John Wilson's Go Fishing Year [antikvár]

TIntroductionihere was a time when my fishing thoughts and plans were centred upon the River Wensum and the estate lakes and gravel pits of the beautiful valley between Norwich and Fakenham where I am fortunate to live. During this past year however it has only been possible for me to enjoy fishing close to home on quite rare occasions.When I was looking back over this diary it seemed as though I had spent fewer days fishing than in previous years. Indeed, as much of my fishing is now geared either to researching or filming programmes for Anglia Television, I suggest (tongue firmly in cheek), that a proportion of this book might even be deemed work and therefore should not strictly come under the heading of fishing. Out of curiosity I decided to count up the number of days I actually fished during 1990 and look back into a diary books called A Specimen Fishing Year which I wrote in 1976. In that sweltering year I fished on no fewer than 103 days, compared to 79 in 1990. I may not fish quite so often these days but when I do I often travel half way round the world for my sport. This year has seen me taking barracuda in the mangrove swamps of the Gambia River, fishing m a blizzard in Ireland, battling with the mighty mahseer in India, finding carp in unusual places in Spain, traking down tuna off Madeira, pulling monster bags from the rivers of Denmark and then back in the Gambia grappling with huge sharks. In between I have revisited many of my favourite haunts in England, met up with some old friends and encouraged some new ones to take part in the sport which has given me so much. All in all I consider myself to be very fortunate.The reader may wonder whether those blank days, common to every fisherman, were all included in this account. Let me assure him that every single day's fishing that I have had in 1990 has been faithfully logged; triumphs and disasters alike. I have had great pleasure in recording my experiences to share them in the pages of this book; I sincerely hope thatthe reader enioys my year as much as I did.' ' 'John WilsonGreat Witchingham, 1991