Secret Angler
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Secret Angler
@secretangler.bsky.social
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Commentary on angling – saying the things no one else dares to say.
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Secret Angler @secretangler.bsky.social · Nov 17
Introducing the Secret Angler Blog, offering commentary and criticism on angling matters. Read posts here:
secretangler.home.blog
The Secret Angler
Commentary on angling - saying the things no one else dares to say
secretangler.home.blog
secretangler.bsky.social
Review of Marina Gibson's book, Cast Catch Release.
secretangler.home.blog/2026/01/16/c...
Cast, Catch, Consume
What first struck me when I heard about Marina Gibson’s book, Cast Catch Release (published 2024) is that its publisher is Hodder Press, part of Hatchette; and in the US, Simon & Schuster, whic…
secretangler.home.blog
January 16, 2026 at 1:52 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
Hailed as a "significant environmental turnaround". We shall see but sounds like EA bluster to me.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Young Atlantic salmon seen in three English rivers for first time in a decade
Species that is critically endangered in Britain is spotted in Mersey, Bollin and Goyt rivers in north-west
www.theguardian.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:08 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
Misconceptions about stocking
secretangler.home.blog/2025/12/12/b...
#troutstocking
Bailey’s bees
John Bailey gets about. He’s ‘fishing consultant’ to the TV programme Gone Fishing, in which a maladroit Bob Mortimer receives guidance from an occasionally frustrated Paul Whitehouse (DON’T WIND, …
secretangler.home.blog
December 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM
secretangler.bsky.social
Commentary on a few fishing videos.
secretangler.home.blog/2025/12/04/a...
A few fishing videos
In some recent posts I’ve referred to the innumerable fishing videos on the internet. Fishing films are not new; before video recording a few appeared on television, notably the Jack Hargreaves sho…
secretangler.home.blog
December 4, 2025 at 11:33 AM
secretangler.bsky.social
The desire to catch too many fish
secretangler.home.blog/2025/11/01/h...
#fishing #environment
How many fish are enough?
There is no shortage of information and instruction on how to catch fish, even if there is now a shortage of fish in the seas and some of our rivers. Maybe the two go together: with fewer fish out …
secretangler.home.blog
November 1, 2025 at 11:52 AM
secretangler.bsky.social
@wildtrouttrust.bsky.social
Riverfly sampling and dubious stats.
secretangler.home.blog/2025/10/04/n...
#riverfly
Not so SmartRivers
I’m inclined to the opinion that biologists should be banned from using statistics. The practice of drawing inferences from gathered data is full of pitfalls; those who collect and analyse data on …
secretangler.home.blog
October 4, 2025 at 4:47 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
secretangler.home.blog/2025/08/10/o...
Online brains and breaking strains
I’ve lately had a bit of trouble with fishing line snapping unexpectedly. This particular line, Rio Powerflex, is one of the latest examples of the manufacturers’ quest to innovate, sell more stuff…
secretangler.home.blog
August 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
When the waders come off, what remains of the angler?
secretangler.home.blog/2025/07/24/a...
All waders and no trousers
You’ve probably heard the expression ‘All fur coat and no knickers’ used to describe one who is superficially impressive with nothing underneath to back it up. Out fishing the other day it occurred…
secretangler.home.blog
July 25, 2025 at 1:49 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
Trout & Salmon
all in a mess over its environmental credentials.
secretangler.home.blog/2025/07/01/p...
Polluting from the Falklands to the Test
In 2019 I asked in an article whether anglers really care about the environment, to which my answer was, in most cases, not all that much. I noted that fishermen with the cash are fond of long-dist…
secretangler.home.blog
July 1, 2025 at 4:37 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
secretangler.home.blog/2025/06/03/m...
Masterclasses and other showbiz
There seems to be an insatiable appetite among anglers for instruction. At one time there were only the fishing magazines with endless repetitions on how to catch trout in rivers and lakes, salmon …
secretangler.home.blog
June 3, 2025 at 4:44 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
secretangler.home.blog/2025/05/05/b...
Bank Holiday Throwaway
Coming home from a fishing trip last Friday I met traffic queues going the other way, obviously the big bank holiday getaway, which I’d forgotten about. Some slob chucked a throwaway cup on to the …
secretangler.home.blog
May 5, 2025 at 11:54 AM
secretangler.bsky.social
@hannahsrudd @WildFishCons @AST_Salmon @SalmonAlliance
Finally someone recognises the extent of our ignorance on the fate of salmon at sea.
secretangler.home.blog/2025/04/06/a...
#atlanticsalmon
A sea of ignorance
If you’re standing knee-deep in rising floodwater, you don’t want to be worrying about the kind of umbrella to hold above your head. Yet this habit of looking in the wrong direction seems to sum up…
secretangler.home.blog
April 6, 2025 at 12:04 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
The environmental disaster created by water companies
@thameswater

secretangler.home.blog/2025/03/30/k...
#sewage #thameswater
Kangaroo shit in the rivers
The BBC recently ran a documentary, Thames Water: Inside the Crisis which took a camera inside the beleaguered water company to observe its day to day running, focusing on the management and worker…
secretangler.home.blog
March 30, 2025 at 5:14 PM
secretangler.bsky.social

The North-South divide. What is the fishing really like in the North.
secretangler.home.blog/2024/12/15/t...
#trout #thenorth
The North-South divide
It seems to be an article of faith that the north of England has several advantages over the South. Some are true, others are myths. The biggest myth is the reputation for the friendliness of North…
secretangler.home.blog
December 15, 2024 at 2:42 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
My most recent post, on the problem of empty talk about environmental troubles instead of action. More posts soon.
secretangler.home.blog/2024/10/11/t...
The AST’s Head of Waffle
Just over ten years ago, David Graeber, an anthropologist, wrote an article about ‘bullshit jobs’, which he defines as those which are engaged in unproductive work — clerical, administr…
secretangler.home.blog
November 18, 2024 at 2:46 PM
secretangler.bsky.social
Introducing the Secret Angler Blog, offering commentary and criticism on angling matters. Read posts here:
secretangler.home.blog
The Secret Angler
Commentary on angling - saying the things no one else dares to say
secretangler.home.blog
November 17, 2024 at 3:12 PM