I've been fishing since I was 12, but wanted to before that, which means I've been sitting behind a wet worm for 35 years, so consider myself a virtual beginner. I was lucky enough to discover a little magic when a younger angler, helped by 'Gramps', but then 'real life' intervened and I misplaced it, but fortunately, I've been drawn inexorably back to the path by the water in the last few years.

I do most of my fishing in Dorset, when I'm not slumped in some short-haul sardine can, but I have fished all over the place. I'm lucky as I have a young family and manage to get my tackle out most weekends. Until recently I thought my opinions on today's over commercialised angling were very much 'just me', but the discovery of 'Waterlog' and its forums was cheering and has led me here.

I'll fish anywhere for anything, which is how I've come by mullet, grayling, wrasse and moray eels. I've had as much fun on 2 feet wide mountain streams catching bullheads and 1oz wild trout as I have catching tench in lily patches – although it's true to say I've done a lot more of the latter.

I am not a 'traditionalist', a label I find condescending although this is not nearly as patronising as 'pleasure fisherman'. I don't automatically assume old tackle is best, nor do I think all modern tackle is 'new fangled'.

I've yet to catch a barbel or a 20lb carp, which I plan to change, but not fanatically so, although I've certainly hooked two carp over 20lb...

I've never used bolt-rigs, boilies or pellets, (trout or halibut) and plan to keep it that way and I've tried "anti-eject" rigs and will not use one again. I like green and grey and also make a lot of floats, some of which I even use and nearly always float fish, even when most sane folk have got out the ledger rod or gone home. Some call this obsessive; I prefer 'dedicated' and I'm usually to be found in a quiet windward corner of the lake, reclining under a hat, 6 feet from one of the aforementioned floats, apparently not paying any attention. I admit to being a bit obsessed with knots.

I tend to put coffee in my flask, as long as proper stuff is available and intend to invent an espresso attachment for the Kelly kettle. I'm overly fond of good whisky, red wine, very dark chocolate and log fires. 'Addicted' is a word that has been used in respect of these things.

There's no telling whether my children will see what I see in angling, but I take them fishing anyway and they seem to like it. Hopefully one will wheel me to the water's edge in my bath chair when I can't get there myself and ideally before I make the great last cast.