| Transmission:BBC Radio 4 Sundays, 27 July – 24 August, 2003 14.45-14.59 Presenter: Geoffrey Palmer “O Sir, doubt not but that Angling is an Art: is it not an Art to deceive a Trout with an artificial Flie? A Trout! That is more sharp sighted than any Hawk .. , and more watchful and more timorous than your high mettled Marlin is bold? …. doubt not therefore, Sir, but that Angling is an Art, and an art worth your learning: the Question is rather, whether you are capable of learning it?” so says the Piscator, in The Compleat Angler, by Izaak Walton, published in 1653. In this five-part series to mark the 350th Anniversary of the first publication of the world’s most famous fishing manual, The Compleat Angler, passionate fly fisherman, GEOFFREY PALMER, presents The Philosopher, Fish and the Dove, a celebration of the life and work of Izaak Walton; a portrait of the River Dove, (where Izaak Walton spent so much of his time angling, often in the company of his friend, Charles Cotton); and a guide to angling and to the lives and habits of the fish which provided Walton with so much entertainment, enjoyment and fascination. The Philosopher, Fish and the Dove is a series of five, 15 minute programmes, each focusing on a different fish, namely; trout, barbel, grayling, salmon, and chub, and drawing on extracts from the book, interviews with fishermen, historians and naturalists, the series offers an insight into the mind and spirit of the angler, and an appreciation of the river habitat. Recorded largely on location in the Peak District, the series captures the sounds of the river and its wildlife, and is a celebration of the beauty of the River Dove, whilst also presenting a fascinating, reflective and, at times, amusing look at a great Philosopher’s view of the river and the world around him, with Anglers’ today. DETAILS OF PROGRAMMES Programme 1. Trout The series opens on the banks of the River Dove, not far from the Izaak Walton Hotel in Dovedale, at a place called Lovers Leap, where trout angler and Izaak Walton historian, Tony Bridgett, casts his line into the depths of this famous chalk river in the hope of catching a wild brown trout. As he wades through the cold, clear water, he reflects on the life and work of Izaak Walton; the father of all fishermen. We also hear from angler and writer, John Bailey, who comments on the Art of Angling. This is a theme which runs throughout The Compleat Angler, and is expressed in the skill with which anglers catch their fish ; from reading the river, to the art of the cast, or the design of the fly in fly fishing. For many anglers, fishing is also about “getting close to nature”, and enjoying the river habitat; the birds, insects and flowers, as well the fish. The programme also visits the Izaak Walton Cottage in Shallowford, which was owned and rented out, by Izaak Walton, and now houses an angling museum staffed by manager, Gillian Bould, and local historian and visitor guide, Bruce Braithwaite. Bruce describes something of the life of Izaak Walton, and his famous work, The Compleat Angler. Extracts from the book are heard throughout the programme. Programme 2. Barbel John Bailey is a well respected author in the angling world, as well as being a photographer, and a passionate barbel fisherman. His passion for fishing was sparked by the sight of a heron-like figure perched over the river’s edge on a misty morning in North Wales, when John was 3 years old. His first catch was a blind roach, but this fired a passion for angling which has never left him. The Compleat Angler is a book which goes with him almost wherever he travels; the ideas and description of the English countryside held within its pages, are a constant source of inspiration. In this programme, John describes his own passion for fishing, the attraction and challenge of barbel fishing, and the methods used by the barbel fisherman. One of the themes of the programme is “The Contemplative Angler”; and the intimate relationship between angler and river. Extracts from The Compleat Angler; are included throughout the programme. Programme 3. Grayling It was the art of fly-tying which first attracted John Green to fishing. Today, he is not only skilled at tying flies, but is also a dab hand at fly fishing. The art of fly fishing is about deceiving the fish to take an artificial fly. As Walton says:“…. is it not an Art to deceive a Trout with an artificial Flie? A Trout! That is more sharp sighted than any Hawk .. , and more watchful and more timorous than your high mettled Marlin is bold? An underlying theme of this programme is the idea of deception and the “game” of angling : predator and prey; angler and fish. The River Dove was famous for its grayling 300 years ago, and the programme explores the life and habits of this fish. We also join John Green as he ties a Grayling Witch, one of the traditional flies used on the River Dove, and then follow him as he wades out into the river itself, where he reflects on a winter’s sport and the links which bind him to Izaak Walton. Programme 4. Salmon Three hundred and fifty years ago, the River Dove teemed with Salmon. Sadly, owing to pollution, industry and agriculture, the breeding population of salmon declined, and salmon became extinct. But in recent years, a re-introduction scheme has been successful in the first steps to transforming the Dove to its former status. The programme joins David Hunter, Company Secretary of the Trent Salmon Trust and Gary Cyster, Fisheries Technical Officer for the Upper Trent region of the Environment Agency as they re-stock the river with Salmon parr, which have been raised in a hatchery in Kielder, Northumberland. This is the 6th year of re-stocking and brings the total number of fish restocked into the River Dove to  When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community.
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