Toggle Nav
Meet the Managers: Richard Howland, Sittingbourne
AD: Hi Richard, how did you get started in fishing?
RH: I started fishing in the 1970s, at my local lake in Faversham, near Kent. None of my family members were really into their fishing, so I think I’m a bit of an anomaly! It was my friends who really got me into fishing, and we’d spend hours on the lake near our school getting tench, bream, and other coarse fish. I used to ‘borrow’ cheese from the fridge to use as bait. There was a separate lake that juniors weren’t allowed to fish on that we had to walk past to get to our lake, and we always used to creep past it as quietly as possible. The carp anglers on those swims always looked really serious, and they even used to put up ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs!
AD: Was that what sparked your interest in carp fishing?
RH: Yes, I suppose it was. As kids you always want to be allowed to do what the grown-ups do, don’t you, so seeing these anglers catching really big carp made me think ‘I really want to do that’. One day I was walking past the carp lake and I saw it was completely deserted. So, not really knowing what I might catch, I dropped my float in near the tree line. Not long later, my float suddenly buried and I found myself hanging onto my first carp! After a short battle, the carp won and the line parted.
AD: That sounds like a dramatic start to your carp fishing experience!
RH: It was! I was left shaking – in total awe of the power of the carp. That was the moment when I finally understood why those guys looked so serious on the bank side. I was hooked, and ever since then I’ve been a carp angler, through and through. When I first started out carp angling wasn’t the popular sport it is now, and it was exciting to be part of a growing movement of carp anglers. I’ve since made more and more friends in the carp world, fishing both in the UK and France.
AD: Is that why carp fishing is your favourite area of the sport?
RH: Definitely. I’ve got so many close friends and good memories that I’ve made through carp fishing. One of these close friends is Ray Harris, former owner of the Ashford Tackle shops. I was at a real cross roads in my life – the firm my brother-in-law and I owned had just gone under – and Ray suggested I come and work in one of the tackle shops until I got back on my feet! That was my first introduction to the world of tackle retail, and I spent five years working across all three of the shops with Ray until Angling Direct bought out the business in 2011. Angling Direct gave me the opportunity to manage the Sittingbourne branch.
AD: How have you found you time at Sittingbourne?
RH: Whilst it’s not as big as the Ashford shop, it’s certainly growing, and I’m excited to be part of the business as it expands. To be honest, despite all the great fishing spots there are in the surrounding area, it’s the customers who really make the job. We all share this common bond – we love fishing – and I feel very satisfied when I recommend a product to a customer knowing it’s going to make their next fishing trip great. It’s all the sweeter when they come into the shop the next week, a big grin on their face, to show me a picture of their catch.
AD: And is carp fishing still your first love?
RH: I think my wife might have something to say about that! I’m still an avid carp angler, but working in the tackle industry has made me much more of an all-rounder. Where ever the fish are is where I’ll be, and I’ve caught cod, roach, chub – my friend Ray introduced me to barbel fishing on the River Wye not too long ago. They are by far the hardest fighting fish – pound for pound – that I’ve ever encountered, and I now make a trip to the Wye a couple of times a year. Much to my wife’s disgust, this now means I’m out fishing all year, no matter the weather.
AD: We assume you’ve accumulated a fair few stories over the year…
RH: 2015 has had a number of highlights for me, not least my holiday in France! I met a lovely couple at the tackle shop who just happened to own a beautiful house with a 2.5 acre carp lake in the back garden! My wife and I spent five days there at the Moulin de Gassas relaxing… and fishing, of course, and I came away with plenty of stories to tell. I’ve spent a lot of time on Loggies Lake recently, its been great for both carp fishing as well as feeder fishing for roach – I’ve caught a couple that have been well over 2lb.
AD: What does 2016 have in store for you?
RH: I’ve already booked to go back to the Moulin de Gassas with the wife, and I’ve planned a trip or two to the River Wye to try and catch more double figure barbel. I’ve got some unfinished business on a local lake, too, but that’s a story for another day. Like I said Angling Direct Sittingbourne keeps getting busier, so I’m excited to see the business grow.
AD: It sounds like you’ve got an exciting year ahead of you! Thanks for having a chat with us, have you got any closing words?
RH: I hope you’ve enjoyed my angling history! If you’re ever in the Sittingbourne area, feel free to pop into the shop, say hello, and have a cup of tea whilst we chat about our mutual hobby – fishing!
Angling Direct Sittingbourne is open 9am – 6pm Monday – Saturday (open till 7pm on Thursday), and 10am – 4pm Sunday. You can call the shop on 01795 426 011, or pop in to pay Richard and the team a visit:
26 St. Michael's Road, Sittingbourne Kent ME10 3DE
