Angling on the box

 

When it comes to a bunch of anglers discussing fishing TV shows the collective noun must be either "a whinge" or "a dissatisfaction" ...... it seems as though- with the exception of "A Passion for Angling, which is universally acclaimed as the best angling program ever- that there's always something to moan about. Which, I think, is a shame, and particularly short-sighted.

 

Take the latest series of "Crabtree". To some split cane traditionalists it's not Crabtree enough, despite the use of centrepins and handmade floats as well as carbon and method feeders, while perhaps for others there's not enough "action"- too much beautiful scenery and mist rising from the water, as if such a thing were possible. I actually think that, although not perfect, it's actually pretty darn good.

 

And maybe that's the problem. While we're all aware that we ourselves are from perfect (either as anglers or as people!) we demand an unrealistic level of perfection from angling TV producers. I'd argue that, in an age when there are so many competing interests and distractions, and where the average age of anglers is increasing and less people are fishing that almost all TV publicity is good publicity, even if it's coming from the much maligned Robson Green (except for when he's doing really dumb or inexcusable stuff like bow hunting for carp!) He's grown as a presenter, and the combination of travel and angling is always going to draw an audience, and I know of lots of non-anglers who watch it, enjoy it and are beginning to wonder if angling might not be something that they'd enjoy. Sure, he's not everyone's "cup of tea" and he's sometimes been badly advised, but on balance I'd call it a net gain.

 

 

 

I can remember some very "low production values" angling TV from my childhood and youth. There was "Hooked" which, if nothing else, convinced me that match fishing doesn't make great viewing (but I still watched it every week after school), an effort called "Go Fishing" presented by Jack Charlton (great centre-back, average angler, mediocre presenter) which had a very jaunty theme tune, and even further back a series called "The Fishing Race", which included the then-famous specimen hunter Jim Gibbinson and included such highlights as the Welsh rugby legend Gareth Edwards getting "hammered" in the bar on a ferry to Sweden for a fishing trip and some guy fishing in an aquarium for a piranha! None of it classic TV, but I lapped it up nonetheless.

 

 

John Wilson took the long-running series genre to new heights in the 80's and 90's, and introduced the compelling mixture of adventure travel and angling that now seems to be a staple of angling programming, whether Paul Young, Jeremy Wade or poor old Robson. His infectious laugh and "personality angler" profile paved the way for successors such as Matt Hayes. Perhaps the best (and worst) thing that ever happened for angling on TV was Hugh Mile's beautiful "Passion for Angling" series; best because it set standards of camera work, story telling and enchantment that have never been surpassed, and worst because everything (even Hugh's own later project "Catching the impossible") have been damned with faint praise by comparison. The relationship between Chris Yates and Bob James (affectionate but with a slight edge of bickering) was akin to many a longstanding marriage, and somehow four programs using the narrative device of the seasons seemed to sum up all that's good in angling.
 

My own favourite angling programs have been the aforementioned "Passion for Angling" and also the "Compleat Angler" series presented by Rae Borras and the actor Geoffrey Palmer in which modern angling trips were juxtaposed with readings from "The Compleat Angler" in a winsome homage to Walton.

 

I guess that if there's a message amid these nostalgic ramblings through angling's history on British TV, it's that we anglers, as a community, are far too quick to criticise and too slow to recognise a good thing. The more angling that there is on TV, the higher the profile, and the higher the profile the more newcomers we'll attract to the sport. We need to be less tribal ("I only watch carp fishing, mate" or "one struggles to watch anything that features carbon rods, don't you know") and to welcome (and watch) and enjoy whatever scraps the commissioning editors throw at us.
 

..... and wouldn't it just be great if someone could digitally rework Jack Hargreaves' fishing slots on "Out of Town" - that'd really be worth setting the TV to record.