Jeremy Wade, River Monsters Fisherman

I don't know much about fishing but I watch in amazement the Discovery Channel documentaries. I am touched by Rex Hunt, the nice old man who kisses small fish and let the go back into the water and I'm terrified when I see the huge creatures caught by Jeremy Wade in “River Monsters”. This why I couldn't help it and when I got the change I addressed Jeremy Wade some lady questions to on a men's pursuit.

Jeremy, how did you become a fisherman? Do you need to attend a special school for this “profession”?
I was trained to become a biology teacher and this is what I taught mainly, biology, as well as other scientific subjects. But I gave up teaching quite early. How can I answer this question diplomatically? The public education system in Great Britain leaves much to be desired. As a teacher, one is overstrained and extremely underestimated. I do not doubt that it happens in many countries around the world, but I was exhausted, and felt I no longer have a social life. For a very long time I wanted to write. For a while I even worked as a freelance journalist – I had good moments and worse ones. I learnt how to write articles for magazines and newspaper which, in time, I got published and enjoyed enough success. I eventually started working in television. But in my career as a journalist in the written press, I specialised and grew more interested with fishing. I would write about several things, in general, but this was my main topic of interest. There was, therefore, a sort of an evolution. Furthermore, I still want to learn and this is what brings many satisfactions in the show: I know many children are watching and many people say that the show is not only entertainment, but that they also learn a lot of new things. So I can still say that I still feel that I am involved in education.

Your show is now in its third season and meanwhile you caught many monsters. Is there still enough fish left so you can continue for some time with your show?
That's a very interesting question, because there is on this world an infinite number of fish suitable to what we're looking for. As a result, as time goes by, things get more and more complicated. So far I presented all sort of “striking” fish, with big teeth and so on, but we are now presenting fish that chose smart methods to make them dangerous. Although I have to say that in the 3^rd Season, there is a true heavyweight champion – the largest river fish I have ever caught: an Argentinian stingray. This was a personal record, meaning that it took me the longest to catch – early four hours. But it's growing more and more difficult to find new fish. It is interesting that we got feedback from the viewers and some of the stories we're presenting now are things that they told us, so the series is somehow in a phase of selfgeneration. Although the 4^th Season hasn't even been announced yet. For the moment, we're working on Season 4, but I think that it is possible to close there the “River Monsters”series. The condition of the world's rivers is not that great and there is only a limited number if large and/ or dangerous fish. We must therefore be creative in search of our subjects... But I believe we're close to the end of the series.

After having built such a career of an extreme fisherman, will you every be able to simply go fishing on a quiet Sunday afternoon, on a river bank? In other words, did this desire to only go fishing for large fish influence in any way your everyday experiences?
For a veru long time, the answer to this question would have been yes. Actually, I haven't been fishing in England for ages, because I didn't have neither the time, nor the energy. Plus, you get to a point where you only want to go fishing for large or exotic fish... After a while, you eventually return to simple, basic things. Now I am looking forward to the time when I'll  be able to sit on a river bank in England, because these places became very quiet lately. There was a time when I gave up fishing in England because it was crowded everywhere, and you bumped into a lot of people anywhere you went... But now people seems to prefer go fishing on large lakes, do that rivers have become quieter places. A few years ago I even fished carp in a pond and I liked it the way the fish came up to my feet... Do yes, I believe I am ready to repeat it when I get some time.

Did you ever come across a completely unusual species, that you have never seen before?
I have heard before about most fish that I am trying to catch – but it is possible that there are some which I have never see before, not even in photographs. A good example is a sword-fish in the 3^rd Season. I have read about something like this in comic books when I was little. The most unusual creature – a fish with a sort of protruding snout, bordered by teeth.  But I have never seen any photo of such a real fish. Actually, I was assuming that the species was nearly extinct. It once used to be a quite common fish, but it is extremely rare now, especially because its protruding snout keeps getting caught in fishermen nets. It seems these fish swim for a while upriver and then go into the sea I've seen many fish of up to 3 metres long. It was incredible as they were still young... It looks strange, like a sort of a shark with a flat front snout. They have an extension like a sort of a hacksaw at the end of the snout. It was a surprise to me because I never thought I'd ever get to see such a fish for real.

Tell me about your favourite “toys”, your fishing rods. Are they expensive, are they hand made? What sort of equipment do you have?
You might be expecting me to be using state of art technology when I actually prefer fishing rods I make myself. One thing I've learnt in my journeys, and especially in my work with local fishermen, was to improvise. It is fantastic to go fishing with threads from a spider web. I've done it in the Solomon Islands: only used natural elements, such as banana tree leaves. I also used a fishing thread, but also threads from a spider's web, but I had no rods, nor hooks. I like to see such things, because I believe fishing is an excellent creativity lesson, forcing you to handle with what you get at hand.

Are you only using your own fishing rods?
I like to take my own equipment even when I'm filming, because I want to be using equipment I can rely on and things I know I maintain myself. The fishing rod must be in good conditions. Most of the times, you won't find the things I use on a shelf on the shop. I also use these “ready made” things but I'm trying not to do it very often. I like to be very familiar with the equipment I use. As for the way in which I travel with these tools I must say that fishing rods are a curse, because it is very difficult to travel with them. They are heavy and are not foldable. If I ever get the time, I'll build some foldable fishing rods – I once did them myself. But now I only have a collection of fishing rods of various shapes and sizes. It includes all sort of curiosities, things of unusual shapes, and I always have to open my luggage and explain what's in it. Lead can also be a problem. I use lead on many of my fishing rods and it doesn't help much I like travelling light and I like the freedom light luggage can give you, but unfortunately,  when it comes to fishing tools, even if you limit yourself to basics, you get to a volume of stuff very uncomfortable for travelling.

And there I was, thinking that only ladies travel with large luggage; now I get fishermen don't have it easy either...
Indeed, it is difficult to transport my fishing tools. But I am proud that of the volume of tools I take along is still small when compared with all I could take in order to be fully covered. I would need a wheelbarrow to carry everything. But, as I said, it can get very complicated, especially with the fishing rods. Is is also a great discipline exercise when you try to limit yourself to an absolute minimum. It is easier when you are a simple traveller travelling with a small bag. I like doing it but I rarely get a chance to.

Thank you, Jeremy. Watch out for the monsters and tight line to you!