Why I don’t use a DSLR anymore and how I’ve become to love my camera phone.  I’m not sure when I started using SLR cameras for my fishing and other types of photography. I do love taking photographs and have done it for many years. Once I saved up enough money, I switched over to a Canon 350D for my first one and then started to collect different sorts of lenses over the years which meant I got an even bigger bag. At one point in time, about 14 years back, when I was disillusioned with fishing, I considered selling all of my fishing kit, going full-on photography crazy, getting a monster telephoto lens and going on a few courses. But, fishing grabbed me back again and I spent 7 years fishing on the Hampshire Avon away from the crowds instead.

One of the things that started me carrying less kit was river fishing, especially when night fishing you really need less kit. This was the time I swapped over to a Canon G5 or G6, I had two – one for each bag. If I was going for a short evening trip I would still bring my camera bag, I liked taking photos of scenic aspects of the river and the wildlife. I’d spend many hours taking photos of the Barn owls flying over the misty meadows instead of actually fishing. The bailiff would ask if I’d seen anything and I’d give him a list of the wildlife I’d seen when he really wanted to know about the fish.

Then slowly put surely Android phones came along. I was using my phone more for writing and taking the odd photo, it was easier than sitting down a few days later and trying to piece together something. At this point in time, I was still working in shipping doing 12/13 hour days week in week out, ships never stop coming and the more I could simplify this process the better

I started this website back in 2012, nearly 10 year’s ago. I think that also played a part in me switching over to my phone for all my needs. When I was fishing Petersfield Heath Lake and Westhampnet Lake, where the walk was metres and not miles, the DSLR would come along, but over time it, unfortunately, ended up in the loft in its bag. It wasn’t long after that when I switched over to a bridge camera – the Panasonic Tz 70 (I believe). This was an amazing bit of kit, it rekindled my love for wildlife and scenic shots once again.

But as time progressed and the advice of technology, camera phones were catching up and the simplicity of use was really catching on with the younger generation and the social media side of things. This certainly fuelled the advancement evermore. Instead of upgrading my kit, it was all sold off and I had become part of the photography on the phone brigade. It was hard to explain to the purists of the fishing photography world that it was (and is) very much part of the modern-day angler kit. The advancement over the past 8 to 10 years is truly amazing.

I have just recently upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra from my old S8 Plus. It had really outlived itself a number of years ago and with my fishing being closer to a car park over the past few years, occasionally I’d thought of a new DSLR, but the cost and the memory of an extra bag, it never came about.

This new phones camera feature is something to behold and unless I win the lottery, I very much doubt a new or even second-hand DSLR will come my way again. I’m completely sold on the abilities, that a camera phone can play a part in the fishing industry, photos on social media are now just one small part of a larger ‘experience’. Most people actually watch and browse fishing photos, videos, websites on their phones these days and the capability of each person’s phone will affect the quality of their experience, this also applies to my S21 Ultra.

As I’ve recently written about me (yet again) downsizing my kit, to have only one trip from the car and more mobility. I think it’s an age thing and once I get myself an electric barrow which I think is inevitable for me. You can laugh when you see it overloaded and stacked high with a kit, but until that time, less is more.

I can write, video, take photos, piece together my blogs, edit my videos into bite-size parts that I can number and simply upload once I’m home. I just add the finishing touches at home.

I’m completely sold on the camera phone now as to purchase an equivalent DSLR would cost me a fortune and isn’t something I would consider anymore, as the capabilities are amazing.

Firstly – night shots, the below photo was taken at 9 pm at night with it set on night shot mode.

You can see that my bivvy light is on and the shadow line on the grass.

The zoom is pretty amazing and when the camera is on a tripod, it’s just outstanding.

View across the lake and zoomed-in x30 towards the tree it’s possible to zoom in an x100.

I’ve never been able to achieve this on a camera phone before.

Unfortunately, I’ve not had many sunsets or rises recently, but the vibrant colours you get this time of the year, are definitely being picked up more than my previous phone.

I understand that I’m likely to get a bit of stick over these. But for the modern-day angler, with a family that no doubt already has a camera phone, why would they feel the need to purchase a DSLR when their phone can clearly do the job. I understand that fishing companies when taking stock photos and filming videos promoting their brand should use the real top-end kit. There’s definitely a place in the business for the self-employed photographer, they are clearly a cut above the rest. I’m forever taking notes and trying to replicate people’s style, but I don’t want the everyday angler to feel the need/pressure to be at the same level as this part of the industry. Just concentrate on your fishing and take note of how the professionals use the background and settings to their advantage and you will be able to replicate something similar without the need for a rucksack full of kit.

I hope this helps

Until next time

Richard

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Looking Back Over 2015 Part 8 of 10

With the success of the previse session of looking back over the year’s, I’ve decided to go back even more. This series off podcast will feature 2015 grouping multiple trips in one long podcast, from pike to carp fishing and easy lakes, to the big water I love to fish so much.

Trip No 81 Carp Fishing (2015)

Part 9 of 10 will follow in a couple of weeks

Until then Richard

Mental Health & Fishing

I thought I would share how I believe fishing has helped me get through all the years of suffering and into many more.

My depression started, way back when I had no idea what was going on.  It is only in the past twenty years when the illness has been brought out into the open and less of a stigma attached to it.

Unfortunately, there is still a vast gap between people who suffer and people who don’t.  There is just no real way to explain that one second I can be perfectly ok and the next unbelievably sad and wishing I could burst out crying.  Which in a nutshell, is how I have lived my life for decades, there is no trigger that I can spot.

I was prescribed medication a good number of years ago and took them for about a year when things were really bad.  But after reading lots about the long time side effect, I discided this was not the way forward for me and I just have to deal with this down moments in time my own way.

What I (and my wife) noticed it never happened when I was fishing.  In some ways, I thought was odd, as I generally fish alone and have done for many years.  I think we fish better like this; don’t get me wrong, you can see from my blogs over the years I have started to fish more, with other people.  I often wondered whether it was due to having fewer things going on.  Which can’t really be the case, when you consider how much time I have spent by myself before I took redundancy.  Work was so full-on, over 12 hrs a day and my mind was occupied with work 24/7, it still would kick in but a lot less.  However, over the past 4 winters, since finishing my shipping days and doing gardening now, the Winter months have become less active for both work and fishing.  There is a clear difference between the weeks where I can fish and the weeks I can’t.  I have come to realize that fishing is definitely my happy place or it could be just getting out into the countryside and the freedom of it all.  For me it’s the best therapy there is and I’m not sure where I would be without fishing.  There has been the odd time where I just could not get out of bed, but I found that I just had to go and tell myself, just go for a walk around the lake.  Inevitably, I would stay and fish, probably not to the best of my ability, however, I was out there.  It also goes without saying that my wife & family have been so understanding and letting me out in the bank all these years.

I have also found that it’s a great satisfaction for seeing my friends catch carp – it must be the emotion of the moment which rubs off on me.  I get a great sense of well being.

I do hope this helps people and maybe, it’s worth taking up fishing of some sort.  It may just turn out to be the best therapy you can ever get.

Richard

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Consultant For

This will be my last few nights on Meadow Lake. I very nearly headed down to Airfield Lake, but as Ian pointed out on the phone this morning, discussing our options, this will be the last chance for a monster or two before the battle against the 15lbers to capture an Airfield 30. The ratio is much better here (Meadow Lake). You are certainly up against it there.

There was really no other /better option than returning to this swim, after my results over the past 3 weeks. So, that’s what I did. There were 8 other anglers on when I arrived and by nightfall, it was 10! I’m hoping this doesn’t affect the fishing too much.

The afternoon was spent in the sunshine with a couple of glasses of red, and then it was tea time (cooked on the Weber).

This is certainly the lifestyle I like. It seems a lifetime ago when the UK was put into lockdown and I was forced to stay at home. It seemed to last forever at the time.

The sun was setting, and we were heading into the first night, full of anticipation of what was to come (after what has happened in the last few weeks). We’d seen plenty of carp activity over the whole lake today and there’s every chance of a bite tonight.

The night was a non-event for me, I’m not sure about Ian yet, as he has not made contact with me this morning. Hopefully, we are still in with a chance for a morning bite. I have a feeling the guy to my right is cutting the fish off from my spot unless they approach from a different direction. He is off today and that should up my chances. My long rod should hopefully pick up any fish coming off the plateau and is well away from any other anglers. This is my reason for putting that one out there again; despite the lack of action over the past weeks.

With the lovely sunny day not producing anything, I changed over my hook baits and got them back perfectly on the spot. Fingers crossed for a bite tonight. 

What a stunning evening it is, I wonder if the carp will come out to play. It’s certainly looking like it could be hard work this week, fingers crossed for tonight. 

Well, another night passed by with no action, which really isn’t good news. I need to put some thought into how to approach the last night of my trip, try to turn things around, and get a fish on the bank. It would be nice to get one more before the lake closes at the end of March. I’m unable to return before that, which means today and tonight will be my only hope.

The last day went by (as always) peacefully in the sunshine, with fewer anglers and the ever possibility of a take at any moment. I opted to not put any more bait out and not even reel my rods in. I’m 100% confident they are all perfect and the least disturbance out on my swim the better. I’m up early tomorrow morning, it’s Mother’s Day (in the UK) and we will be off to the seaside to visit my Mother-in-Law and then out for tea.

Well, that was a pretty rubbish 3 nights on the bank for me and Ian. I was up early and home by 8am. Ian messaged me that he also had no bleeps last night, he has a few hours left, so I’m even hopeful that he will catch before he reels in.

Until next time

Richard

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The discount code applies to the entire order when purchasing the Deeper Sonars PRO, PRO+, PRO+ 2, CHIRP, CHIRP+, CHIRP 2, CHIRP+ 2. The code is valid in all countries.CODE = DEEPER-H-9OCSF