Many thanks to all those who have contacted following the airing of River Monsters season 1. While I do read all mails that come in (except spam), I regret that for the remainder of 2010 I will be unable to answer most mails, owing to a very intense filming and writing schedule this year. However, answers to certain frequently asked questions are given below.

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FAQs

How did you get into this line of work?
A combination of hard work and luck. (Anyone who says it's all about hard work is lying.) For over 20 years I funded my own low-budget expeditions, paying for them by selling occasional press articles and doing other odd jobs, and by living a very frugal life in between: no permanent home, no car for 15 years, no holidays in the normal sense. During this time I became an expert in a subject that few other people were interested in, until suddenly we're in a situation where freshwater fish are only remaining group of creatures that (because of their elusive nature) haven't received the natural history TV treatment....

Can I work for you?
The crews I work with are kept very small because we need to be highly mobile, and because fish are wild animals, which don't respond well to lots of people in the vicinity. And because people and equipment are expensive to move. Crew members are hired by the production company I work with, and all are experienced (and often multi-tasking) directors, camera operators, sound recordists, assistant producers or production co-ordinators, who have usually worked their way through the ranks. Many started as 'runners' (general odd-job staff) for TV production companies, a good way to get a start in this industry, although competition for these positions is fierce.

What fishing gear do you use?
No apologies for the lack of 'tackle talk' in RM, which would send many viewers to sleep, but for those who are interested, here goes. 20 years ago it was very hard to get off-the-peg gear that did what I wanted, especially rods, so I've put together quite a diverse collection of stuff over the years. (And like many anglers I've developed a sentimental and perhaps superstitious attachment to some 'lucky' items, although there's now newer and shinier stuff out there.) For most fishing I prefer multiplier reels over fixed-spools, because they handle heavy line better and are better at controlling fish, particularly if they have a lever drag. I'm not sponsored by anybody, but I do have 2-speed Tyrnos 30 provided by Shimano, which is a great all-round heavy-duty reel. But I've also used reels by Policansky (South African), Abu and Penn. I used to build my own rods, but nowadays a 9.5ft saltwater 'uptide' rod with casting weight of 4-8oz or 6-10oz will handle a lot of the fishing I do, and is not too pricey either. For ultra-heavy fishing (sharks, rays, Amazon catfish) I have a 7ft 50-80lb-class rod that was built for me by a friend in the tackle trade. I often use this with a Shimano Tiagra 50. And I've just acquired a 5.5ft shark rod that I wish I had last year. (If you see the stingray episode in RM season 2 you'll see why.) For line, I commonly use 80lb BS mono, or 150-200lb braid, if I can keep it away from rocks. For many fish I have to use wire leaders, either because they have teeth or because other toothy fish (such as piranhas) might attack the bait. Breaking strain is commonly 100-140lb; 49-strand uncoated is more supple than 7-strand coated but can be more prone to kinking. Double crimps are much stronger than the simple cylindrical variety, but you have to carry special crimping pliers. I commonly use Owner, Mustad and Gamakatsu hooks, and for several years I have been increasingly using circle hooks (with barbs crushed down), which lodge in the corner of the mouth almost every time, where they can be quickly and easily removed. The main knots I use are grinner (uni-knot), 4-turn untucked blood knot (for heavier mono), Bimini twist (for creating a length of double line), and Allbright knot (for joining braid to mono).

What fishing tips can you give?
That could be the subject of an entire book. For a start I'd say don't get too hung up on gear. Keep it simple, but pay attention to detail, things like knots, sharpness of hooks, condition of line. All these things can make the difference between success and failure. Try to match your line and other gear to the size of the fish you are likely to encounter. Fishing light will get more bites, but there's no point hooking a fish if there's then a good chance that you'll lose it. At the water, think before you fish. Look at the water. Really look at it and try to imagine the underwater geography. Then imagine you're a fish. Where is the food? (Often weedbeds in a lake and eddies in a river.) Where is the shelter? Where can you hang out where it's safe, yet in easy reach of food. Then it's about putting the right bait in the right place at the right time. Most times it will still be a waiting game, but even so I normally prefer to use just one rod, which I hold while feeling the line. With more than one rod you can lose your focus. Finally remember that fish are wild animals. Sometimes they are right next to the bank, and can be caught there, unless you scare them away.

Are you married / in a relationship / gay?
No (see above)

Do you look at the River Monsters Facebook page?
Yes, and it's really great to see the interest that's out there. But I am not a member of Facebook, so I don't post any comments myself.

Do you plan to fish any more in the US in the near future?
I'm building up quite a dossier of monster catfish stories, from various locations in the US, and it would be fun to investigate those some time. There's also some other species I want to look at, or revisit. But this year is going to be fully taken up filming season 3 of River Monsters, and trying to write during the gaps. Maybe in 2011 or after....