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There may not be a great deal of action going on in the picture below but the ladies' conversation could be absolute dynamite! Who COULD they be talking about? WHAT could they be talking about? Fish? Fishing? A recent scandal? Or whether to vote IN or OUT. Why don't you tell us and maybe you'll be the next Laguna Baits prize winner.

This is the story of my first fishing match. The fishing club my father was a member of held its annual match on the Trent each year, in August.

Northumberland is famed for its salmon fishing opportunities, with the River Tyne frequently appearing on lists of the best salmon rivers in the United Kingdom. But the region isn't just limited to salmon. With plenty of coastal, reservoir and river fishing opportunities on offer, it's the ideal destination for a fishing weekend away. Here are five of Northumberland's top fishing destinations - giving you some insider knowledge on the region's most lucrative waters and some inspiration for your next north country fishing trip.

Recently, whilst watching the opening credits to a horror film, a memory was triggered that took me back to the time I caught my first barbel.

It had been a warm Thursday in late June, and as there was nothing much on television that evening, I was sitting quietly in my armchair, reading the latest edition of Tenchfisher, and enjoying a glass or two of a very nice red wine.

14.2.95 Dear *****, I've got to tell you about my New Year's Day trip which all came into being after a conversation I had with The Hedgehog in my local boozer on Boxing Day lunchtime.

9.1.95 Dear ****, Got the flu, or the remnants of it, at least. I'm very pissed-off and ain't wet a line since New Year's Day which I'll tell you about later. Meanwhile, I'm killing time waiting to go to work tonight (it's about 7pm as I write) so I thought I'd sit and daydream about balmy Autumn days beside a Wessex river.of flat-calm, freezing, foggy November mornings.of jewel-like June dawns beside a favourite tench lake that's so flat and unruffled that the peacock quill looks like it's in a painting of Venables' , but then I thought 'Nah. **** it, I'll pen a letter instead'.

Dear *****, Thought I'd let you know that just after I'd popped-out to post my last letter to you the other evening, I'd just got in and the phone was ringing AND it was actually for ME - a rare occurrence in my house with four daughters.

This is a re-run of Ian Gemson's excellent 2012 article. Well worth a second reading, I think... (Ed)

Beep, beep , beep, the alarm sounded on the bedside table, Tony reached out one hand and pressed the off button, threw back the covers and slowly got out of bed.