MIKE WINTER
Mike Winter was born on an East Devon farm during the Second World War, when his father Dr H. J. J. Winter worked with Richard Walker at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.
Mike began fishing around the age of five, when he found an old reel, some line and using a caterpillar as bait he caught his first fish - a seven-inch long brown trout. With two angling grandfathers, a father who fished and a trout fishing uncle, he inherited an irrepressible fishing gene.
Following his education he worked for the Medical Research Council; he then spent thirty-two years in secondary schools, where he taught biology and eventually became Head of Science. During that time he also taught angling and fly tying at evening classes. His first fishing articles were published when he was eighteen in the local evening paper. He has wrote for Angling Times, Angler's Mail, The Fishing Gazette, Countrysport, Big Fish World, Waterlog, Anglers World, Coarse Fisherman, Creel, Coarse Fishing, Specialist Angling World, Fishing, and Coarse Angling. He also wrote a weekly angling column for the Sidmouth Herald for twenty years.
An 'all-rounder', Mike fished for coarse, game and sea fish. His first pike was a record-breaking 14lb and earned him a silver cup. He kept the fish in a glass case in his study. He was one of the pioneers of catching carp in winter and he founded the Devon Carp Catchers' Club in 1958. Mike belonged to several angling clubs and was a long-standing member of the infamous Golden Scale Club, where he was known as 'the Prof'. He described the club as a bunch of moth-eaten eccentrics who held dear the traditional ways of the angler. His book, Along Fishermen’s Paths is a collection of his most memorable fishing expeditions and is illustrated by his son Quinton.
Mike died on the 19th December, 2013 after a long illness.
Mike Winter was born on an East Devon farm during the Second World War, when his father Dr H. J. J. Winter worked with Richard Walker at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.
Mike began fishing around the age of five, when he found an old reel, some line and using a caterpillar as bait he caught his first fish - a seven-inch long brown trout. With two angling grandfathers, a father who fished and a trout fishing uncle, he inherited an irrepressible fishing gene.
Following his education he worked for the Medical Research Council; he then spent thirty-two years in secondary schools, where he taught biology and eventually became Head of Science. During that time he also taught angling and fly tying at evening classes. His first fishing articles were published when he was eighteen in the local evening paper. He has wrote for Angling Times, Angler's Mail, The Fishing Gazette, Countrysport, Big Fish World, Waterlog, Anglers World, Coarse Fisherman, Creel, Coarse Fishing, Specialist Angling World, Fishing, and Coarse Angling. He also wrote a weekly angling column for the Sidmouth Herald for twenty years.
An 'all-rounder', Mike fished for coarse, game and sea fish. His first pike was a record-breaking 14lb and earned him a silver cup. He kept the fish in a glass case in his study. He was one of the pioneers of catching carp in winter and he founded the Devon Carp Catchers' Club in 1958. Mike belonged to several angling clubs and was a long-standing member of the infamous Golden Scale Club, where he was known as 'the Prof'. He described the club as a bunch of moth-eaten eccentrics who held dear the traditional ways of the angler. His book, Along Fishermen’s Paths is a collection of his most memorable fishing expeditions and is illustrated by his son Quinton.
Mike died on the 19th December, 2013 after a long illness.