accidental

Thanks so much to everyone for all the positive comments about the Bhutan episode of The Accidental Angler. It is great to know that we hit the mark. The fishing content might be too light for some, but in defence I'd say that the series has definitely captured the attention of people who wouldn't otherwise watch a programme about fishing. I think that does more good for fishing in the long run than risking losing that part of the audeince by making the programme too technical. Getting the balance just right is tricky I admit, and it is good to be made to think about these things. mickeythemackerel asked how I got involved with the BBC. I was very lucky. I write about fishing in a few magazines. On the back of that I wrote a book two years ago, and the BBC liked the combination of travelogue and fishing and thought it had potential for a series. The commission took nine months to get the green light though, and nearly didn't make it. There's been much comment about the walking stick: I did bring it back, though it is six inches shorter (to fit in my bag). I'm chatting to the Willd Trout Trust about giving it to them for their auction, hoping it may raise a bob or three for their conservation work. As for the Hindustani Ambassador – I stand corrected !! Thanks for that. Thanks again everyone. I hope you like tonight's programme in Brazil. best fishes, Charles R-W.

Well, thanks again! If Jeepster can let me know his email I can always let the BBC know about him if we make more progs. I do not chose the crews though!! Den, of course a prog like that will be criticised. Fair enough. I'd like to read endless praise, but I never expected to and well meant criticism is just fine with me. Mike T: there is a DVD, or at least I have a copy, but I don't know when it will be on general release. My book is out now. It has four stories related to the BBC progs and nine more that are just travelogues and pieces about fishing – sea trout in Southampton, tope in the Wash, the Seychelles etc.. Tap The Accidental Angler into Amazon: they're doing a biggish discount at the mo. You can buy with Yates' very good book for a special deal too. Waveney One: I think it would be very interesting to go over there with some carp experts (I am not one!). I tried to set up a running rig with a boom and was scowled at by Suhban (in a nice way)! He is a brilliant guide, but perhaps the preferred tackle could be experimented with. The problem though is you get so few hits, you don't want your experiment to go wrong. It may be your only chance. Maybe the hooks could be a bit smaller. Maybe the raggi could be smaller or even flavoured. I haven't used a hair rig: does it run a risk of hooking the fish outside the mouth? I reckon the biggest problem might be the line you have to use. Maybe the mahseer are wising up to 50lb mono, but I don't think there is any choice. Braid would cut through on the rocks. best fishes, Charles R-W.

I know your forum isn't technically "feedback" but many thanks to everyone for all the positive comments and thanks also for the positively meant critical comments. I have no idea if I'll get a chance to do more shows with the BBC, but if I do all your comments will be useful. A few of you made the point that the BBC is never going to make a through and through angling show for a prime evening slot on BBC2. This is true, I'm sure. This format – which is new – was an attempt to bring in people, landscape, culture, history, all centred around the wonderful fish that are the reason for the journey – whether that's London or Bhutan. The idea was to create something that would appeal to a wider audience – and of course bring the wonders of fishing to a wider audience. Loads of people liked the mellow pace of the mahseer episode – though obviously some didn't. Noddy Holder on Radio 2 last night said the show went a long way to explaining the fascination and compulsion of fishing. He doesn't fish. Found it boring as an idea. Now he's interested. That's a result. The show got Pick of the Day in every weekend paper I read and a great review in the Times on Monday. I did Midweek on Radio 4 on Wednesday and a load of BBC regional radio shows. Though each interview tended to start with the "I always thought fishing was dull" premise, none of them ended like that. All of that exposure was really positive, and has to be good for the sport. I doubt we'd have got it with a hardcore fishing programme. Comparisons with the brilliant Passion For Angling are always going to be hard to live up to. But this is a new format, so to the doubters I'd say please give it time. I have to agree that I am definitely not the consummate TV presenter. I never pretended to be. I'm a writer. One thing I'd decided at the outset was to be myself, and not to try the hyped up style that I personally find a little grating sometimes. I wanted my style to be "look at and enjoy what I'm looking at" not "look at me". But it is very tricky "relating" to a camera. I think (hope) I got better as the filming went on. For the too observant among you, you might find the following interesting: I caught two mahseer, one of 25 lbs, one of 30 (though Saad reckoned 35): hence the writing on the jeep. The cameraman was ill in hospital with de-hydration and sun-stroke on that day. The director stood in filming the second fish, though the crew were downstream when it was hooked. It is very tricky being in the right place at the right time, all the time! I'm sorry I seemed too unexcited for some. I was simply in awe of this wonderful fish, and felt a quiet tone would show it due respect. Anyway, cheers again for all the support and favourable comments. I hope you like the rest of the shows. Charles R-W PS One last small point in answer to one well meant criticism: I don't use unhooking mats. If I'm releasing a fish I like to keep it in the water as much as I can. In fact I had a gentle hold on that little mahseer – even though it was wriggling – and I kept it in the water.

The delay is because the BBC has a Top Gear sized hole to fill in its schedule and loads of stuff has been moved around as a result. Blame poor Mr Hammond for crashing his dragster. Weds 8pm is a good slot though. Accidental

The programmes are now going out from Weds 22nd November 8pm. They may move again, but I'll post another note if they do. You won't find the programmes wall to wall angling, but we'd have never got the commission for that. The idea was to produce something the whole family can watch, that will interest people who are not necessarily into fishing – maybe they'll even get into it as a result. That would be great. Whether we've achieved that time will tell. It all happened because I did a book two years ago called "Somewhere Else" which had this mix of travelogue and fishing, and on the back of that got chatting to the BBC about how to make it all work for telly. I'm a writer, not a TV presenter, so I fear the dodgiest part of the whole thing will be me talking to this weird lump of glass and metal. I got more used to it as we went on, but never found it easy. The four programmes have us looking for a wild trout in London – this was all about rivers dying, rivers coming back to life (we tried to make sure we had a strong conservation theme in each show) – trying to catch a mahseer in the Cauvery River in India – looking for peacock bass in the Amazon guided by Caboclos Indians – and lastly to Bhutan, on the trail of the Loch Leven trout that were taken to Kashmir in the 19th century and then on to Bhutan in the fifties. We end up climbing to a lake at 4500 metres to catch trout taken up there by petty criminals as punishment. Poor bastards, the climb was unbelievably knackering – and I was only carrying a stick! If the shows get good ratings then there's a good chance they'll ask for more. That's not bribery by the way! best fishes, The Accidental Angler. (No, I didn't think of that title)