CREEL

Hello and welcome to episode three from EFGEECO.COM. home of Creel podcast. I'm Joff Elphick an angler from Gloucestershire with a passion for split cane, centrepins, and half a pint of gentles. If you've listened to the previous episodes, thank you for coming back again. If it's your first visit do have a listen to the previous recordings.

In this episode - Most anglers will know of the River Severn. A water known for its barbel, chub, salmon , and roach fishing it's a river with a rich history dating back centuries, and it's played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of England and Wales. Stretching approximately 220 miles, it stands as the longest river in the United Kingdom.

The ancient Celts named it Sabrina, a nod to their mythology where a nymph named Sabrina drowned in the river, giving it a name that resonates through time. The Welsh named it Hafren. The River Severn serves as a natural boundary between England and Wales for a significant portion of its course. Its waters have witnessed pivotal moments in history, from Roman invasions to medieval trade routes. The river's strategic importance endured through the ages, contributing to the establishment and growth of settlements along its banks.

Navigating through picturesque landscapes, the Severn has been both a lifeline and a barrier, fostering diverse ecosystems and shaping the identity of the regions it touches. It's currents hold tales of trade, folklore, and industrialization, making the River Severn a living testament to the intertwined histories of England and Wales.

A year ago I collaborated with Gloucestershire based poet Juliette Morton and musician Oonagh Davies to work as field recordist/audio editor and producer for Juliettes reimagining of the story of Hafren/Severn/or Sabrina first told in Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain (1136) which recounts how one of the first Kings of the Britons, Locrinus, fell in love with Estrildis, a Hun prisoner of war. He kept her underground in a cave and after seven years of their affair, Estrildis gave birth to a daughter she called 'Habren,' another name for Hafren/Severn/Sabrina. Discovering her husband's adultery, Locrinus's wife – Gwendolen – raised an army, killed her husband and drowned Habren and Estrildis in the river in revenge.

On her website Juliette Morton says "...as well as reaching back to one of the founding myths of Britain, the poem connects with the goddess worship cults that were indigenous to the iron age Dobunni and hybridised in Romano-Celt culture – which speak to different ways of connecting with the land".

Juliette supplies the words, Oonagh the music, and I stitch it all together adding field recordings which I hope add atmosphere and sense of place.

In this episode of the podcast from Efgeeco.com Joff talks to Peter Wise a writer from north London in the UK. Via his publishers Cranthorpe Millner Peter has just released his first book Disturbing the Water - thirteen original ghost stories concerning fish, fishing, and fishy places. With reviews in Country Life and Anglers Mail already this book is sure to be in everyone's bivvy for Christmas. A new genre of reading for us at Efgeeco HQ we found each chapter had the hairs rising on our arms chapter after chapter. Peter's knowledge and interest of the past shines through with his accurate portrayal and description of historical periods such as WorldWar II, The Great Patriotic War, and Ukraine. Though based around fish and fishing the stories will appeal to anglers and non anglers alike - rigs and methods aren't described but locations whether real or imagined lead the reader into a believable world that will have them excitably turning the pages and trying to consume all thirteen chapters in a single sitting.

Here's Peter's description of the book...

'This is my first book, a collection of original ghost stories all themed around fish, fishing and fishy places. It's just not aimed at anglers, however, and there's very little actual fishing in it. You certainly don't have to understand or like angling to appreciate it - but you might know a little bit more about what makes us tick by the end of it.

Fish naturally have twists in their tail and so do these stories. Think Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected, with a touch of MR James and Edgar Allan Poe, and just a sprinkling of Izaak Walton.

There's also a goodly amount of real history intertwined with several of them - as befits the story of how it came to be written.

Inspired by a history podcast

Over the years I had vague thoughts of writing fiction but never anything concrete. Then one day in 2021 I was in the bath listening to a podcast called The Rest is History. The subject was the history of ghosts. Suddenly I knew what I wanted to write about.

I resisted the temptation to leap out of my bath like Archimedes and shout 'Eureka' while running through the streets, this being a bit much, even for bohemian Stoke Newington in London where Tive.

My idea was to write ghost stories. But not just your standard stories set in Gothic graveyards, haunted houses or mysterious mansions. All my life I have loved fishing. And it's a pastime that often involves remote places, being on your own, the wind rising, darkness falling....

I spent the rest of the day researching online. It turns out that yes, lots of anglers do claim to have seen ghosts. Over the years, there's been the odd ghost story set in the world of angling.

But there's never been a whole collection of original ghost stories about fish, fishing and fishy places. So I decided to write it.

Elements of real history

As a big fan of history I also knew that I would include elements of history, both real and fictionalised, within the book. The English Civil War, World War II, the Witch Craze and even a Victorian serial killer all put in an appearance.

There are also a couple of other historical episodes which it would spoil the plots to mention here.'

In this first episode of CREEL podcast Joff Elphick heads down to Essex where lifelong angler Steve Chambers has taken it upon himself to start a collection. Not just any collection, but one that takes centre stage in the development and history of UK carp fishing. Steve's collection is one built on pure passion and a love of angling during the period from the late 1940's and into the 50's. His aim is to bring together tackle, writing, rods, reels, and other memorabilia from the single species study group The Carp Catchers Club. Other iconic itms join the show. For a collection that was started just a few years ago Steve has already made impressive inroads in putting together what will in future be a very important collection.

We talk about Dick Walker, Gerry Berth-Jones, May Berth-Jones, Bernard Venables, Maurice Ingham, Chris Yates, and lots more.

Joff gets his filthy mitts on some historic cap rods. He has a waggle with Bernard Venables' landing net - the very net that graces the cover of Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing. He has a pick through Bernard's tackle box, as well as donning the very hat that Chris Yates wore when he caught the record 'Bishop' from Redmire Pool. Some of the earliest electronic bite alams are also discussed. Too many exciting and interesting things to mention. Sit down in front of the fire, make a cup of tea, and and enjoy an hour of angling history.

Go to the EFGEECO website for more interesting articles about traditional angling.

Hello and welcome to 'CREEL' podcast from Efgeeco.com.

CREEL is for the traditional angler, someone who might use a cane rod, maybe a centre pin reel, and someone who still gets a raised eyebrow in the tackle shop when they ask for a pint of gentles or a quill float.

You might use a glass rod with your favourite childhood Intrepid reel, Perhaps you've grown up and now own your dream rod, a split cane Richard Walker MKIV carp rod twinned with a Mitchell 300 from the same era. The one mantra you live by is that your fishing should be fun.You angle to enjoy yourself - a shared morning with friends, a few hours after tea casting a spinner for perch, or maybe a classic June dawn alone, hunkered down quietly between the stands of reedmace as the quill flickers and wavers in response to unseen activity hidden below the water's surface.

Collectors, builders, craftsmen, artists, single species groups, writers and experts are 'CREELS' quarry. We'll bring our discussions to you over the coming months. Follow us to keep up to date with recording schedules and future plans. You can listen to each episode by visiting efgeeco.co. the home of CREEL podcast or you can follow and subscribe from your smart phone using your favourite podcast app. I'm Joff Elphick and I look forward to seeing you there.