Issue 147

In the latest issue, no 147, of Classic Angling

* Man v swimmer events were once hugely popular, especially in the UK, with tackle makers keen to show off their skills and their latest rods by landing expert swimmers.
* A Cascapedia forerunner that is arguably the rarest of all Hardy reels looks likely to attract big bids. But it turns out that the New Brunswick has a companion reel…
* The Angling Trust has sorted out the vexed issue of transsexuals being allowed to compete as part of an international women’s team.
*Hardy’s has created a set of two limited edition Perfect reels to commemorate the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of King Charles III.
* A mere six out of 931 reported incidents of pollution were attended by the UK’s Environment Agency, a BBC programme has revealed.
* A huge pair of carved salmon caught on the same stretch of river by an Irish nobleman has sold for £25,000 at auction.
* All Our Yesterdays reveals that Norway wasn’t always a mecca for giant salmon. In fact, fishing was very poor back in 1928.
* Neil Freeman has announced that he is giving up the famous Broadlands fishery on the river Test at Romsey that he has managed for the past 15 years.
* The wels catfish has been readmitted to the British record fish lists because it has now been accepted as a naturalised species.
* Fishermen casting a line in the heart of Paris inspired some of the greatest artists like Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.
* Rods and reels owned by the late Chris Ball are among lots that are included in Angling Auctions’ net sale in April.
* If it happened to your pet goldfish, you’d be worried. But some species have benefitted from swimming upside-down.
* John Bailey, who has a spectacular record with huge grayling, finds a new book on the fish inspires some rich memories.
* A historic Farlow cabinet has been rescued from ignominy by the company’s former chairman Richard Hewitt.
* Our books pages assess a two-volume history of Red Spinner AS and others on advanced fly-fishing and running a Scottish fishing guest house.
* A 171ft luxury vessel, set to launch this year, is the world’s largest big-game boat, designed to fish all the world’s oceans.
* The invasive round goby is spreading rapidly throughout Europe and North America, and there are fears that it could soon appear in UK waters.
* Was Henry Jenkins, a keen fisher who died at the alleged age of 169 in 1670, truly the oldest man who ever lived, or were his claims to longevity just another fisherman’s tale?
* Keith Arthur recalls the travel problems that he encountered en route when he headed for big-game fishing off Kenya.
* Steve Woit discovers a mid-1800s leather fly box that is the earliest American fishing item that he has ever found.
* Will your collection continue to appreciate? Jeff Della Mura says it’s time to protect values by taking account of some big changes.
* We uncover a fascinating account of what was like to move a mass of fish more than 100 years ago by horse-drawn cart.
* The notable lots from Mullock Jones and Lang’s sales, like a $6000 ice decoy and a Hardy Zane Grey reel, are highlighted our auction pages.
* Freshwater fishing could become a thing of the past in the next 70 years because of rapidly warming rivers and declining oxygen levels, scientists have warned.
* The Wild Trout Trust’s annual online auction in March will offer more than 300 lots, with guideline prices ranging from just £8 to £1500.
* Almost half the world’s rivers are contaminated with drugs, according to a study. The contamination ranges from antibiotics to tranquillisers.
* Arguably he most sought-after of all US lures, a Haskell Minnow, will be among the lots at Lang’s next online sale on April 26.
* A total ban has been introduced to stop anglers from catching the endangered Macquarie perch in Australia. It was once a dinner staple until the 1950s.
* Grayling are now flourishing throughout Michigan – but not so long ago, the fish was extinct from the state.