I hadn’t been fishing in years. I started going again, in Devon around 2002 with my brother, Stephen, a life long angler and an all time Legend.
I didn’t have a hometown fishing buddy until Andrew, who himself hadn’t been fishing in years, said that he would like to come with me. Our first trip was an Autumn afternoon at Osterley Park over Ealing way. Andrew revisited his childhood by catching a small Perch. He was back. Second time out he caught a 12lb Mirror Carp from a pond on Clapham Common, in front of an audience of gawping passengers on the 155 bus from Brixton. I had a buddy at last (though no gawpers. I blanked).
Now we get out as much as we can and we have fished some really beautiful places. We’ve had a ton of great adventures, doing something that we had both enjoyed in childhood but had stopped in our mid teens ‘cos, suddenly, there were other options…
Those missing years were given over to the pursuit of maximum pleasure. We found it. Even our “work” is in music (lifelong love/obsession, as you’ll find out if you stick with us), with best mates everyday. They just didn’t involve water, worm or creel.
But now it’s back. With a vengeance. We are passionate about it. But we are also passionate about music, books, clothes, films, wine, and I think that all of these things will have to feature on this site.
Friends would ask about our “fishing website” - “How’s it coming on?” “When is it going up?”
Dunno, dunno, dunno…
Truth is, I felt phoney. What do we know about fishing? Really? I’m not even very good at it. And I came to realise, that it doesn’t matter, ‘cos what we are about is the “joy” of fishing. The going and the doing. The time, the place, the company. The pub on the way home. I love planning it. Weeks ahead. It’s bloody Christmas to me.
So, this is “Caught By The River”, not just a fishing website. I think “Caught By The River” is a state of mind. It’s a very special, personal moment. I get it when I hear a great song, a great singer. I get it from books and I get it from films. Transcendental moments.
I hope you find stuff in here that makes you smile and I hope you find stuff that you can identify with.
Who knows, it might make you want to go fishing. Or it might make you watch “The Wire”.
JB
