The Complete History Of Match Fishing Magazine
Believe it or not, the UK's only 'proper' match fishing title came into being for little more reason than back in 1985, David Hall Publishing didn't really have a job for Roger Mortimer. The original DHP team - David and Cherry Hall, Mark Downes, a designer called Keith Bull and Roger - were survivors of a company that had owned and lost Coarse Fisherman magazine. They decided to start again with 'David Hall's Coarse Fishing' with David at the editorial helm, Downsie selling the ads and Cherry keeping everyone in line. Unfortunately there was insufficient cash to support a passenger so it was decided to publish a series of one shots on which Roger would write the editorial and sell the ads. Roger produced Specimen Fish Special, a Game Fishing Special, even a Pike Fishing Special but it was 'Match Fisherman' that really captured his imagination. The first Match Fisherman arrived on the bookshelves in the late autumn of 1985 and sold for £1. It ran to a 'whopping' 64 pages and was printed in black and white with only the covers in colour.
The title continued to grow and in June 1993 'technology' arrived at David Hall Publishing - the magazine went full colour! And the frantic work with the crayons wasn't the only change; the issue was up to 116 pages and all that for just £2! Incidentally, that issue carried a one-page article entitled the Young Lions - all about a young Ricky Teale.
By the middle of 1994 Roger had gained an assistant, Alan Barnes, and by December of that year DHP had spawned another one-shot - Advanced Pole Fishing Techniques - but more of that elsewhere.
Roger always prided himself on the fact that he was a reasonable angler but with the arrival of Dave Wesson - a former World Champion no less - as his editorial assistant towards the end of 1996, DHP had clearly taken a step in the right direction on the staff front. Dave stayed alongside Roger for more than five years, rising from editorial assistant to assistant editor, then becoming editor of Advanced Pole before finally taking over from Roger on Match Fishing in early 2002. Dave did a good job and kept the title on course for more than 12 months but it's probably true to say that when he stepped into the editorship, his interest in the sport was beginning to fade. Within 12 months Dave had left the hot seat, heading back to his Australian 'home' with a fiancée in tow.
His departure left something of a void and the title went through six months without an official editor. Alex Bones and Pat MacInnes (now the editor of Advanced Pole Fishing) did a good job of steering the ship but when Sean Ashby arrived in July 2003, it looked as though the long-term future of Match Fishing had been assured. After all, you'd be hard pushed to find a keener editor than a current England international wouldn't you?
Sean's enthusiasm and experience gave the title an immediate lift but after six months in the hot seat it looked as though the amount of time an England squad member is intended to be on the bank fishing (as opposed to taking photographs and writing about fishing!) was not conducive to running a magazine. Sean ended up working for Browning and DHP ended up looking for a new editor!
Thankfully, the ideal candidate didn't take too much finding. Dave Harrell is an angler that's fished at the very highest level (for England) and has won titles that us 'mere mortals' can only dream of: Kamasan Matchman of the Year twice (when matches of less than 60 pegs didn't score points), twice winner of the Evesham Festival and one of the top all-rounders in the UK. We knew Dave could write, he'd proven that back in the very first issue of Match Angler, but what he's proved since taking over the reins in March 2004 is that he's as passionate about the sport as Roger ever was.
It wouldn't be easy for Roger to admit, but under the stewardship of Dave Harrell, aided and abetted by 2006 UK Champion Jon Arthur, Match Fishing magazine is better now than it's ever been. Twenty years down the road, the title is bigger, better and brighter than ever.
