‘Our old cane rods and ancient reels are testament to our desire for gentle pursuits and a tranquil space in which to ply our craft. We eschew efficiency, modernity and technicality in favour of an erstwhile era where men melded skilled hands, artistry and organic materials into the angling items we cherish today‘
The new river season presents as a blank canvas onto which we hope to brush colour and tone to realise the feint sketches our minds conjured during spring’s interlude. We entrust our aspirations to fate, luck and fortune, and if we attest to the existence of spirits or deities that have such things within their gift, we hope they will favour us with kindness and generosity.
There are precious few certainties as we progress along life’s meandering path; there are twists and turns, and many obstacles to overcome. The most sapient and erudite of men cannot foresee all eventualities; what will be, will be.
I shall plod along at an agreeable pace as the chapters from the book of life unfold; none of us know our story until we turn the page and read the words set out before us. I have plans, not carved in tablets of stone, but malleable and I shall allow them to flex like willows in the wind to fit my fickle inclinations. I will approach nature’s revivification with a nonchalant, whimsical disposition and a cheery mind. I fancythis happy-go-lucky attitude should serve to keep disenchantment at bay. My brush strokes will flow across the canvas, unrestrained by convention or prescribed notions; a rigid or fixed agenda could sully the craft and is definitely res-non-grata.
So much of our lives is governed by custom, etiquette and regulation. We are subjected to rules, laws, responsibilities, protocols and procedures. From infancy we are instructed in what to do, when to do it and how to do it. Our minds become clogged, lacking capacity for freedom of thought and deed. As we romp through life collecting years, trading suppleness of joint and sinew for experience and wisdom, we reach a hiatus. We take stock of ourselves, divest superfluous and unnecessary mind-clogging cerebral ephemera in search of a simpler, less cluttered existence; we seek out havens of calmness, and quietude.
The artful craft of angling has provided the means for many of us to realise a change of pace, perhaps a change of direction and what better way to collect more years, doing and experiencing something that soothes the soul.
A new season promotes vigour and well-being, not just in nature’s flora and fauna but in our spirit. We open our minds to previously undiscovered experiences and revisit familiar places where the new dawn gives fresh perspective to favoured haunts.
Our old cane rods and ancient reels are testament to our desire for gentle pursuits and a tranquil space in which to ply our craft. We eschew efficiency, modernity and technicality in favour of an erstwhile era where men melded skilled hands, artistry and organic materials into the angling items we cherish today. They have lasted a lifetime, will endure during our lifetime and, without doubt, well beyond.
As spring wrestles itself from the grip of another wretched winter, we witness the enchanting manifestation of buds, blossom and blooms, listen to a chorus of birdsong, feel the sun on our faces, smell the freshly mown grass and taste the first spring greens. Notwithstanding nature’s attempts to overwhelm our thoughts and senses with its vernal proliferation, we begin to think about preparations for our summer angling campaign.
There is much to occupy our consciousness during angling’s downtime; doubtless we shall be cleaning, polishing, oiling, maintaining and improving, replacing tired lines on our favoured reels, boiling hemp and engage in all manner of worthy preparations. We shall have the opportunity to read books not yet read and, perhaps, reread old favourites. Plans will be hatched for our fledgling gambit come the glorious 16th; all this feverish activity compresses time and, before we realise, it will seem as though we’ve effected a transtemporal leap to The Glorious 16th.
With our hearts and minds brimming with hope and anticipation we embark on a new journey, following in the footsteps of our much lauded angling heroes; those grandmasters who defined the art of angling, inspiring and motivating us mere mortals. We may not realise our aspirations during this season’s tenure but no matter; there will be others, and some things should be left undone. We wouldn’t want to spoil our canvas by over embellishment.
We will most assuredly, however, enjoy a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction from the artful craft in which we indulge. We may well surpass our previous best achievements and realise an ambition which pushes the boundaries of our abilities beyond expectation. All will be revealed and all in good time.
So, dear reader, I wish you great joy and fulfilment during this new season. May your efforts prove rewarding and worthy of favourable recollection in the years to come.
Writing & Images – Jeremy Croxall, Derbyshire, Late Spring ’25
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