Over the last few weeks, my guiding diary has been less full than in previous years – the recession is biting. It’s a shame because the fishing has been generally good. The Old Estate Lake has produced a few fish every session including a 16 pike haul whilst filming with sky. We have also had some fish over the 20lb mark. To achieve this in a beautiful setting that is a quintessential piece of English perfection is as much as a man can ask for.

The problem stems from two causes. Undoubtedly some people are feeling the pinch. Household bills are climbing at an alarming rate whilst incomes for many are shrinking. To blow a significant sum of money on a selfish pleasure puts a strain on a man’s conscience. I fully understand this and sympathise with chaps who are struggling to keep their heads above water.

An altogether more insidious problem is that people who are still comfortably off are suffering painful work pressures. Days off that have been booked to enjoy some fishing get un-booked by bosses demanding total commitment to the corporate machine. This means that in stressful times, when a man most needs to escape to the reality of the natural world, he is confined to the rat race.

The rat race is for rats. We humans are designed for other, more fulfilling pursuits. Reading the water, thoughtfully selecting our fly and casting it to the right spot with the least possible disturbance is more than a relaxing, inconsequential hobby. Rather, it is an absorbing, demanding sport that focuses our attention.

We only get one life; it’s not a rehearsal. Spending a high percentage of our time being stressed and miserable doesn’t make any sense. Fly rods are for the bank or the boat. In the tackle room or the garage, they are mere clutter.