Introduction
My name is Ben Bassett, I'm based in Plymouth in the South West of England and am an avid all-rounder fisherman.
This is just a simple blog detailing a challenge set between me and a couple of good friends over who can catch the most fish species in the year of 2016, bonus bragging points going to who catches the biggest fish too of course...
Obviously we are not millionaires and have to work full time so we cannot dedicate a full month or so to the challenge like Matt Hayes and Mick Brown did on The Great Rod Race TV Show a few years back. So this blog will also form part of my planning and thought processes on how best to achieve my fishing goals - hopefully providing an interesting read along the way.
My Fishing Achievements
My fishing has been fairly modest up to now, I don't have any 30-40lb carp to my name (yet!). But I have some fish that I'm proud of. The biggest fish I have ever caught is an 80lb Wels Catfish caught from the River Ebro in Spain, anybody with a passing interest in large fish will know that's what they call a Kitten from there! My Largest Carp is 14 1/2lb, a beautiful buttery gold fish from a small lake in Devon. Largest Pike is 17lb from Simpson Valley Fishery also in Devon, biggest Perch is 4lb from the 16 foot Drain in Cambridgeshire. I have caught Roach to 2 1/2lb, Chub to 4lb and Ballan Wrasse to 4lb.
The main bulk of my fishing has been in freshwater and with lures but I have tried most forms of fishing from fly to beachcasting.
Pike are easily my favourite fish and I have been pretty much obsessed with them since I was 12 years old, and I will dedicate a post to them at a later date but a general interest in Nature has led me to be fascinated by all species giant and miniscule - this is where the challenge comes in...
The Challenge
To catch as many species as possible on Rod & Line from Salt and Freshwater in 2016.
I hope you will join me on this challenge!
