Reel Life
The Environment Agency’s new magazine Reel Life has just landed on my desk and, actually, it’s not a bad catch for a first effort. It features Chris Tarrant (who else just lately?) on the front cover returning a big pike. 
The magazine is a mixture of news, views, conservation issues, political comment, and particularly what the EA is up to. There is an excellent quiz for young anglers, and the photographs throughout the magazine are top quality. About the only thing it is short of is one or two features about actually catching fish. A good effort though, and I reckon well worth repeating next year.
But you’ll know all this won’t you? After all, the magazine was sent out to all last year’s rod licence holders, and you all bought a licence last year didn’t you?
Closed Season on Rivers
The big question is, should we have a closed season on rivers or not? If we scrapped the closed season on rivers would it harm the fish and/or the environment? Would the banks be eroded? 
Would the fish be harmed? Would anglers take advantage of spawning fish if they were allowed on the banks while it was happening?
Big Des Taylor and TV’s John Wilson are battling it out in Angling Times this week, with Des for scrapping the closed season and John saying it would be a sin if we did.
What do you think? Do you want a closed season on rivers or not? Well, you can have your say in our Forum. Click on the ‘Forum’ button and join in the great debate!
Photo of the Month Competition
What’s up with you shrinking violets? There have been only a few entries to the Photo of the Month Competition. Don’t tell me you haven’t got one or two shots that you’ve thought were pretty good? Come on, send them in. Anything with a fishing theme is acceptable. It can be a scene, a notable catch, something funny (did you capture the moment when your mate fell in?) angler playing fish, maybe just a nice picture of a fish lay on the grass. Any format will do. If you can’t scan and send by e-mail to editor@fishingmagic.com then send prints, negatives or slides to Editor, Fishingmagic.com, 2 Stephens Way, Bignall End, Stoke on Trent, ST7 8PL. Anything sent will be returned safely.Tell you what, as well as a top quality Fishingmagic cap I’ll throw in a bulk spool of the excellent Sufix Synergy line kindly donated by Relum.
Fishing 2000 at the NAC
FISHINGmagic has a stand at the next big angling show, Fishing 2000, at the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire over the Easter bank holiday, 22nd and 23rd April. Try to make it to what promises to be a good show and come and see us. Make sure you have a chat with me about fishing (or anything else if you prefer). Don’t tell my colleagues on the stand but it gives me an excuse to have a good old chinwag while they carry on with the boring bit. Maybe we can escape to Bivvy City that will be on display. Who knows, there might be a stove and a kettle of water and a few tea bags – and maybe even a bedchair!
See you there!
A Problem with a Pussy
A mate of a well-known name on the FISHINGmagic Mailing List fished for catfish last weekend. It was only his second time on the lake. ‘Too cold for cats.’ He declared, so he used a mono hooklength with a fishmeal boilie and, yes, you’ve guessed it, he hooked his first cat of the year which he managed to get within netting range before its sandpaper-like molars sawed through the line. 
The cat was estimated to weigh between 18 and 20lb, which is a great fish from anywhere, but particularly from a UK water where the fish have been home-grown and not imported.
Lesson learnt he tied on a Kryston Quicksilver hooklength (which is a strong, very abrasion-resistant braided line for those who don’t know) and a few hours later hooked, and landed, a nice moggie of 15lb 10oz.
Too cold for cats? At this time of year, when everything is stirring again for the first time since the really cold winter temperatures, and spawning time is not too far away, anything can happen.
Got a juicy story for ‘Grapevine Gossip? Send it to me at editor@fishingmagic.com.
