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Rae Borras joins ‘Black Country' matchman Lee Woodhouse on the Birmingham Angling Association’s stretch of the Staffs-Worcester Canal at Swindon to find out about the association, its waters and how canal fishing has changed since Rae cut his teeth on the Grand Union Canal in London in his youth.
Rae enjoys a tongue-in-cheek match with Lee, although fishing as he is fishing with his dad’s old tackle, including creel, Intrepid Deluxe reel and old cane rod, he’s not really got a lot of chance against Lee and his £2000 pole has he?
The BAA is one of England’s most successful angling associations. Founded in 1883 and once boasting 1200 affiliated clubs and 70,000 members, it’s financially sound and is still acquiring waters to this day.
Rae also hooks up with Ken Giles, former full international, current Veteran’s international and doyen of the Midlands match scene. Ken, who is still fishing regularly and competitively today, talks about big events of the past like the ‘BAA Big Un’, which used to attract an incredible 5000 anglers and how he’s seen fishing change through the years.
One of the highlights of the show is a rare interview with angling journalist, author and broadcaster Ken Cope. Ken, who was the Angling Times’ face of the Midlands angling scene for over 20 years, passed away in early 2009, but leaves a legacy of perhaps the biggest collection of historic angling photographs available anywhere.
Next Rae’s back to the canal where Adam Slade, another ‘proper Brummie’ and young match angler who has already beaten the River Severn match record at the age of 18 with 144lb 10oz, shows him a few tips for fishing caster to pick off the ‘stamp roach’ and chub from cover on the Midlands canals network.
Adam’s obviously feeling brave, as he agrees to let Rae, who by his own admission is not exactly a pole-fishing expert, loose on his expensive gear to try and pick off a decent sized canal chub of his own.
Mind you he’s under pressure, because Lee reckons they are putting him on the best peg for chub on the whole canal!!