By way of an introduction, Pat Dower is a bit of a hero of mine. He catches tench - sometimes unbelievable tench - as does Mark (Daffers) Daffern. This makes them gods in my angling eyes. In fact, more than that. Pat (and Mark) embody the spirit of why we do what we do and articulate the important aspects of going way beyond the business of catching fish.
The Tenchfishers – of which Pat is the redoubtable Chair – is, and has been, pivotal to a great deal of our recent activities and we are thrilled that they have been.
Pat, thank you for bringing us back to why we fish….
Charles J
When I was about eight years old, I was very lucky to be taken fishing by an uncle. I saw fish; I saw others catch fish and eventually I even caught one – I was mesmerised by the experience. Although I had no fishing tackle of my own or any real idea of how to set up and actually fish, it gave me a kick-start that I am forever grateful for.
Fishing for Schools gives other youngsters the chance that I was given by my uncle. The chance to start a lifelong love affair with angling and nature. Science even became my favourite subject at school – especially the biology bits.
Eventually I was able to get some basic tackle of my own and set off to try and use what I’d learnt on those first few trips. It was quite a puzzle, and it didn’t start well! However, bit by bit things started to come together. I now realise that I was developing my problem-solving skills, and this is one of the things that keeps me fascinated with fishing. I also realised that how much I loved being surrounded by nature and seeing all the changes through the seasons.
My bond with nature was forming but I was also learning about the many threats to what I loved. Pollution, litter, invasive species, over population of predators and even climate change all became things I wanted to fight. I think anglers can be in touch with the environment and nature in ways that few other people are, and this gives us the opportunity (and responsibility) to help. Through my current role as Chairman of The Tenchfishers and membership of the Angling Trust, I am able to contribute to the fight.
I will admit that I didn’t catch anything during my first few trips and then one day my float went under properly. I struck and I hooked and landed by first ever independently caught fish. I will treasure the memory of that little perch for ever.
Roach were harder to catch, as were bream, pike and carp. Tench seemed completely impossible and remained so for a good few years until I was about 15. It was early on a gorgeous spring morning at a local park lake. Hardly any wind, occasional fish topping and I even saw a kingfisher. I had baited the bottom of the margin shelf with bread mashed up with a little water and hemp seed and occasionally eruptions of tiny bubbles rose to the surface. I am still not sure if I looked away or just blinked, but suddenly my float was gone and I was attached my first tench. I couldn’t believe the power of the fight and I confess it was all a bit chaotic, but when that tench lay in my landing net, I knew I was hooked for life.
