About Me

I started fishing as a junior back in the 80's, my dad would take me all over the place,

Lakes and Rivers, Canals we went everywhere. I miss fishing with my dad, I must go and see them soon. Both my parents have been so supportive during this difficult time. I was good at fishing, in fact I was very good at fishing. I was second best intermediate back in the 90's and was even looked at for the England Team! It was a sport I loved and clearly had a talent for. Sadly I gave it all up! I had been groomed and sexual abused during my teenage years and the toll had already started to effect me. Anti Depressant's and psychotherapists appointments the works. I wish I had the strength to tell them what went on, but I didn't. Instead I dealt with my child abuse by hiding it all away, burying it deep down in some pit in my stomach. Through hard work, gambling, drugs and alcohol their it stayed for over thirty years, waiting and waiting. In August 2022 I had just come back form a family holiday, that Monday morning back at work, well that's when it happened! That's when my head exploded, and I had a huge mental health breakdown. Since that moment life got hard, very hard and very quick. I would and someday still can spend all day locked away in my bedroom hiding from the world. Some days too scared to walk down the stairs, who knows what might be hiding! I've always liked fishing and the lake that I grew up fishing is only a few minutes walk from my house, so what better thing than to get back out there and get back on the bank. I've not fished the lake for over thirty years. It was a practice lake back in my junior match days, a practice venue the juniors used to use. Mainly practicing the pole and catching Roach, Skimmer. Perch and my favourite fish the Tinca Tinca. I set myself a challenge, a challenge to get me out the house and to try and interact with the world. Hopefully it wont be a scary as I think it will be! After a couple of trips catching some good bags of Bream, with a healthy dose of panic attacks thrown in. I was closing in on my first challenge. To catch over 100lb of Bream in a day, and the 1st August 2023 was the day it was all going to happen. But it didn't, when I got down to the lake that morning, the most horrendous sight was seen. The lake had suffered a huge oxygen crash overnight and there were thousands of fish floating in the margins. It was devastating Bream and Tench up to10lb. Huge Pike and tonnes and tonnes of silver fish. The club and the Environment Agency did a great job saving what fish they could, and  clearing up the countless dead and decaying fish. The only thing good that happened with the lake over the next few weeks and months, was the hardy carp had survived. I've done most type of fishing in my life course ,sea and fly but I've never been really interested in catching carp. I'm one of these anglers who always likes to be be catching fish and not waiting days or weeks sat behind an alarm, waiting for a bite! I didn't have a choice though, I'm still too scared to walk past a set point on this lake let alone start fishing somewhere else, somewhere out of my current comfort zone. I had to start carp fishing or simply give it up again. Challenge 2.0 was set, catch a 20lb carp from the lake. I thought it was going to be easy as the lakes full of big carp. Six month it took me, six long months of sitting on the bank not catching a single thing. The only thing for me to enjoy was the total peace and tranquillity of it all, stunning sunrises over the lake in the mornings, watching the mist rise above the lake. The moody fire red sky as the sun sets in the evenings. The wildlife visiting me, them big green and blue dragon fly's. Robins singing away, sometime sitting on my rods, I love feeding them maggots. Kingfishers and Grey Herons flying around all day long, Buzzards and Red Kites circling overhead, the majestic swans and baby signets swimming up and down. The tranquil sounds of nature surrounding me, I guess it wasn't a bad place to be!

I was inspired so much how nature has helped me with my own personal struggle with diagnosed Complex PTSD. If only there was a sport that  you could take part in, a sport that keeps you there just a little bit longer. Fishing 4 Mental Health, nature and fishing have offered me a quite space, a semi safe space where I can go and be amongst nature. It has inspired me to start up a campaign all to raise awareness of the benefits of fishing, a set day every year where we can all help! I think its going quit well.

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I'm not saying fishing is the cure and its going to help everyone. However what I am saying is this, any time you can spend outdoors and amongst nature,  getting that vitally important Vitamin sunshine that we all need to thrive. Well its better than staring at the same four walls!

Take it from someone who know.