CREEL

In this episode of CREEL podcast I speak to writer, angler and naturalist Kevin Parr. Kevin's work brings together a lifelong curiosity about rivers and his new edition of his book Rivers Run revisits places that have shaped his life, tracing the idea that a river's uncertain beginnings, changing course and many tributaries echo the journeys we make throughout our lives. As we walk the banks, we recall fishing waters as young boys, trout beneath brambles, minnows in the shallows, and the excitement of discovering creatures like stone loach and water shrews. But this isn't simply a fishing story. Along the way, we talk about how rivers and their habitats change, the wildlife that thrives where wetlands are restored, and the spread of signal crayfish. We also wander further afield, from the birds of Exmoor to Kevin's enduring love of Scotland and the wild beauty of Mull. Kevin shares how Rivers Run came back into print, why a river can sometimes be difficult to define, and what it means to return to familiar places with fresh eyes. Our conversation moves from childhood memories and the pleasure of watching nature to the questions of conservation, landscape and belonging. Settle and join us for a walk along the river. It's a place where observation, storytelling and a deep affection for the natural world meet.

In an age where knocking a fish on the head has thankfully fallen out of fashion, anglers are often looking for other ways to celebrate the capture of a specimen fish. Without a body the taxidermist's skill is no longer required - step in Edward Barrett a skilled fish sculptor from Dorset.    Using his skills as a modelmaker Edward crafts beautiful reproductions of the fish, setting them within glass-fronted, wooden cases, to accurately reproduce the style of the classic  'stuffed fish' that we see in pubs, fishing huts, and tackle shops around the country.   Painstakingly matched to the original dimensions, individual scales, hand-built eyes, and wonderful translucent fins are created by Edward in his workshop where the fish is finished in a case adorned with traditional gilded lettering.    In this episode of CREELpodcast Edward talks to Joff about the fishing on his doorstep and his love of vintage tackle. His reels include a Hardy Altex, little 3 inch aerial and an Aerial T6. His rod a Wallis Wizard.   Light the fire, sit back and enjoy 40 minutes of inspiring angling talk.   

THE BIGGEST TENCH OF THE YEAR! - float caught giant tops mega spell for fans of the species.   This was the headline in Angling Times that threw Chris Netto into the angling limelight. Attending as a steward at the Tenchfishers  2025 Tench Championships held at Linear Fisheries Chris stayed on for a few extra days. After a fruitless 24 hours bar a tiny Jack pike Chris nearly packed up and went home, but after chatting to fellow tenchfishers decided to persevere and stay on overnight. The rest as they say is history with Chris catching the largest float caught tench on record.  Listen to Chris tell Joff of his early days in angling and how he progressed through meeting the right people to become a multi species angler who is equally at home in salt water, modern LLF fishing or with a fly rod in his hand.    Plenty of other anglers get a name-check in this episode: Tony King Chris Turnbull Tom Critchel Peter Rolfe Gary Boyce Mike Simmons Dean Bradshaw Graham Elliot Ben Kennedy John Fox Stuart Stevens Adam Bojar Les Bamford Steve Chambers Graham Elliot John Fox Stuart Stevens Paul (a friend from Farnham angling) Ian Roper For more episodes head over to EFGEECO.COM Keen on tench? Listen to episode #6 where I speak to Phil Jackson of The tenchfishers.    

In this episode Joff heads south to meet up with wild carp fanatic Dan Rudgley. Dan, has become well known in recent years for his dedication to tracking down hidden pools in his hunt for wild carp - carp that are descended from ancient fish stocked into stew ponds, moats, and lakes, as a food source for 14th century monasteries, farmers, and well off landowners.  Dan writes for the quarterly magazine Fallons Angler and is the star of two of their short films Wildie II, and Desert Tench both of which can be viewed on the website fallonsangler.net  Garret Fallon, founder of the magazine, was the guest on episode #9 of this podcast.  Local information, folklore, pub tales, and a sixth sense will often find Dan pushing through long wet grass, past crumbling boat houses and onto the banks of pools where these prussian blue shapes glide between snaking stems of lilies in the dappled shade of willows and scum filled corners.  While stalking surface feeding carp Dan shares his journey from childhood on the Romney Marsh, fishing ancient drainage ditches, to his current passion for tracking down waters, sometimes tiny, that contain this elusive fish. Aided by OS maps and Google Earth, he discovers potential waters, securing permission in one instance for just a five-hour fishing window.  Dan discusses his seasonal approach to other species - wild carp in summer, tench, then chub and perch in winter.  Press play and transport yourself to the bankside to enjoy the excitement punctuated by a backdrop of glorious May birdsong.

Welcome to episode nine where Joff delves into the world of angling through the lens of Garrett Fallon, creator of Fallon's Angler magazine. Born in County Meath, Ireland, Garrett's passion for fishing began at just five years old, watching salmon jump in the river near his family home. Following in his father's footsteps - a journalist, author, and passionate angler who wrote "Fly Fishing for Irish Trout" - Garrett has created more than just a magazine; he's crafted a celebration of fishing culture. Fallon's Angler isn't just about catching fish, but about the stories, landscapes, and experiences that make angling special. With a beautifully designed print publication, a compelling YouTube channel featuring over 30 videos with 600,000 views, and a stable of talented writers such as  Chris Yates, Garrett has built a platform that captures the very soul of angling.