‘When any new chapter begins, it often carries with it an opportunity for reflection. As someone who grew up with three TV channels (black and white), no family car and no ‘land-line’ telephone, the simple pleasures always provided the highlights’
Life can present new chapters in a variety of forms, some expected, some unexpected. A change of job, moving home, family and relationship circumstances, loss, grief and retirement can all bring their own ‘speed-bumps’ to negotiate. A new year and the changing of the season also represent their own form of a fresh start. The date may tell us we are entering a new calendar phase but the seasonal needle still points to winter. The first day of the first month may herald another page turned, the promise of a reset, a time to take stock in the face of a whole new chapter about to begin, but winter hangs around, reluctant to let go. Occasional days of bright sunlight and blue skies lull us into a false sense of security but the cold clings on. Temperatures struggle to rise above zero and all around us, nature remains hunkered down.
At this time of renewal, family, work and life can all bring their own needs, pressures, aspirations, targets and wish-lists but for our neighbours in the natural world, a change in the calendar holds no real significance. The intensity of the sun and the gradual lengthening in daylight hours are already being noted by some but no celebration is prompted by the change of a single date. Day by day, all creatures great and small ready themselves. Many are rousing from their slumbers, survival achieved, box ticked. The hardship of winter is slowly diminishing and spring is gently presenting itself but it will be several weeks before it emerges in all its splendour. For the time being, fine minimal changes through the days and weeks see temperatures and light levels delicately turn upwards; the soil warms, ever so marginally.
At no time does the natural world transform and renew itself so dynamically as when the wheel of winter slowly takes its final turn and spring steadily and deliberately takes on the baton. Out of the dark and cold, the lighter, longer and more invigorating days become more frequent as the weeks pass. Fractions of a degree can make the difference between a prolonged pause or the unfurling of the next generation. Eventually, fresh buds of growth slowly signify the creation of new life in the plant world. Bird communities engage in their searches for a mate and their perusal of likely nest sites. Optimism is in the air.
The next generation unfurls
And for the angler, a new year and a gradual migration to spring opens a book of opportunity. We may not know what the measured demise of winter will bring. Best-laid plans may only deliver a portion of our desired outcomes but perhaps it is the unknown element that draws us on. Heightened anticipation can be a friend or foe. Increased expectations can set one up for a greater fall but unless we venture out, how will we know?
As Geoffrey Chaucer said, “Time and tide wait for no man”. Life is simply too short to allow winter to disrupt waterside adventures. We will never have this time back. Far better to embrace the conditions, learn from them and explore any likely haunts for species known to be vaguely interested in an angler’s bait, despite the toughest of conditions. Rivers are frequently prioritized at this time. After all, the life of still waters is often hidden, inaccessible under a thick coat of glistening ice.
Late winter and early spring weather may help or hinder in equal measure. A time of blizzards can be a time for blanks. There are crunching footsteps in crisp frost, creeping and crawling along ground still rock-hard, just to get close to a promising swim, ice clinging stubbornly to the eyes of the rod, stinging fingers and a numb face, the cold of winter can bring its own renowned challenges but also provide utterly stunning backdrops and the most memorable of experiences; incoming geese, honking overhead as they approach the water at dusk, fields and trees glistening white as the sun rises through the mist, a monster pike swirling violently on the surface whilst redwings compete for any remaining berries.
Roach are the star of many an angler’s winter show but they have several supporting acts. Convincing roach to take a bait can be difficult if the river is running clear but ‘at the dimming of the day’ as darkness descends, fishing with light tackle can at least tempt some fish from their shoal. Chub are always hungry, even on the coldest, bleakest of days. The elements may mean a less comfortable time for the angler but certain species can still be obliging. Predatory perch and pike are active too and can provide the finest of cold weather angling memories, not forgetting grayling, ‘The Lady of the Stream’, a renowned winter target for those trotting a float or casting a nymph into the current.
If milder weather does arrive before the season closes, a ‘warm’ flood can be a true time of plenty for anyone willing to spend time on the river bank. In the most ferocious of currents, attractive margins and areas of slack water can often be found to hold wonderful fish. Barbel are a prized quarry in such conditions. As daffodils ultimately replace snowdrops, the larger fish can be responsive, ahead of their spawning season.
The arrival of spring helps to magnify our connection with surrounding nature. Increased exposure to sunlight boosts our serotonin, which serves our mood regulation. It’s not just the wide-open blooms of surrounding plants that uplift us. Our sleep cycle stabilises, motivation increases and energy levels improve. All the time, our circadian rhythm is adjusting to the changing season. New challenges can suddenly appear less daunting as our winter sluggishness is replaced by a sense of possibility.
“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
Thomas Jefferson
The Wonder Of Trees
From Wordsworth’s “Lines Written In Early Spring” to The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun”, these times of hope have always been much heralded in literature and music. Spring, however, isn’t just limited to being purely a time of hope, it’s truly a time of transformation, the very definition of a new beginning.
When any new chapter begins, it often carries with it an opportunity for reflection. As someone who grew up with three TV channels (black and white), no family car and no ‘land-line’ telephone, the simple pleasures always provided the highlights. Accessible local countryside was top of the list in all weathers. Making our own fun was always the order of the day, be it walking, riding our bikes, camping, fishing or collecting for our bonfire (from September to early November).
The enormous advances in technology over the last fifty years are astonishing. Their impact on our daily lives is undeniable and yet fulfilment and contentment appear difficult to achieve for so many. True escapism is arguably out of reach across every age group. In today’s world of instant news and the ever-increasing expectations of life, many seek the gratification of others via social media platforms. Ironically, thousands of on-line friends don’t necessarily prevent loneliness. To all intents and purposes, face to face interaction is diminishing generation by generation. ‘Down-time’ and relaxation are almost portrayed as an undesirable weakness. Many children are never given the time to explore their own interests and passions. These days, saying children are ‘left to their own devices’ can take on a whole new meaning compared to fifty years ago. It can sometimes appear that we are at risk of creating a generation of artists who may never scribble, writers who may never start writing, musicians who may never strum a friend’s guitar and athletes who may never kick a ball against a wall.
“What a new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to a new year.”
Vern McLellan
As anglers, we are fortunate, indeed blessed, that our chosen passion puts us centre-stage in our natural world, not as observers but as participants. We can often be alone but we seldom feel lonely when practicing our piscatorial skills. A new beginning reinforces this blessing. We again get to witness first-hand, the gradual, magical changes in our environment, new leaves, new growth and new life. The uncertainty of the next pages in the book of time cannot be avoided but the preceding months have helped us to learn and grow. The benefit of another year’s life experience is under our belts; we are older and wiser, thinking onwards and upwards. This is a time to look forward to new escapades, in a world where we anglers can always seek solace in our toolkit of ‘anglers attributes’ –
Unshakeable optimism – time and again we return to our pursuit of an often unseen quarry. We show faith in locations and approaches that may, just perhaps, prove successful. They are by no means guaranteed.
Burgeoning anticipation – a childlike excitement takes over ahead of a day’s angling. This can reach the same intensity as was felt fifty years ago, irrespective of outcomes on previous endeavours. Despite often struggling to sleep the night before, we are seldom late for a day’s angling.
Unquestionable patience – the innate ability to sit, watch, listen, observe, ponder, contemplate and consider. The possibility of success is enough.
Flawless respect – for each other, for the fish we pursue, for the natural world, its flora and fauna and their habitats; in short, compassionate to our countryside, without exception.
A balanced outlook – over-excitement and the depths of despair are avoided regardless of our successes. Failures are viewed as learning opportunities. The satisfaction of every ‘win’ is enjoyed to the full but a calm, considered ‘flat-line’ emotional response is maintained throughout.
(Note, however, that exceptional circumstances may arise that can challenge this calmness. Perhaps this when bankside vegetation manages to snare our favourite float, an unexpected leak occurs in a boot or wader, unfathomable tangles get the better of us or that much-prized fish eludes capture right at the net. These are exceptions to the rule. At such times, an emotional response can be deemed utterly warranted).
Unerring contentment – irrespective of any catches, we are better off, not worse off, usually returning relaxed and recharged from a waterside day. We consistently find joy in the little, simple things in our natural surroundings.
When the worlds of angling and writing cross paths, the question of ‘What’s In Your Bag?’ often arises. I’d like to think all anglers carry the above attributes with them ‘in their bag’, to be called upon as the basis of all their undertakings.
It is this toolkit that will continue to provide us with a much sought-after antidote to life’s many challenges. When we once again face the turning of a page, it is these attributes that stabilise us through times of change. They are our very foundation; they form the datum by which we conduct ourselves, no matter what new chapters lie in our path.
Writing & Images – Carl Hier, Winter 2026
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