The Cast

Jeff Barrett – Co-founder, Caught by the River

Robin Turner – Co-founder, Caught by the River

Andrew Walsh – Co-founder, Caught by the River

John Andrews – i buy and sell vintage fishing tackle for the soul at www.andrewsofarcadia.com and on my stall at old spitalfields market every thursday. i also write about angling history for caught by the river who publish the sporadic ‘letters from arcadia’ that i do in collaboration with dexter petley. my other writing can be found in publications as diverse as the times, classic angling, the old town evening star and waterlog.

Jon Berry – began fishing at the age of five, catching a tiny trout on a Highland stream. For thirty-five years he has tried to replicate the brilliance of that moment by chasing coarse, game and sea fish in all parts of the British Isles. I am currently working on my second book, A Train To Catch, for the Medlar Press. My first book, A Can of Worms, was published in 2007. When not fishing or writing, I am a school teacher, failed guitarist and supporter of Southampton F.C.

Will Burns – is a songwriter, singer and poet from Wendover, Buckinghamshire. He has released one album with his band, Treecreeper, and had poems published in a variety of obscure periodicals and websites. www.troubledstriker.blogspot.com/ www.myspace.com/treecreepermusic

Andy Childs – currently works as a distribution consultant for several record labels and artists. Previously he has had over 35 years experience working in the music business – as editor of Zigzag magazine, then in various roles at United Arists, EMI, Demon Records, Rough Trade and Rykodisc. Spends as much time reading and writing these days as listening to music and sometimes wishes he’d been able to pursue a parallel career in publishing as well. Lives in Harrow with his wife Karen.

Roger Clapham – hasn’t been fishing since he was a child in North Yorkshire. He lives in East London with his wife and enjoys ale in all its hues, escaping the city on his bike or on foot, and spending too long in record shops. He works in print media and crosses the River Lea every day on the way to work.

Mathew Clayton – lives in East Dulwich with his wife Gemma and two children Laurie and Stella. He runs a literary tent at Glastonbury called The Free University of Glastonbury, plays in this band http://www.myspace.com/thedulwichukuleleclub, writes about the history of Ibiza for Pacha magazine and commission books for The History Press. In his previous job he commissioned the Caught by the River book.

Frank Cottrell Boyce – is a screenwriter, novelist and actor.

Tim Dee – is the author of The Running Sky and co-editor, with Simon Armitage, of The Poetry of Birds.

Nick Franglen – Musician and producer (Lemon Jelly and Blacksand), which has never felt like work. When I’m not not working I can be found diving deep wrecks in the Channel, and exploring abandoned buildings before dawn. www.blacksand.info.

Hannah Hamilton – is a jack of all trades but likes writing the most. When not travelling through India or Africa, she lives by the river in County Kilkenny, where she keeps busy running the Inchbeg Fishing School.

Ted Kessler – Is it possible to write your own biography without the very act revealing more about your pathetic existence than any biography could? Still, if the cap fits: I have spent two decades running the august British music press into the ground, being demoralised by football, self-abusing, loafing and breaking all sorts of promises. Have, however, so far successfully avoided fishing and real ale. Likes: clean living under difficult circumstances, loud melody, making plans, glory (reflected or otherwise). Dislikes: decay. Seeks similar.

Richard King – is the editor of Loops, a bi-annual journal published by Domino Records & Faber & Faber. He is currently writing a picaresque history of the independent record business. He lives mainly in mid-Wales, within sight of the Wye.

Ceri Levy – is a documentary film maker, writer and producer who is best known for the documentary film Bananaz about the band Gorillaz. Ceri is at present working on a film about the way birds inspire and affect people. It’s title is The Bird Effect.

Ben McCormick – lives in New Cross in a converted pub that’s both a spiritual and actual home. He is landlord of the Beer Advent Calendar and blogs about his cycling exploits and infrequent world music nights in Clerkenwell . To pay the bills, he edits in-house magazines. Fishing is a hobby he’s put on hold till his daughters grow up and he gets some free time again.

Ben Myers – has written for Melody Maker, The Guardian, NME and Mojo and his new novel Richard is published by Picador in 2010. He lives in rural Yorkshire. www.benmyersmanofletters.blogspot.com

Jonathan Newdick – is an artist and writer. www.jonathannewdick.co.uk

Justin Partyka – photographs, writes, and has recently been making films. His work The East Anglians is a major exhibition and planned book. www.justinpartyka.com

Kevin Pearce – Writing. Music. Connections. www.thelondonnobodysings.blogspot.com

Dexter Petley – born in the Weald of Kent, lives in a caravan in France; novelist, translator, angling writer; radical anti-social surviving on low energy, permaculture and mushroom gathering. www.dexterpetley.com

Kavel Rafferty – is an illustrator living in Barcelona (originally from the UK), where she has a small gallery. She likes Northern soul and flea markets.
www.kavels.net

Charles Rangeley – was once a painter and is now a writer. He’s working on a new book about a river and about the way we are shaped by and in turn shape our landscape. He lives in Norfolk. http://www.hotasafish.com/

Marc Riley – Born 10th July 1961. 1977 – Joined The Fall. 1983 – Kicked out of The Fall. 1983 – Formed The Creepers – and In Tape Record label. 1989 – Became radio plugger for Manchester based ‘Tony Michaelides Promotions’. 1991 – Present ‘Broadcaster’

Jude Rogers – is a journalist and Welsh woman living in London who loves boys, books, the Bauhaus, dusty records, solo film outings, long walks, red wine, pork belly, the smell of woodsmoke and tarmac, black eyeliner, chipped nail varnish and writing for love or money. Her website counting down her 50 songs of the decade is www.50songs10years.blogspot.com.

Nick Small – Film fettlin’, music video meddlin’, photography peddlin’, bilberry pickin’, boreal forest dwellin’, wild river lovin’ man o’ the North.

Luke Turner – is a founding editor of The Quietus music and arts website, and enjoys spending optimistic hours on the banks of Hackney waterways.

Katherine Venn – born in south London, studied at Oxford, spent her twenties working in publishing and in 2009 decamped to the fens to do an MA in creative writing at UEA. www.52poets.wordpress.com is her record of a year (2008) reading poetry; www.minuteparticulars.wordpress.com is her record of a year attempting to write it.

Chris Watson – is the UK’s leading sound recordist specialising in wildlife. In a previous life he was in the band Cabaret Voltaire.

Chris Yates – a hero to many. recently described by The Independent as ‘The Master’. This is true of his writing and his fishing. Stands alongside the late Roger Deakin as the patron saint of Caught by the River. (JB)