Angling's best jobs

Tackle Designer: Tom Dove

Work: Korda Developments (Head of Design)
Age: 26-years-old
Where: Essex

How did you get in to the job?
“Not long after Korda started helping me out with some tackle, Ali asked if I’d work part time. I did that for maybe a year then in December 07 Damian offered me a job in the Product Development team.”

Is the job what you expected?
“I didn’t really have time to expect anything, but I never realised how much work is done behind the scenes. I was primarily testing and learning both products from ours, and our competitor’s ranges.”

What are the hours like?
“The typical hours are 8.30am to 5pm, however, these hours are rarely kept to as there’s always too much to do, meaning I leave the office around 7 o’clock on most nights.”

What's an average working day like?
“Lots of questions, emails, ideas, running around, disappointments, excitement, strange happenings, jokes, moaning, banter, fish chat, meetings, arguments and strong opinions.”

What are your colleagues like?
“I couldn’t say what I think of them in here. Korda’s a bit of nuthouse! It’s great to be surrounded by likeminded people.”

What gets you down most?
“Talking about carp fishing all day but not having the time to get out as much as I used to.”

Biggest cock-up?
“I’d prefer not to mention – I’d have to go and sit back on the naughty step.”

Any advice on getting a similar job?
“Work hard and don’t expect anything for nothing. Getting a good job here is the same as getting a good job anywhere!”

Finally, was this always your dream job?
“Yes. If I didn’t have this job I’d have been travelling around the world, making friends with odd people and looking at the sky a lot. This job is everything to me and wouldn’t want to be in any other position.”

Paid angler: Nigel Sharp

Work: Angling consultant and writer
Age: 46-years-old
Where: Surrey

How did you get in to the job?
“By regularly contributing to magazines I slowly built my profile. And obviously catching a few large fish along the way helped!”

Is the job what you expected?
“Yes and no. It’s not as ‘glammed’ up as some people like to think. The good side is I can pick and chose the best time to go fishing. I wouldn’t change it for the world, mind.”

What are the hours like?
“24/7, but very flexible! There’s a lot more that goes into each fish capture than what people hear and read about. When I’m not out on the bank, I’m researching other lakes and getting them primed up.”

What's an average working day like?
“Obviously it varies to whether I’m out fishing or not. If I’m on the bank then I’m up an hour before daylight to watch the water – and hopefully land a big ’un. You do have a very interrupted sleeping pattern with this job!”

What are your colleagues like?
“I suppose my sponsors are my colleagues. My sponsors are very likeminded and easy to work with, but that’s because
I’ve picked the right ones.”

What gets you down most?
“Hard one really. Probably other anglers ringing me up whilst I’m angling because they’re bored at work and want to talk about fishing!”

Biggest cock-up?
“Probably going onto what I think is a new water only to find out everyone else knows about it and it’s rammo!”

Any advice on getting a similar job?
“Always consider any consultancy offers carefully, but don’t rush into anything, as you my regret it at a later stage.”

Finally, was this always your dream job?
“I always wanted to go fishing for a living. To me, you couldn’t ask for a better job than doing something you love doing, and I love carp fishing and everything that goes with it.”

Editor: Joe Wright

Work: Editor of CARPology
Age: 33
Where: Norfolk

How did you get in to the job?
“I worked for another publishing house for two-and-a-half years before leaving to set up Toffee Publications Ltd, the publisher CARPology magazine.”

Is the job what you expected?
“I’d obviously learnt how the publishing game worked from my previous employment and what perks came with the job, but being your own boss was a strange feeling at first.”

What are the hours like?
“Horrendous! I’m working 12-15hr days and that’s five, six, sometimes seven days a week. To me it’s the best job in the world and I enjoy it so I don’t mind putting the hours in.”

What's an average working day like?
“6 o’clock start, three hours of hard work before the phones start ringing at 9a.m. Work-wise, each day is different; one day I could be on a feature, the next typing up an interview or reviewing product.”

What are your colleagues like?
“Great. I’ve got the most dedicated team out there, who all do a sterling job and all love what they do too, so it makes for a great working environment.”

What gets you down most?
“I used to get down when I read someone ‘slagging off’ the magazines. Having done this for over ten years now I’ve become very thick-skinned!”

Biggest cock-up?
“Nothing to major, although you always seem too upset someone each month with what’s printed!”

Any advice on getting a similar job?
“Be prepared to work hard and be seriously persistent. And don’t forget the people who helped you at the start.”

Finally, was this always your dream job?
“Since the age of 13 I’ve always wanted to be an editor of a fishing magazine. Since the age of 19, I’ve always wanted to be my own boss. So yes!”

TV Presenter: Joe Morgan

Work: Carp TV Presenter
Age: 31
Where: Essex

How did you get in to the job?
“After spending a day with Carp TV five years ago, I saw its potential. There wasn’t a carp angler involved, so I took it upon myself to put a few ideas together and approached them.”

Is the job what you expected?
“It’s been really enjoyable so far; I’ve got a good mixture of duties so I’m never bored. It’s also been very interesting spending time with some of the best anglers in the business, so guess, it’s brilliant and I love it!”

What are the hours like?
“Pretty standard really: 9 till 5.30, five days a week, but obviously these will differ when we’re out filming.”

What's an average working day like?
“Normally I’m in the office arranging content, selling advertising, taking orders for subscriptions etc. It’s not just a case of doing the presenting; I get involved in a bit of everything. I’ll also hopefully be filming next year.”

What are your colleagues like?
“It’s a bit quieter than the Korda madhouse but I’m used to it now! We’re all easygoing people; my crazy electronic music doesn’t go down too well, though!”

What gets you down most?
“Cold weather, I think I suffer from that Seasonal Affective Disorder! Plus my hands are always bloody freezing…”

Biggest cock-up?
“I arranged to do a feature on a maggot farm; their website looked impressive. When we got there it was like a scene from ‘Deliverance’!”

Any advice on getting a similar job?
“Hmmm, can’t really help with that one… Just the obvious really: present yourself well to companies and be friendly.”

Finally, was this always your dream job?
“I’ve never had a dream job, every job I’ve done so far has been good fun. I guess my ‘dream job’ would be to travel the world as a DJ, playing music to fun loving people – one day maybe…”

Fishery owner: Ben Gratwicke

Work: Diggerlakes owner and fish consultant
Age: 41
Where: Devon

How did you get in to the job?
“I leased the land and built the fishery so I really created my own job. I have been into carp fishing and a fish farmer most of my life so it was a natural progression.”

Is the job what you expected?
“Yes, being a fishery manager comes with all the highs and lows of dealing with the general public and I can say 99% of the time it’s all good. Of course there are low points, but on the whole it’s great.”

What are the hours like?
“The fishery is not my full time job so I fit it around my day job. So to answer your question, they’re very, very flexible!”

What's an average working day like?
“I have a good bailiffing team so my hours are basically checking tickets, keeping an eye on things and now it is all set-up and running, the odd whole day re-wood chipping swims, repairing paths and general maintenance.”

What are your colleagues like?
“My bailiffs are a top bunch of good mates and do a sterling job of looking after and maintaining the fishery.”

What gets you down most?
“Rubbish, people leaving the gates open and faceless internet negative comments. You just have to learn to ignore the negative comments though.”

Biggest cock-up?
“Many minor ones but none that stick out. Maybe letting an untrained guy drive 40 grands worth of dumper and tip it over within 20 minutes of starting!”

Any advice on getting a similar job?
“As long as you are not wanting to be paid a fortune then keep trying and work hard – there’s no real secret – just hard work.”

Finally, was this always your dream job?
“In a nutshell: no! That doesn’t mean to say I don’t love it to bits. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a customer land a PB or have a red letter day.”