Wonder if Jack ever met up?

[Shaun Harrison]

I've heard a lot stories about what goes on on these angling shows but you will never know the truth but all i know is they bait the swims well and pick the best swims in the stretch which they book out for the filming

Well having done programmes for Channel 4 and sky TV as well as commercially available DVD's I can honestly say I have never had a swim pre-baited, a fish caught for me or a swim closed off for me or around me. I hear these stories all the time and if anglers feel they have to do this then I feel quite sad for them.

I have always tried to tackle my angling on a level playing field with everyone else. The closest I have ever got to reserved swims is fully booking a lake for several of us but even then we all enter into a draw which can be seen on some of the Free Spirit fishing DVD's.

Yes, I know some so called 'names' insist on swims being baited, etc, etc but please don't for one minute think that this is the norm'. There is never more money at stake than when the Full TV crews turn up for the proper TV stuff but even so, I have fished the same as everyone else would albeit under possibly more pressure as most TV work is your usual 9 am until 5 pm workday (and sometimes shorter if the crew have to travel far). People also forget the crew are simply doing a days work and aren't interested if the best chance of action is at 6 am.

[Dave Burr]

Well said Shaun and knowing you I would expect nothing less than a level playing field. However, if you have a weekly series and are expected to come up with the goods each time then the pressure for results becomes enormous. Having a prebaited swim on a closed section of water gives you an edge, you still have to catch what's in front of you but the odds are well in your favour. Remember, a TV fishing show is a financial investment that is looking to make a profit - its not so that we can sit there and criticise it. This is reenforced by the number of celebrities that get involved, its so that more people tune in.

As for shenanigans, there is much to back up the rumours. The bucket/tin 'trick' is widely used to capture action shots that were missed in the playing of the fish. There is often only one cameraman and his angle on the fight may not give a clear or interesting view but, to redo it and film from other angles gives a more watchable end product for the viewer. Likewise, and if you watch early fishing films you will see it clearly, the bite is rigged and filmed with some quite hammy acting of guys picking up the rod and giving the old "Fish on!". Often the float sinking is really just being pulled under by a rod top and quite easy to detect. I also recall a pike program where a chap was in the process of doing a mock up but he had a genuine take. He looked very surprised and after saying "I'm in!" followed it up with "No, I really have got one" - bit of a give away.

That yibbidy yibbidy bloke from Australia used to let the line go slack during a fight, wait for the camera to roll, talk about what and how then tighten and say "what did I tell ya?" or some such. He'd play on it to prove a point and you would notice that a lot of these 'just hooked' fish were amazingly close to the boat.

John Wilson fished The Royalty for a week and caught just a handful of fish which, when edited down to 30 minutes made it look like a fantastic day's fishing. Following the broadcast the Royalty, that had been going through a slump, was full for weeks. The power of clever TV.

But its not all done to make the viewer look foolish, its just done so that we don't have to sit through a program full of excuses. Matt Hayes made a point of doing some 'clean' programs where "We show the day warts and all", and some of those were pretty dire with just a string of moans about the weather, the condition of the river etc.

Its TV chaps and TV ain't reality.

[DaceAce]

What Hargreaves did do is get other better anglers involved to help get some action. He was no great angler but people like Dave Swallow, Owen Wentworth, Barrie Welham and Ollie Kite could all produce the goods.

[Santiago]

It would be silly not to pick the best swims for filming! When one arrives at a river early in the morning before others one with a bit of watercraft and local knowledge always picks the best swim!

They also pick the best venues that are less challenging!

[Olly]

Bill Rushmer was going to do a feature on a day ticket lake and was asked by the owners to choose his swim so that it could be cordoned off and pre-baited for a week. Hopefully to catch a huge bag of fish enabling more tickets to be sold for the water!

He declined - but still did the feature. Many 'famous' anglers would not have!!

[Stathamender]

Filming for TV is an expensive business, it was especially so in the pre-digital 'restrictive practices' days, so one can understand why short cuts can be taken. As long as this doesn't involve outright deception this seems OK to me. And, of course, the programme 'hero-presenter' has to be shown as successful, especially these days when he has his brand to protect and all those endorsements and sponsorships to think about. These also imply other people's jobs, as TV programmes and radio shows often depend not primarily on content but rather on the extent to which they provide a successful 'vehicle' for a performer or presenter, so people's livelihoods can depend on it as well.

Funnily enough, I was reading F J Taylor's Favourite Swims yesterday and he writes there of the time in 1958 when he and Dick Walker were asked to catch carp to order for an 'opening day' item for the Tonight show (Oh, my Hastings and my Michelmore long ago!). First light arrived, as did the camera crew and MacDonald Hastings, and so, miraculously, did two 12 pounders, one for each of our heroes. Mind you, they had prebaited the pitch for three weeks previously. The venue was the 'Sand Spit' pitch at 'a private lake in Bedfordshire' - anyone have any idea where that might have been?

And the next tonight will be tomorrow night.

[Shaun Harrison]

The venue was the 'Sand Spit' pitch at 'a private lake in Bedfordshire' - anyone have any idea where that might have been?

Rackley Hill, better known later for its catfish. http://www.lbac.co.uk/


copied from their site...

Open May 1st - March 15th

Rackley Hills lake is situated on the outskirts of Leighton Buzzard, close to the by pass. Entry is via the access road to Grundfos Pumps. The lake is an old sand quarry, disused for many years it has matured into an attractive lake. Despite the surrounding factory units anglers can feel as if they are in a countryside setting.
The lake varies in depth from two feet to twelve feet. There is a small amount of weed growth in the margins and little elsewhere. The lake is well known for its catfish stocks which currently reach 56lb. There are numerous fish in the 30 and 40lb range. The lake also contains a good head of carp, some of which have been caught to 33lb. Recently the lake was stocked with fast growing Simmonds mirror carp at 4lb-5lb. Last year some of these fish were caught at 15lb-17lb which indicates an impressive growth rate.
There are large stocks of roach and bream in the lake. Pike are present but do not grow to any great size. Anglers may park along one side of the lake and walk a short distance to their swim. Do not park close to the Grundfos Pumps gates and block them!! Anglers wishing to night fish must apply for a place on a night syndicate. Members must leave the water in the evening at the time stated in the club membership booklet. Three rods may be used on this water. There are no bait bans or tackle limits. We do suggest that anglers fishing for catfish use at least 15lb line and appropriate rods. Rackley Hills lake is owned by Leighton Buzzard Angling Club. The lake is open from May 1st to March 15th.

[Jack Hughes]

Hi All,

Perhaps I add to this debate ?

Some years back in the early eighties, I had a few lessons with the Late Jack Shepard, who ran both a syndicate on the Dun in Hampshire and a chalkstream flyfishing school.

He was a great character and an excellent teacher (I almost managed the odd decent cast, thanks to him !) and knowing he had featured in "Out of Town" a few times, the conversation turned to Jack Hargreaves.

Jack Shepard said that JH was adamant that when the cameras rolled, it should show a real fishing trip.

If you hook a bush it should stay in, if you kick your bait tin over or you blank that is angling.

It must be real life for the viewing public, warts and all. Let's just take it as it comes with no scripts or special effects....

Looking at the DVDS of his old shows, I reckon this is correct.

In fact, I bought some of Jack Hargreaves old tackle at auction, just after he passed on and it looks like it had a fair amount of use to me. I think what you saw, was what you got on JH's excellent shows.

RIP Jack, we will not see your like again,

Jack Hughes.

[JAA]

The issue is, for me at least, that the angling programs purporting to be one regular day out, 'edited' to look like one successful trip, whether involving, buckets, five days actual fishing, other folks fish or fenced off and pre-baited swims are just dishonest, which is one thing if done for art or charm, but another if being done to flog bait/venue/someone's big name .

If it's fiction say so - feel free, if you think it's fine and 'part of the deal' to list in the credits, the angler(s) who caught the fish, the number of days fishing and how much pre-baiting was used...because we all know that right? So no harm in spelling it out...right?

[Shaun Harrison]

I've yet to take part in any fiction so I guess I have that to look forward to. Perhaps that is a BBC thing. I've only been filmed by Channel 4 and Sky.