The Complete History Of Pole Fishing
Pole Fishing (PF) has been at the forefront of the sport for more than 10 years, but its complete history is one that has seen many changes along the way. Not only has it gone from being a quarterly through to a thriving monthly, but staff changes, evolution of design and the development of its readership have all contributed to make it one of the most pioneering angling publications in the UK.
Launched back in the winter of 1994, the magazine's aim, first and foremost, was to highlight just what could be done with a pole. Back in the mid-1990s, the pole was THE trendy item of kit for any angler to own and it still is today! Poles weren't new by any means - cane roach poles had already been in use for decades in mainland Europe - but it was the change in attitude in terms of how anglers wanted to catch fish that brought about the modern success of pole fishing. Carp were also becoming more popular to catch, and fisheries were being purpose-designed; not for the running-line, but for anglers who wanted to harness the simplicity and accuracy of a pole to bag up.
The magazine was hailed as a success simply because DHP had taken a brave step that no-one else has followed since. It offered the reader more tips than you could shake a pole at, in-depth tackle reviews and advice from the best pole anglers from around the world. Of course, back then it was actually called Advanced Pole Fishing Techniques, a somewhat clumsy title but one that still stood out in a market predominantly oriented to traditional tactics.
By 1996 the magazine had become a bimonthly, such was the interest in this growing branch of the sport. Edited by Roger Mortimer, the man in charge of sister title Match Fishing and highly successful skipper of Keenets Team Central, there was a distinct 'match' feel to the magazine. After all, most match anglers then owned a pole of some description and it became the natural bedfellow to its sister magazine, a title with which DHP had great success.
By 2000, pole fishing in general had become a much more widely recognised technique and PF, although still successful, had almost become 'just another fishing magazine'. Under the guidance of its second full-time editor, former World Champion Dave Wesson, it continued to embrace more of the tackle side of things and showcase more poles – something that other magazines simply didn't have the capacity to do.
Although still carrying the same ideology of 'which pole to buy and how to use it' that had been in place since its inception, the decision was taken by DHP in early 2004 to radically overhaul the magazine. Once again the bar was raised when it came to highlighting just what could be done with a pole.
This is when Pat MacInnes came in. Pat began his career at DHP working on carp fishing magazines, but for as long as he can remember he'd been a match angler first and foremost. David Hall gave Pat the job of taking the magazine to the next level, offering a more rounded magazine to readers who may have previously shied away from the 'Advanced' aspect of the title. DHP also decided that there was enough variety in pole fishing to take the magazine to 12 issues each year, a decision applauded by a readership that was hungry for more and more information.
The first monthly issue was back in July of 2004, offering tuition from England regular Will Raison, features from anglers such as Des Shipp, plus Troubleshooter with Darren Cox, a feature that gave readers the chance to appear in the magazine and be taught first-hand by a big-name angler. Add to this reviews that put the readers first and foremost and the title looked stronger than ever.
With assistant Mark Williams joining the magazine in 2004, Pat and Mark endeavoured to encompass all aspects of pole fishing and cater for all levels of experience. Features included double-figure carp, how to catch barbel on the pole, and challenges to see how the best in the business cope under pressure – these and many other editorial features have proven that the boundaries can be broken down by anyone.
Pole Fishing has now begun a new phase in its colourful life with Jon Arthur taking over the editorship in late 2009. Aided by his trusty new editorial assistant, Tom Scholey, they will endeavour to make the magazine even more upfront, informative and entertaining than ever before!
The ethos that David Hall championed more than 11 years ago, of providing anglers with the right knowledge in an easy-to-follow format, hasn't changed. What has changed is the thought pattern of the anglers who read PF; they're constantly searching for new ways to exploit the potential of their poles, be they beginners with £20 whips or internationals who have the Ferraris of the pole fishing world at their disposal.
Of course, the magazine wouldn't be where it is now without the efforts of the many people who've worked both at the forefront and in the background of its production and they have certainly made it the best magazine in the world for the angler who wants to catch more fish on the pole!
