The most incompetent celebrity angler on tv....

[john step]

I'm sure the producers of TV angling programmes wouldn't know, or indeed care, if an angler was competent or not.
What they need is an angler who is fun and can string a coherent sentence together. These shows are more for entertainment than anything else, the majority of the viewing public wouldn't spot the incompetence, they just want to be entertained.

This is very true. Am I the only one to cringe when an "angler" is shown holding a rod all wrong in advert etc.
Programme makers take the trouble to show a golfer for example holding a club correctly but never consider asking an angler to show them what it looks like to hold a rod properly.

 

[markcw]

Paul Young was on Celebrity Eggheads tonight, The team he was in in were part of the cast of the Tv series "Still Game" in which he plays a character called Shug.

 

[Philip]

I think my nominee for the award of the most incompetent celebrity angler would have to go to JBailey. I just can't get over the episode of crabtree where he was supposed to be teaching those girls how to touch leger for barbel. It was the sheer size of the bait he used combined with that massive twig as a bait stop.....mg:.
There's no way that any barbel would have got that massive branch into it's gob, never mind the bait!
Then his expert use of a centrepin, it just beggers belief :witless:.

I have seen John Bailey fish and he looked competent enough to me.

I have said this before on FM so apoligies to repeat it but many years ago as a young angler I was down on the Wye for a week and ran into JB. We were staying in the same pub. I shook his hand & said I liked his books. I felt a bit foolish & although I saw him each evening in the Pub I stayed out of his way as I did not want to be the annoying "fan" as such.

Towards the end of the week I was out on the bank in horrible weather, JB came wandering along the bank stuck his head under my brolly and asked if he join me..of course I said yes and he tucked himself under the cover & we spent the best part of an hour talking everything fishing. The next day he took me on a tour of the river showing me the spots.

He had paying clients with him & absolutly nothing to gain. He was simply trying to help a young mad keen angler on his way. I know he has his detractors but he was just a very nice bloke.

 

[thecrow]

I have seen John Bailey fish and he looked competent enough to me.

I have said this before on FM so apoligies to repeat it but many years ago as a young angler I was down on the Wye for a week and ran into JB. We were staying in the same pub. I shook his hand & said I liked his books. I felt a bit foolish & although I saw him each evening in the Pub I stayed out of his way as I did not want to be the annoying "fan" as such.

Towards the end of the week I was out on the bank in horrible weather, JB came wandering along the bank stuck his head under my brolly and asked if he join me..of course I said yes and he tucked himself under the cover & we spent the best part of an hour talking everything fishing. The next day he took me on a tour of the river showing me the spots.

He had paying clients with him & absolutly nothing to gain. He was simply trying to help a young mad keen angler on his way. I know he has his detractors but he was just a very nice bloke.

He was one of the pioneers of Wye Barbel fishing.

 

[no-one in particular]

My memory of Jack Hargreaves was he did not catch much, often blanked, whether that was incompetent or just picked days they were not biting I wouldn't know. The joy of him was just watching someone who was at complete ease in front of the camera and his love for what he was doing, But his out of town series was about all things countryside related with 15 min fishing slots, I don't think he was trying to prove he was a great angler which is another reason he was a pleasure to watch. I am trying to imagine him shouting and clowning about but it don't work; he was still the best for me. I wonder what he would have made of commercials, I reckon he would have just taken them in his stride..
I remember that Crabtree series where the bloke was teaching some girls to float fish for barbel with great big sausage sized baits, he kept telling them to strike as soon as the float moved instead of waiting for the barbel to get a proper hold of the bait and they never caught a fish, I kept thinking surely he was going to catch on what was wrong but he didn't, I don't know if he is incompetent but I found it frustrating to watch..
I would like to see another angling program where you were just taken fishing for the day suitably condensed, warts an all but where the presenter was not irritating, Jack Hargreaves could not have been irritating even if he tried, or maybe he could to some because we are all different but I miss his style of presenting in angling, he was never trying to be the star of the show, he just was.

I don't think modern presenters are incompetent, they can show the methods, ways and catching fish well enough but portraying that other-worldly charm of fishing is often missing.

 

[Ray Roberts]

While we are all free to have our choices, and favourites, I would have to say that (while you may disagree with some of his views) to name Keith Arthur on a thread for "incompetent celebrity anglers" is harsh in the extreme.

Keith is an excellent angler who can, and has, turned his hand extremely well to virtually all forms and methods of angling.


I'm not too sure if I could think of any "celebrity" angler who could be described as "incompetent" although some of Matt Hayes fly casting, when he started out, left a lot to be desired . . . . . so maybe more unedcated than incompetent . . . but then again, who are we to cast the first stone?

If Matt Hayes was casting stones it's no wonder he was cr*p.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[theartist]

Flipping things around a bit did anyone notice how on Paul and Bob, Bob Mortimer was actually looking pretty decent for a novice by the end of the series, at casting a running a float through?

I'm sure he got help no from his mate Paul although in the credits there's a certain John Bailey as a fishing consultant, whatever that entails, maybe the latter is quite a good teacher for novice anglers? I bet if every one of us did a fishing video there's would be quite a few things the rest would think strange.

 

[keora]

In Anglers Mail, John Bailey explained how he advised the film crew and the two stars. He located a range of good fishing locations and swims, and I imagine he arranged access to some private waters. He mentions that the film crew rejected some of the swims because they weren't visually interesting when filmed. No doubt he also gave fishing advice.

 

[no-one in particular]

Flipping things around a bit did anyone notice how on Paul and Bob, Bob Mortimer was actually looking pretty decent for a novice by the end of the series, at casting a running a float through?

I'm sure he got help no from his mate Paul although in the credits there's a certain John Bailey as a fishing consultant, whatever that entails, maybe the latter is quite a good teacher for novice anglers? I bet if every one of us did a fishing video there's would be quite a few things the rest would think strange.

Loved that series, best thing for a long time, full of charm and humour with some nice fishing thrown in, I hope they do another one. I didn't know John Bailey advised but he did well in that role.

 

[Philip]

He was one of the pioneers of Wye Barbel fishing.

Indeed he was. Also maybe less well known he was something of a pioneer for Barbel fishing over in France with his exploits on rivers such as the Loire and Lot. He certainly helped open my eyes to the potential.

 

[steve2]

Green'es case even an angler is a moot point.

He's been fishing for most of his life and what I think irritates some people is that he like John Wilson and John Bailey he enjoys what he is doing and is not afraid to show it.
We all wish that we could be doing what they do. A bit of jealousy I think from some and because we can’t we knock them.
Personally I enjoy Robson Green both as an actor and fishermen.

 

[Molehill]

The problem for angling programs is that the maker is investing money in the show and wants to sell it, it needs numbers watching it, so how to go about that?

I'm guessing they have the option of choosing an out and out respected angler to host the show (who also has a personality, can act, sounds good etc. etc.) and accept only anglers will watch it - and half of them won't like it because we all disagree on nearly everything :wh - or find a well known "personality" with experience in front of the camera and hope the public boost the watching figures.

Trouble is the "personality" always feels the need to ham it up somehow for sake of the public watching. To be honest, if I spent an hour in most of their company behaving as they do, I would kick them out the boat and into the drink.
But I'm a miserable, antisocial old git that goes fishing for peace and quiet.

 

[S-Kippy]

Personally I enjoy Robson Green both as an actor and fishermen.

Each to their own...I find him an irritating knob.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Arguably (or maybe not so much so) the best ever fshing series has to be Passion for Angling not only in the UK but it was resold to many different countries; we even got to see it on NRK in Norway.

At the time it was being made the two main characters were known anglers, but probbly not so well known as many of the current crop of fishing show presenters are today.


The series was not wholly 'catching related' as it covered a fair bit of angling history, local interest, natural history and even some culinary tips, and the banter between Chris and Bob was brilliant.

The other night I watched a programme with a small group of Carp anglers catching lots of very large Carp, but the comparison between that programme and P4A was, (excuse the French)

Arse and Class . . . .

Maybe it was a generational thing but I found little of real interest in the Carp show and that bearing to mind that I spent an entire decade fishing solely for them . . . . and still make the occasional 2 nighter these days.

As S-Kippy says "each to their own" . . . . . I suppose . . . .

 

[tigger]

I find I can watch passion for angling over and over and never really tire of it. Maybe it was the era, the anglers, the filming, the narrator, or more than likely just the whole mix that made the programme so watchable.....I thought Bernard Cribbins did a great job of the narration.
Obviously Hugh Miles is a great film maker and he proved this again in catching the impossible. Impossible is another series of films I liked but it's still at the back of passion for me.

 

[S-Kippy]

I liked PFA apart from that Bob James who, to me, is the Maureen of the riverbank. It was all about him and the way he treated Yates was a disgrace. I have met Yatesy who is s gentle soul albeit slightly bonkers and deserved better from a so called mate. Cribbins was excellent as narrator.

It so put me off James that I gave up my membership of the ACA and was delighted when he was caught ( allegedly) with his fingers in the till.....and fishing during the close season.

I have a BJ pin and many is the time I have seriously considered rubbing it down to remove all reference to the bloke. I really do dislike the man that much.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I look forward to the day when S-Koppy gets off of the fence and tells us what he really thinks . .


I've met Chris on several occasions as we used to both be members of the same syndicate on the Hampshire Avon.


He is indeed a "one off" but a very intelligent and educated man, and one who can keep you entralled as he tells a story . . . any story.


I have also met Bob twice once on the river bank and the second time at a meeting in London. I never could work out just why he took the risks he did at the cost of losing everything . . . . very strange


Of the two I'd chose Chris every time, although that said, I still even today watch P4A whenever I fancy it, usually on a wet weekday afternoon these days . . . .

 

[S-Kippy]

I have never been one for fence sitting. As Mrs S rightly observes you get one chance with me and that only lasts about 30 seconds. There is no second chance.

I like Yatesy....there is no malice in the man but the other bloke I have no time for whatsoever. We've never met and long may that be the case.

 

[tigger]

Blimey, remind me not to fall out with Skippy :fear: .

I've never met or even seen either CY or BJ so can only go on what I know about them, which is bu££er all appart from watching passion and hearsay etc.
I did like BJ in passion and if i'm honest him fishing the day before the season opened didn't make me dislike him. Ok it wasn't right and this is no excuse, but in reality how many other anglers set up camp on the eve of opening season and fish before midnight. As I said that doesn't excuse him but personally I can forgive him for such a trivial thing.
I do think the angling media sucked the life out of his misdemeanor and as usual the general population where in "hang 'em high" mode whatever excuse he'd come up with lol.
If i'm honest I don't dislike him, especially not for the closed season incident and would like to meet him as I would JWilson but I don't think that will ever happen.
I'll have to make do with having met a few of the FM celebrities .

 

[S-Kippy]

Blimey, remind me not to fall out with Skippy :fear: ..

Just keep recommending Sensor, Ian....that'll do it !

Maybe said individuals " misdemeanour" was not that heinous in the great scheme of things but its the arrogance of the act that got up my hooter. And I recall Wislon admitting to fishing in the close season years ago when he'd found some big perch and run out of time. I'm not suggesting he got away with it because of who he is but its not right and isn't anything to be proud of so why mention it ?