I wasn’t originally due out until Wednesday afternoon this week, and even then, it was only going to be a quick one-nighter because of family commitments. Over the weekend, I’d glanced at the weather forecast, but these days I’ve lost all faith in their ability to get it right beyond 12 hours. So, I didn’t pay it much attention.
By mid-afternoon on Sunday, I’d already cancelled my Monday gardening job, and it soon became apparent that rain was on the cards pretty much every day until Friday. After lunch on Monday, I had another good look through all my weather apps, comparing each one to try and gauge what was actually going to happen. That’s when the idea hit me — maybe I should just go after all.
The wife was happy for me to get out for a couple of nights, and it actually suited things better if I was back home from Thursday onwards. I’d already started sorting my gear on Sunday evening anyway — the rain was hammering down outside, and with the wife out with a friend, there wasn’t much else to do until the F1 started at 5pm. So, the session started taking shape, even if it wasn’t exactly planned.
I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself;
My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl!
I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes.
My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband.
This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It's an amazing change to the way I am able to fish.
I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work.
Richard
UK Carp & Coarse Fishing 