Fishing Diary: The Interview Series Part 2

Martin Barnatt

Age, Occupation?

45,Technical support technician for Network Rail

Earliest fishing memory?

Fishing the tiny river Eden with my elder brother and Grandad for minnows, hoping beyond hope for a dace or chub. I'd have been about five I reckon.

Tell us about your brother and Grandad

My older brother only fishes very occasionally now although he was a major part of my formative angling years. He loves the fact he has still caught a bigger freshwater fish than me though- a 27lb 10oz carp.

My Grandad, who passed away some years ago was an incredibly enthusiastic, if somewhat limited tutor. He was our mentor and taxi in those early years. I still fish one or two of the spots he used to take us to. Undoubtedly he was the single biggest factor in starting myself and my brother down the angling road.

When your brother's interest waned what kept you going?

By then I'd already overtaken him as it were. I was taking it much more seriously, whilst he was happily dobbing around. On our regular opening day visit to a local estate lake I wanted to bag up over a hundred pounds of tench, he'd be happy with half a dozen fish.

"Overtaken" suggests a competitive nature?

I suppose so, I dabbled in a bit of match fishing at that time, maybe a little earlier. We are talking late eighties here. We also used to have an ongoing competition throughout the season- me, my brother and a mate. Points per fish (more points the rarer the fish) plus bonus points for size, all organised by my brother. So, yes there was competitiveness to my fishing.

What was your first 'specimen' fish?

If you count double figure Pike then 10lb 8oz in September 1984. I started catching four and five pound Tench in the late eighties, reasonable fish then by our standards.

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Genuine specimen wise then probably a 6lb 3oz Chub from the river Welland in March 1993.

You keep concise records don't you? When did that start, to what extent and more importantly why?

The 'why' is probably down to my brother again. He kept records and also had an eidetic memory so I followed suit. It started in 1984 with that 10lb+ pike which at the time, was my first ever fish over a pound. Initially I recorded every fish over a pound. As I became more successful I imposed certain qualifying weights, which in turn, would be superseded as seemed sensible. I still keep those records and I just like having that history to browse over as and when I wish.

Being the modest chap you are this will probably pain you but give us some stats to amaze us. Chub over five pounds for example?

Two hundred and forty-nine.

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I though I'd reached two hundred and fifty a couple of weeks ago but a recount proved I was still one short.

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Eleven hundred and seventy Chub over four pounds from twenty-three different UK rivers with five pounders from fourteen of those.

Holy cow! How important is confidence in your fishing?

Very. I'm pretty impatient and add to that a lack of confidence in a method or venue it can be tricky.

In recent times you have done well on venues written off by many others. Do you ignore the negatives in angling because your confidence is so fickle or do you just like working venues out for yourself?

I wouldn't say I ignore the negatives completely, there are definitely some issues to address. That said I'm a fisherman so I am going to fish. It has got to the point now where many anglers won't fish some rivers because they believe they are devoid of fish. I've simply never found that to be the case. Rivers are dynamic, they change, populations fluctuate in accordance with many variables; good spawning years and the associated survival rates; predation; abstraction and so many other factors. The only way to find out is to fish. Don't be swayed by possibly outdated, unsupported rhetoric.

You say you're a rubbish caster but out of all the anglers I know if I wanted someone to land some cheese paste on a bait-box lid from twenty-five yards it would be you. Any other talents you want to deny possessing?

You'll say it is false modesty maybe but I genuinely don't think anything I do is very difficult. I'm not a particularly technical or deep-thinking angler. For me, simplicity is the key. I'd like to think I'm pretty useful at clear water fishing in the summer. Spotting fish is probably my strong suit. I generally feel if I can see fish I've got a decent chance of catching them.That said, I have fished with a couple of other 'stalkers' (of fish that is) who are in a different league to me.

Tell us about your river Witham record Barbel.

I didn't really know they were there. I'd heard rumours but I was just looking for another local river to investigate. I found a few on my first visit, then subsequently saw a couple of really big fish. On the day I set out very single minded. I located the fish then baited the swim with hemp and pellets. I had around twenty chub and a dozen barbel feeding. I used red sweetcorn on the hook so I could watch my hook bait. I had to pull it away from several chub and smaller barbel before I got my chance. it took it as good as gold. Tremendous fight, I hoped it was over ten pounds, I was miles out.

What organisations are you involved with?

I used to be involved with the Nene and Welland rivers trust, a regional branch of the Angling Trust but I have drifted away from that recently mainly due to time constraints.
The group I have been most involved with is the Chub Study Group. I joined in 2000, became get-together organiser in 2007 and still am, I love every minute of it.

Favorite fish?

I love tench but it has to be chub

Favourite capture?

7lb river Welland chub

Favourite session?

Twelve hours, sixteen tench, three sevens, two eights, four nines and my current PB of 11lb 2oz. From a venue myself and one other discovered as a tench venue.

Favourite capture by someone else?

Witnessing my friends first double-figure tench, 11lb 5oz. We'd set out hunting down rumours and carp anglers stories on a pit with no other tench history. I was the first person he called. What a fish! I had my first double a month or so later.

The one that got away?

I remember losing a big chub on Throop once. It bothered me at the time but i think I've had bigger since.

Martin lost a perch with me once. I think he's erased it from his memory. He was inconsolable for about an hour. Ed.

Hardest fight?

Overall- Blue Shark
Pound for pound- Wrasse

Hair or no hair?

Hair, I loved my mullet back in the day.

Pet hate?

People moaning about the state of our rivers without going to find out themselves.

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