About Me

So, who or what is a ‘Malcolm’?

Malcolm : Origin: Celt Maolcolm, lit., servant of (St.) Columba

This particular Malcolm lives not far from the banks of the River Nadder in Wilton, Wiltshire. I am many things to many people; Dad, husband, son, friend. Fly fisherman, snowboarder, surfer. Conservationist. Wannabe writer and photographer.

I passionately believe that our beautiful southern chalk rivers have become asphyxiated through countless years of man’s intervention. Stocking, manicured banks, clearance of wooden debris, abstraction, pollution, dredging – all in some part account for these beautiful world class rivers, rivers that could rightfully be called Europe’s ecological rainforests, having become in many places nothing but overstocked, silted, disney-fied canals. I sit on the committee of the Wiltshire Fisheries Association and am a trustee of the Wessex Chalk Streams and Rivers Trust and my day job is as an environmental adviser for a large conservation charity.

I often find myself at odds with fisheries traditions, just because something has always been done that way doesn’t in my mind make it right. It’s this propensity to challenge the status quo that got me the moniker of a squeaky wheel. That nagging wobbling noise that you just can’t ignore. It also happens to be a damn fine song by an old 80′s skate punk outfit called subsociety.

I’ve written articles for Trout & Salmon Magazine, had pictures published in print and online and aim to build that into more as time allows. I have some ambitions with regards to writing a book or two, but think that with a young family and a career these may be a while coming to fruition.

Despite my writing elsewhere, my diary here is just that, my diary. It’s not sponsored by anyone, it’s not sanctioned by any conscience but my own. I write as things come into my head and this can be fishing related, but just as likely, not.

I love the fact that there is still adventure to be had in the UK if you know where to look and I love to look. It can be watermeadows, inner city alleys, exmoor brooks and woodlands. It can be the Dorset coastline, lying on your back in the sunshine looking up at Salisbury cathedral, fly fishing for Pike on a frosty chalkstream morning. Life is what you make of it and instead of dreaming of my next once in a lifetime trip to some far off salt flat I’m going to enjoy what’s on my doorstep and make the most of everything that is available to me.

Simply put, I’m just Malcolm.