We all have more than a tendency to knock some of our fishing magazines and newspapers, sometimes with good reason. One monthly mag I have never really criticised is "Trout Fisherman", produced by Bauer Active, the same company that produces Angling Times, Improve your Coarse Fishing and Trout & Salmon. Through the years "Trout Fisherman" has boasted such contributors as Dick Walker, Peter Cockwill, Dave Collyer, Bob Church, Steve Parton, Gordon Fraser and many others of note.

Recently I was asked by Russell Hill, editor of Trout Fisherman to organise a day on our local trout reservoir at Thrybergh Country Park in Rotherham. Both he and one of my favourite angling writers - Peter Gathercole would be there. All we would need would be for the trout to co-operate.

Although the weather was cold and blustery, we did manage to catch a few trout. My friend David, our local expert caught quite a few and with Peter's expert photography, coupled with Russells probing questions and my open fly box, we had a "wrap".

But what impressed me more than anything was the expertise and enthusiasm of these two men. It didn't take me long to realise that in Peter Gathercole I was in the company of a top angling photo-journalist. Peter's fishing CV goes back many years; as a teenager he tied flies for Dick Walker and a few other luminaries of the time.

He can also fish a bit too.

So look out for Trout Fisherman early next year. There you'll see us doing our bit.