This is also a subject very close to my heart.
Throughout the angling press you will read articles and letters saying that the rivers are finished.
Absolute cobblers!!
The rivers have never been better, it's just that a lot of anglers these days will not go to the trouble of learning a little watercraft, or of studying the correct technique to use on the rivers. Many anglers who spend virtually all their time on commercials, are often tempted to try a river. What happens is that they spend some time fishing in the wrong place at the wrong time with unsuitable tackle and the wrong bait.
They end up catching nothing of course and are soon back on a noddy puddle, moaning about the state of the rivers. I've heard them. Yet when you come back from a day on a river telling these unfortunates about the good fish you have taken they don't believe you. They don't even believe the photos you show them and shake their heads and carry on moaning.
I used to spend a great deal of time on the River Leam in Warks. In the 4 years I fished there I had chub to 51/4 lbs, roach to 1lb 14oz, pike to 18 lbs, dace to 12 oz, perch to 2lb 12 oz and lost count of the catches of roach I had over 20 lbs. Most of the time I never saw a soul.
There was only ever Tony Miles who believed me. He also has had some tremendous catches out of this tiny river.
The writings of Walker are classic and timeless. I would make any young angler of today, sit down and read all his articles in the books mentioned in Mark's piece.
Also spend time just watching water and the fish in it.
Peter Jacobs will remember the time we walked up a stretch of the Hants Avon last year.
I spotted some good chub under a bridge. Didn't spook them of course because people walk over that bridge all the time.
Early next morning we arrived at the river. I walked to the middle of the bridge and deposited a good few handfulls of mashed bread so that they would come to rest just donwstream of the bridge. Then I went and sat down, about 15 yards downstream of the bridge, set up my tackle, a simple swan shot link ledger and had a cup of tea and a sandwich.
Onto the hook went a wadge of flake, a cast was made to where the bread had come to rest, and I watched the line carefully.
Within seconds, the line jerked salck, I would in, struck and hooked a good chub just short of 5 lbs.
I repeated the exercise a few minutes later, only this time the chub was a bit smaller at 41/2 lbs. Didn't get any others of course, but there was an example of using a little bit of watercraft and observation.
And it's not that difficult you know.
Walker wrote in "Stillwater Angling" that succesful angling has 5 steps.
1: Locate your fish.
2: Don't scare them.
3: Fish at the right time.
4: Use a suitable method and tackle.
5: Use the right bait.
An anology can be made in golf, or in life for that matter.
If you are using the right bait and that is the final putt and you have made a mess of all the approach shots, you have lost the hole, no matter how good the final putt might be.