Profile

Hi and Welcome!

My name is Chris Ponsford, otherwise known as The Pons for fairly obvious reasons! !t is an unusual name but I have been called much worse and also misnamed countless times in magazines but “I ain’t bovverd” what you call me really, my skin is pretty thick.

Gloriously, I have reached the age of the grumpy old men as depicted on the television. With the confidence that age brings I think I know what you, my hopefully happy customers, will want out of spending time with me or one of my closely picked colleagues, if you choose to have a day with us.

Fishing has been my lifelong passion since I was a lad and my brother took me to the Exeter Canal in sunny Devon. This is where my family has its roots, though my Dad was a military man and we travelled the world visiting many countries and as a result, I have an independent spirit with a lust for life, humour and talk.

Finally, after much flirting with the job market, I am back doing what I love. Enjoying the countryside on a daily basis with a regular flow of friends, both old and new, accompanying me to many great places. The digital age has also transformed my love of photography, as well as costing me a fortune updating my equipment. I love the results and the chance to experiment, but most of all seeing the result instantly, and being able to adjust instantly. In addition to the fishing and guiding, I also offer a photographic record of your time with us if you are interested. High quality images of you with your catches, images which can be printed large or small depending on your needs. Lets face it, great pictures can be looked at time and time again and are a must when we are sat at home longing for some summer sunshine.

I do classify myself as an all round angler since I am just as happy doing any of the main disciplines, Sea, Coarse and Game. I fish at a high level in all of them and have been a tournament caster too. Whatever your fancy, rest assured I won't be fazed by your requests and I will do my utmost to treat beginners or experts with the same respect and enthusiasm so we all can have a great time. Even on those days when the fish are playing hard to get, because they do sometimes, and conditions can change quickly but I have alot of tricks up my sleeve to give us all the best chance of success. If however, you are not happy with your day, and things do conspire against us, I will offer you a free trip for another time since my aim is to give you the best value and lots of positive memories to take away.

Barbel fishing has become massively popular of late and many regard me as a specialist in that discipline. This has all come about through living in the Severn valley, where I have the fabulous Severn, Teme and Warks Avon, right on my doorstep. All of these rivers are full of Barbel and for my sins I have had well over 250 10lb fish from these and also many other rivers countrywide. Due to this success, I have been asked to do talks to groups of anglers all over the UK in addition to writing in many Angling publications on a regular basis. These days photojournalism is very much a part of my income and recently I have added fishing DVDs to my repertoire. Original videos are the company, and my good friend Tom Smith, we have produced 'Teme Tigers', 'Wye Valley Barbel' and 'Etangs des Royales' along with several other titles in production for future release.

2008 represents a significant change for me and I am devoting my energies to escorted fishing trips. Spring will be on the still waters, during the close season, both game and coarse. Summer and autumn will be Barbel and Carp with the winter spent predator fishing on my boat in the Severn, assuming mother nature lets us get afloat! I am also planning a few foreign sorties for exotic species in lots of lovely sunshine but I will announce more of that soon.

I will individually tailor a package for your needs and depending on your requirements, tackle and bait can be provided as well as food and drink. Transport to the venue will be included if needed, including pickups from the railway and bus stations since not everyone drives. Accommodation is also available locally and I can forward details as required.

Above all, the aim is to have a fun filled day, a good craic, and for you to take home some great memories of catching some hard fighting fish. All in stunning and exclusive surroundings.