Evolution of an Angler

Duncan Charman's love of fishing started when at just five years old, he would winkle out two-inch rudd, one after another, from a local farm pond under the watchful eye of his father, Tony. Duncan began to test his angling prowess by fishing Oakhanger Angling Club's junior matches and soon became one to watch when dipping his hand in the peg bag. However, his successes were interspersed with the occasional bitter cold day's blank and the heart-sinking words, 'Sorry mate, eels don't count!' That's when Duncan made the transition into the world of specimens, where two-inch rudd became two pounders and where 6lb eels most certainly did count. Regular photos in the angling press and captures of record proportions gave way to the penning of articles, and with a big fish never far away, Duncan was never short of a word or two. Duncan is now bordering on being a fulltime angler and regularly features with Keith Arthur, in the Bothy, on Sky Sports Tight Lines, as well as creating Internet videos for Coarse and Match Fishing Monthly. Since completing his first magazine article over a decade ago, Duncan has compiled hundreds of features for most of the top titles such as Angler's Mail, Angling Times, Coarse Angling Today and Total Coarse Fishing. He also writes for Blinker, one of the biggest publications in Europe, is a patron for The Thames Anglers' Conservancy and is now a professional angling coach, guiding others anglers toward catching the fish of their dreams. Fishing was Duncan's first love and it will be his last.

Table of Contents:
The early days, A friendship to this day, An eel goldmine, Thorpe Park, France, A place to settle, Perch paradise, Crucian carp, Pumpkinseed British record, Old Father Thames - carp, Itchen to get at the ladies, Plugging at night, Carters Hill and Stanford End, Some venues are kind, Spanish cats, Silver bream British record, Roach captures - the last few years, Are we guesting? Yep! Brief encounters, Paradise lost, My second home, Zander, The tale of two fifties, Chub: Saviours of the winter, The fish I wish I'd never caught, twice!, Two fourteens, A needle in a haystack, Mullet madness, Westhampnett revisited, The journey continues, Guiding: A new direction.