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But, as the world returns to normal, the appetite for tales from the riverbank – and the deep sea fishing boat – shows no sign of abating. It’s a taste that was first piqued by Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse’s hugely popular series Gone Fishing, which was as much about the comedy as the catch. Robson Green’s Extreme Fishing series has spawned a small shoal of spin-offs.
Other successes include Deadliest Catch, Wicked Tuna and now the latest cult hit on the block, ITV 4’s Monster Carp.
Even A-list stars, including David Beckham, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Liam Neeson, Harrison Ford and Rita Ora, are hooked on the hobby.
As Rita says: “It’s a random thing to do, but I like it. You just sit there and wait.
Maybe living through lockdown taught us the value of patience in this full-throttle world?
Monster Carp presenters Tom Dove, 33, and Neil Spooner, 41, are convinced that’s a huge factor behind the nation’s growing love affair with fishing shows.
That, and fascinating insights into quirky facts, such as why fish don’t have eyelids, and which breed is the fastest (the sailfish, top speed 68mph).
“Fishing has certainly been one of the winners of Covid lockdowns,” says Tom. “It’s a great outlet for people and the programmes are nice, easy-watching – the sunsets, the countryside.
“I do think fishing can become an addiction! For us, it definitely is. It takes over your mind every single day of the week and for me, fishing is all about the bite and the adrenaline rush of it all. In fact, it could be the best addiction and it is not as dangerous as jumping out of a plane!”
Many new TV angling fans have never put welly to riverbank. Pioneers PaulWhitehouse and Bob Mortimer say their show is not really about fishing at all.
It’s more about their hilarious meditations on life, friendship and death, subjects they both know a bit about after needing life-saving heart surgery.
Other fishing series care more about the catch. Indeed, size really does matter for ITV 4’s Monster Carp, which counts former England goalkeeping legend David Seaman as a fan. Travelling to far-flung places, including Japan and Thailand, Tom and Neil’s sole objective is to catch the “monsters.”
While British carp can weigh over 70lb, their Siamese cousins reach up to 230lb.
The angling enthusiasts, who have been fishing since they were children and have more than 100,000 followers each on Instagram, say the bigger the carp the better. Constantly trying to outdo each other, Neil is currently leading the way with a personal best weighing a whopping 71lb whilst Tom’s is 70lb.
“They are beautiful fish but because carp are so much bigger and stronger, they fight so much harder,” explains Tom. “The adrenaline is so much more than if you caught a bream and I think it is that moment people realise this is exciting.
“I once went to Thailand to fish for Siamese carp weighing more than 170lb. One fish I’d hooked fought so hard, I spent six hours fighting it and trying not to lose it! My back went [trying to reel it in], there had been two storms but we got it in the end and then when we did, after all that, it wasn’t as big as I thought!”
“I can remember spending four months over one winter trying to catch a carp,” interjects Neil. “I’d go out two nights a week in the hope of getting a bite. I didn’t get one but I was willing to sit it out because when you do get a bite, it’s the best thing ever. All the nights you have wasted are gone in the blink of the night!”
They often give the fish they’re chasing names – including a slippery customer they named after the Prime Minister. “There are some names I can’t mention because they are too rude,” chuckles Tom. “And yes, we’ve had a Boris!”
They’ve also found themselves in the unlikeliest of locations.
“We went to the south of France and fished for carp in the middle of a public beach on a massive lake there,” recalls Neil. “You name it, we had everything going on – windsurfers, kite surfers, pedalos, swimmers.”
“It made it unique though and possibly the best adventure we have ever had!”
Tom adds: “And to top it all, Neil caught a 60-pounder which beat all the odds as we thought there was no way this was going to happen when we got there.”
Both men agree that fishing programmes have caught the imagination of viewers because of the entertaining combination of tranquillity and banter.
“We have been fishing for 40 years between us now,” says Tom. “Fishing is about connecting to your soul. Lots of people say it helps clear their mind. It’s a stress-free environment.”
“One thing we get asked a lot is ‘do you get on?'” adds Neil. “They think it is an act for TV but it really isn’t. We are two mates going fishing, taking the mickey out of each other and whoever catches a big carp, you are genuinely pleased for the other.”
Perhaps, that’s partly because the days of trophy fishing are gone. They always return the carp they catch to its natural habitat. Tom explains: “We are very careful with the fish. It’s not the type of fishing where we are trophy fishing and catching and eating them.”
Surely there have been times they have been tempted to fire up a barbecue? “No way,” they reply, though both admit to trying carp once on a trip to Hungary. “It’s their staple diet,” says Tom smiling. “We had fried carp like you get in a fish and chip shop and goulash. Neither was very nice.”
But then Tom’s love affair with the carp, and all its relatives, doesn’t extend as far as the frying pan.
“I don’t actually like fish to eat,” he admits.
Monster Carp returns to ITV4 on July 7 at 8pm. Previous seasons can be downloaded on the ITV Hub
If you’ve been inspired to take up fishing after watching one of the hugely popular TV programmes, then it couldn’t be easier.
According to Monster Carp’s Neil Spooner, a basic set of equipment can cost around £15. You do, however, need to have a licence in England and Wales if you’re aged 13 years and over.
You can fish for coarse fish, eels, rainbow trout and brown trout on most enclosed still waters and canals all year. But you can’t fish for coarse fish and eels on rivers from March 15 to June 15 because that is the close season.
You must also have an additional permit to fish locks and weirs on the River Thames.
For more information about rod licences, go to gov.uk/fishing-licences
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