Joined in 2023 
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fulfil my need to be creative. It also partially replaces the loss of my travels round the world making
HUGH MILES:“Sixty-odd, on the basis of those measurements. Chris had a picture of his record fish from Redmire and Harry took one look at it and said, without any hesitation, “Oh no, it’s bigger than that,” so yes, it would easily have been a record at the time.” We felt that the ‘Passion’ films had to include the famous record carp water, Redmire. In fact, my initial plan was to only make one film but our time at that magical pool was so idyllic and so successful that I convinced Bob and Chris that we ought to make a series of six films. After a further four years of hard graft, they were both wishing that they hadn’t agreed!
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Most experiences are more enjoyable when shared with close friends and a May visit to Skomer Island with Robin, who I've known since childhood was particularly memorable, with puffins and flowers covering the island. Sharing the roach fishing with Trevor at Sway was always enjoyable and on two summer days I managed to catch sixteen two pound roach up to 2lbs 12oz, though the angling press ignored this story in favour of yet more carp stories - a sad reflection on their judgement of 'priorities' in angling.
Passion’ was first shown on BBC 2 in September 1993 and it’s remarkable that it’s appeal lives on so strongly. Most TV programmes are dead in the water within a year or two but in spite of the BBC investing heavily in a new angling series recently called ‘Earth’s Wildest Waters - The Big Fish’, it seems inescapable that any films on angling get compared to the attractions so widely shared by our Passion enthusiasts. Our star anglers, Bob James and Chris Yates are understandably honoured that so many folk think PFA is the best angling programme ever made. Having filmed, written and produced the stories, I feel chuffed that this belief among so many lives on.Sadly for them, Chris and I have decided to go fishing instead of making more films for the series … As mentioned above, 2013 is our 20th Anniversary and by any standards, that’s some kind of a record for a TV programme. We all hope it continues, for though it will never make us rich, it helps to eke out the meagre pensions of Bob, Chris and ourselves …‘every little helps’. The series of six one hour films was first shown on BBC2 in September 1993, and it is amazing that it is still showing on Discovery Channel after all these years. Few programmes can match “Passion” for television longevity, and considering all the changes that have taken place in the world and in angling these past sixteen years…not all for the good!...it is heartening that our portrait of the joys of angling can still pull the right emotional strings. I’m bound to say that because I filmed and produced them, along with funding their production but because so many folk write complimentary letters constantly assuring us that they are the best fishing films that have ever been made, who are we to argue!
My favourite roach received some attention in March and a memorable trip to Oxfordshire working on a feature for the Anglers Mail with Gary Newman produced several three pounders and big twos. What a great two days they were. There were a couple of deeper parts, including the one where Harry (the monster) was hiding. There was a bit of a hollow, where years ago, I believe they dug, or dredged it out to make the island. There was also a deeper bit down the bottom end. Although it was shallow and clear, it was extremely difficult to see the fish.”last five years, anglers are once again beginning to catch these silver beauties … so congratulations and CARPOLOGY: Bob had the Fat Lady and Chris caught that amazing looking twenty-pound common near the sluice. I also remember that sequence where Bob got smashed up… The DVD is still available – and always will be – and is still considered by many to be the best fishing series ever made. Sales remain strong year after year, with new generations of anglers discovering that there is a whole world of fishing out there that doesn’t have to revolve entirely around carp, bolt-rigs and boilies. Anyway, Happy New Year to you all, even if the turn of the year seems a long way off already. May this year be better than the last for you … dryer and sunnier too hopefully. The series comprises nine one hour films in sets of three on three DVD’s so you don’t have to buy them all at once! They are full of great fishing and some folk even prefer the series to ‘Passion’ but we’ll leave you to be the judge of that. There’s a splendid book describing our adventures too, full of pictures [400+] along with film clips and beautiful illustrations by the celebrated artist Rodger McPhail so you don’t even have to read it.
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