Tuesday 10 July 2018

One Thousand Posts!


Blogs by there very nature are self-indulgent, and milestone blog posts are the most self-indulgent of them all - blogging about blogging! And for this post I make no apologies...


Yeah, this is post number 1,000! It’s been 10 years since I started blogging my fishing exploits; 4,500+ comments have been added and the site has been viewed more than 500,000 times.


In that time I’ve caught 216 pike including 5 twenties, 568 barbel including 11 doubles, as well as 54 zander, 31 sharks and five goldfish! And I’ve beat all my personal bests (except salmon).


There have been 300+ Jack’s Pike comic strips which went on to be featured in a number of magazines and even an animated short. And spin-off Fluff Chuckers appeared in Total Flyfisher for 5 years.


I’ve met a bunch of interesting people through the blog, some on the riverbank, some by bloggers meeting up. Great fun, and my fishing has improved by sharing knowledge with other keen anglers.


I’ve been back through looking at some older adventures; exploring a new river with Dan, trips back to home turf River Wye, away days with James, shark fishing with Paulos - far too many to list fully.


Perhaps the heyday of blogging has passed, overtaken by Facebook and Instagram where you just see the end result, not the effort. But I prefer reading blogs, and I’m glad you still read mine.


It started as a diary, so I could see what I was doing this time last year or 6 years ago and if nobody reads it, I’ll still blog. But I love the comments and love reading other blogs so long may it continue...

Thanks for reading, and keep blogging!

10 comments:

  1. In to the 8th year with mine Brian, so catching you up :), good effort though, with so many blogs not lasting it's good that some stick around and have no intention of slowing up.

    Keep up the good work !!!

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    1. Where has the time gone? What started as a simple list of catches, inspired by other blogs, has developed into a full diary!

      No intention of slowing up!!

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  2. Keep it going Brian, you're energy is admirable and your results well deserved. Your blog shows the development of an avid angler whereas mine seems to have chronicled ones demise. Maybe we should fish together - attached by jump leads so I can share some of the verve :o)

    Jack's Pike and the new carpy stuff are brilliant and should be available on T shirts - I'd have the "Dear God give me a run..."

    Blogs are a dying art but your's has legs so let it run and run until you get a loach on rod and line.

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    1. When I started I was just a pike angler, it’s quite nice to look back at the development in fishing for other species - and I’ve still got lots to learn!

      And I think I might have at least one more Jack’s Pike book in me. I don’t sell many t-shirts though.

      I’m hoping there is a thirty pound pike out there somewhere with my name on it, been after one for over thirty years now... But I’ll try and get a stoneloach in the mean time!

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  3. Lovely stuff and enjoyable to read

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    1. Cheers Baz, it’s turned into a hell of a lot to read!

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  4. I don't sense a slow down in your quest anytime soon, if anything, you'll be dragging me out for a few hours to break up the monotony of shitty nappies and endless insomnia!

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    1. There is so much left to catch. And more importantly to see and learn. Yeah, I’ll drag you out, might need a net-man and photographer..!

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