank Warwick,
Pete Reading,
Jerry Hammond,
Terry Theobold
and Bernard Cribbins,
who actually gets
to fish this time,
so the whole series
should be entertaining.
But theres
more to a fishing
series than catching
big fish, so the
beauty of the
lakes and rivers
and its
wildlife throughout
the seasons is
a major component,
as it was for
Passion.
In contrast to
Passion,
were striving
to show folk the
natural history
of the under -
water world and
the extraordinary
fish that live
out their unseen
lives all around
us. We are shooting
this in the wild
in the actual
places we are
fishing and so
far the results
are a revelation
- and beautiful
too. So we hope
that like Passion,
this series will
appeal to anglers
and non anglers
alike. Were
hoping it will
also benefit angling
as a whole and
encourage a positive
attitude to the
sport we love.
We have two more
years shooting
and a years editing
so we hope it
might be out on
TV in 2008. Well
keep you up to
date with progress.
In the meantime,
enjoy your fishing
and catch a few
for me.
P.S.
If only to prove
I occasionally
get a cast, heres
yours truly with
a lovely Kennet
roach brace, best
2lb. 5oz. and
a brace of perch,
best 3lb. 1oz...
and Sue and I
with a brace of
Bucks Fiz on her
birthday!
Bernard
Cribbins.
5lb. Tench, Estate Lake.
Terry
Lampard.
7lb.4oz. Chub, Dorset
Stour.
Terrys
3lb.5oz.
Roach, River Stour
Martin Bowler with
32lb.6oz.
Pike
John
Wilson.
27lb.8oz. Pike, Norfolk
Broads.
Bob
Church with
16lb Pike, Bedfordshire
Lake.
Martin
and Des Taylor with
27lb.
8oz. Catfish
Martin
with
10lb.
Tench
Martin
with
5lb.4oz.
Perch, Great Ouse
Martins
44lb.4oz.
Common Carp
Martin
with
2lb
15oz. Roach
15lb.7oz.
Barbel, Great Ouse.
Peter
Orchard.
24lb.12oz. Common Carp,
Hampshire Avon.
Peter
Reading with
12lb.10oz. Barbel, Hampshire
Avon.