‘A look at what lies behind the saying ‘everyone loves a good story’…
From the ancient Greeks to Shakespeare and right up to present times, storytelling has been an integral part of being human. In our early years, we are taught simple children’s tales that aim to capture our imagination and underpin our future development. As we grow and encounter more complex stories, we look for a memorable character, an emotional connection, whether reading a book, sitting in a cinema, visiting the theatre or in more recent times, listening to podcasts or watching streamed TV series.
Children’s stories capture the imagination
Some historical scholars view the beginning of storytelling as a critical milestone in the evolution of human beings, allowing us to become a dominant species. Its core power lies in its ability to convince, to achieve consensus and allow co-operation amongst large numbers of people – some of humankind’s biggest achievements are viewed by some as being facilitated by proficient story tellers.
Reaching the moon was thought impossible by many and was a mere figment of people’s imagination until the early 1960s. John F. Kennedy is viewed as someone who utilized powerful words and stories to galvanize large scale co-operation across Congress, businesses and the wider country. Describing space as a ‘new ocean’ to explore and saying the country would ‘set sail’ on this new sea, his vision and storytelling skills were seen as triggers for the country’s collective imagination and inspired hundreds of thousands of people to support his ‘adventure’.Other reviews of earlier history point to human tribes with good stories as being the most powerful. Shared stories were needed to convince populations and harness collective efforts. Ancient kingdoms would not have built their temples, dams, granaries and roads otherwise. More recently, inventions such as building methods, cars, aeroplanes and computers would not exist today without their initial ‘story’ being told in order to convince sufficient communities and societies at their outset.
Of course many stories are not epic chronicles of life-changing proportions or global economic importance. Some bring nothing but simple enjoyment, happiness and contentment. However, all stories, short or long, simple or complex, share the same need to captivate and convince an audience.
The best narratives hold an audience’s attention. Whether they are presenting a fictional tale or describing real past events, stories can be full of wonder and emotion. They can entertain, inform, and inspire us; they can frustrate, disappoint and exasperate. They can challenge and change opinions; they can make us laugh and make us cry, sometimes in equal measure. Stories are used by governments, business leaders, industry managers, scientists, teachers, journalists and global organisations to help connect with their audience and make an impact.
Aligning with people’s emotions is the ultimate aim. Compelling stories mix information and detail into the narrative but also trigger emotion and energy in the audience, ultimately becoming memorable. As such, they are a powerful way to persuade, to harness imagination. Achieving enough emotional power in a story to make it memorable is not easy. This makes the difference between an audience rising to their feet with deafening applause and a less enthusiastic apathy and general disregard for the story or its outcome.
Angling has always been, and always will be, a fertile ground for storytelling. Some of those who fish have been charged with blurring the ground between fiction and reality, with time-honoured anecdotes and themes such as ‘the one that got away’ prompting accusations of exaggeration, invention and manipulation of the facts.
Literary history, however, is blessed with many who have achieved strong and meaningful connections with their audience of anglers and lovers of the natural world.
Certain books have enthralled the angling world
Tales from the likes of HT Sheringham, ‘BB’, Arthur Ransome, Clive Gammon, Huw Falkus, Richard Walker, Bernard Venables, Chris Yates and many more have taken us deep into their worlds. Their descriptive, thoughtful words bring their stories to life. Their experiences and knowledge have fascinated us, informed us, persuaded us and entertained us for generations. They may not have prompted journeys to outer space but in many cases they changed the world of angling forever and took millions of its participants along with them. Previously unknown methods, tackle, baits, venues and behaviours of fish were presented in a credible, convincing way. Fundamentally believable, captivating and enthralling, their stories were more than mere informative tales of fish caught and milestones achieved. They were love-letters to their shared piscatorial art. Whilst the collective audience may not have unanimously agreed on all the new approaches offered, the enthusiasm and passion of those special storytellers paved the way for future developments across numerous sectors of angling, many of which are seen as routine practice today.
A shared passion is of course a strong foundation between a storyteller and their audience, but the words must still be pleasing, alluring, stimulating and thought-provoking if the reader is to be transported into the author’s world and become convinced by the narrative.
With good quality storytelling at its heart, long may the angling world continue to provide tales that delight, educate, intrigue and absorb us.
Writing & Images – Carl Hier, South Wales, Winter 2025
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