Salmon fishing in Norway

This is me salmon fishing on the Numedalslagen in Norway in the days when I wrote a regular fishing column. I loved writing that column until some know nothing a new chap took over the section and reformatted coverage. He took the column from me and gave it to someone else. The consolation prize was sailing which I enjoy, but not nearly as much as fishing. I didn't like the new format either and neither did the readers. The new chap didn't last long. No matter, the damage was done. So he was fired and his replacement did away with fishing and sailing altogether in favour of celebrity and lifestyle-type pieces. She must be sucking up to impressing the right people since she's still in post. This is the story of newspapers in decline - ever more desperate creative attempts to resist the changing tide.

Another back blip. My fishing guide, a giant of a man called Tom Tveitan, took this image. That was the problem with these trips. The column was personal but I had no photographer on hand so I had to explain in detail just what I was looking for and it didn't always work. But I liked this one. Note the life vest. These were big rivers with strong flows so I thought it sensible. Tom didn't even use a stick.