Jonathan Longden Angling Times

01/06/2026

Would you buy direct from a brand? Or do you still insist on supporting your local tackle shop?

Leeda, MAP & Wychwood now seek all there kit direct but are trying to keep the retailer in the chain by being a collection point and receiving a commission on the sale.

Is this gradual erosion of the local shop, is it changing the dynamic and how retail works or just a brand trying harder to increase turnover?

In this article I take a look at the realities of direct to consumer retail and what this means for the local tackle shop.

What are your thoughts on Leeda’s “Shop Local, Online” model? Will you buy product direct and collect from your local tackle shop?

Read my article here ->

As more fishing brands sell direct to anglers online, concerns are growing over what the future holds for independent local tackle shops.

16/05/2026

Are we better at fishing than we have ever been?

It’s something I’ve been thinking about after looking at the weights being caught now, not just on commercials, but on canals, rivers and natural waters too.

Dry nets seem less common, tackle and bait have moved on massively, and there is more information available to anglers than ever before.

But does that mean we are better anglers, or are we just better equipped and better informed?

I’ve looked at the argument in my latest piece for Angling Times.

Have a read and let me know what you think.

Are modern anglers better than ever, or has tackle, bait and information changed the game? We find out the reasons more fish are being caught...

02/05/2026

Coarse tackle has never been more refined, but I do think it’s fair to ask whether it has become harder to genuinely innovate in. A lot of the obvious big leaps feel behind us, while carp fishing still seems much better at making product development look visible, believable and worth buying into.

That doesn’t mean coarse fishing is standing still, far from it, but I do think a lot of the gains now are subtler and harder for anglers to immediately see or trust.

Be interested to know what people think.

Has coarse tackle hit a ceiling when it comes to obvious innovation, or are the gains still there but just harder to spot?

Has coarse fishing tackle reached its limit, or is innovation still driving change? We look at whether modern gear is still evolving or has it peaked?

30/04/2026

Throwback Thursday to when I visited the stunning Esthwaite Water in the Lake District. What a place this is. Will be making another visit soon for sure. 🎣

I visited Esthwaite Water for some deep water bream fishing. Feeding plenty of bait to start. Using a Bait Up window feeder as my feeder on a helicopter rig....

22/04/2026

It sounds mad, but new research suggests cocaine-related pollution could be changing fish behaviour in the wild.

Read it here:

Concerns are growing as new research identified drugs found in rivers could be affecting fish behaviour, raising questions about pollution in UK waterways.

17/04/2026

Over the last few weeks I’ve been looking into salmon farming and the evidence around sea lice, mortality, chemical treatments and the wider environmental pressures linked to the industry.

There is a much bigger sustainability debate behind all of this, but I wanted to keep the piece focused on angling and the question that matters most to us as anglers. What impact, if any, could salmon farming be having on wild fish and the fishing in Scotland, particularly on the west coast and around the islands where the overlap is closest?

That is the angle I have taken with this piece.

Worth a read if you fish for salmon or sea trout, or if you have an interest in where salmon farming and wild fish collide.

Scottish salmon farming has become a major talking point among anglers and conservationists, with ongoing debate about its impact on wild fish stocks.

14/04/2026

Angling is doing a great job of getting young people into the sport.

But has it overlooked the over-50s?

Not everyone worth reaching is new to fishing. Some people just need a way back in.

For many older anglers, or those returning after years away, fishing can offer far more than nostalgia. It can provide routine, social contact, confidence and a reason to get out of the house. That feels like a side of the sport that deserves far more attention than it gets.

I’ve looked at that in this latest piece for Angling Times.

Read it here:

Why over 50s are angling’s most overlooked audience and a major opportunity for growth.

07/04/2026

More youngsters are getting introduced to fishing right now, through coached sessions, junior matches and social media. The bigger question is whether they’re staying on the bank once life starts competing for their time, money and attention, especially through 16–19.

Read it here: https://www.anglingtimes.co.uk/news/stories/young-anglers-increasing-but-will-they-stay-fishing/

What do you think is the biggest barrier to keeping youngsters fishing, and what’s one realistic change that would make the biggest difference?

More young people are taking up fishing than ever before, but questions remain over whether they are staying in the sport long term...

06/04/2026

Do you think this peg gets fished much?

04/04/2026