It’s been a busy time since my last blog. I’m in the middle of the autumnal Penn/Shakespeare trade shows at the moment with little prospect of wetting a line myself.

The only fishing I’ve managed in the past month has been a quick trip back to Norway to fish Trondheimfjord. The weather wasn’t kind and the fishing hard work at times, but cod, ling, good haddock and massive whiting over 3lbs kept us busy, plus I spent a few hours fly fishing off the marina breakwater bagging small coalies just for fun.

What the trip did turn up for me were two new species, a velvet belly which is a small shark with beautiful metallic green eyes, and also a Norway pout. I dipped out again on a halibut, but witnessed a Dutch angler catch a 20lber. Halibut are such an impressive fish!

On a different note Gordon Brown has blatantly bottled out of a head to head fight with David Cameron and the chance of a snap UK general election has gone. A political statement this may be, but having Labour in for possibly two more years worries me immensely from an angling viewpoint, and here’s why!

The daily newspapers have recently been publishing letters from some Labour Party members who are seeking a change in Labour policy and looking to ban the killing of all animals for sporting purposes.

One such letter appeared in the Independent newspaper dated 18^th September from Mr Chris Gale from Chippenham who has been very vociferous on this matter. To quote Mr Gale’s letter, it states, “Money, power and establishment contacts can only hold back the tide of decency, compassion and real progressive values for so long. Just as the barbarity of hunting with dogs was banned, so we shall mount a campaign to end all killing for sport, a mass campaign that will bring the power of the civilised majority to change Labour policy.”

It was only a couple of years back that Labour were putting themselves forward as the “Party for Angling” but I fear the long term agenda is changing and we’ve been fed a wee bit of a porkie.

Don’t be stupid enough to feel that angling has too many followers with votes not to be included in this all out attack. It’s time anglers grew up, took the blinkers off, and realised just how serious some people are in getting all field sports banned!

Ask your local MP in writing if he supports angling, and his reply, if you get one, will speak volumes.

My advice, when the election finally comes, and it could be quicker than the pundits think given Brown’s recent poor performances in the House of Commons, is to weigh up all your priorities and really think where you’re putting your angling vote and actually make the effort to go out to the poll station as it may well affect the final future of our sport.

The feeling within angling and the angling trade is “We don’t trust Labour!”