Grantham Journal bids a fond farewell to angling correspondent Dave Coster

The Grantham Journal this week bids a fond farewell to its regular weekly angling correspondent Dave Coster who is moving away from the area.

When Dave first came to South Lincolnshire, the big problem he encountered was a lack of quality information about coarse fishing.

He said most club websites did not explain very much, while chat rooms on the internet rarely showed any positivity.

With local venues like the Grantham Canal, he found the general consensus was 'don’t bother going there'. But Dave did give it a try and enjoyed some surprisingly good sport, proving the keyboard warriors hopelessly wrong. This prompted him to start his weekly column in the Journal.

Dave also discovered gems like Woodland Waters at Ancaster. He offers no apologies for regularly featuring Woody's – as the site is fondly nicknamed – because it has proved to be one of the top fisheries in the country. Dave said he will never forget the superb outings he has enjoyed there, uncovering some of the best lake sport he has ever witnessed.

Dave said another forgotten waterway the internet was hazy about turned out to be the Fossdyke Canal. Lincoln and District Angling Club have striven to open up more accessible swims over recent years, revealing superb roach, bream, rudd and predator fishing. They have turned the fortunes of the club around, supplying regular quality news and useful information on their website.

He added it would be wrong not to mention the River Trent when talking about this area, where sport has improved dramatically on many stretches. Dave said: "It’s not just about big fish these days, because many stretches are capable of providing bites all day long if you like targeting roach, dace and perch."

Dave quickly discovered the old stick floats he relied on back in the 80s and 90s, when he used to travel all the way up from London to fish this mighty river, still worked their magic on day ticket stretches like Collingham and Farndon.

The River Witham has been yet another favourite haunt for Dave, sadly not as prolific for chub and barbel as it used to be, but he said with careful searching it is possible to enjoy some good fishing.

Dave said: "The main problem is local anglers don’t tend to broadcast their catches for fear of poaching, which has been rife at times."

Dave said he will miss all the angling pals he has had the pleasure to meet on the banks in the Grantham area, but the time has come to move closer to his family. And no surprisingly, there just happens to be one of the most prolific rivers in the country just a short stroll from his new house.

l The Journal would like to thank Dave Coster for his sterling efforts in writing his column with unceasing regularity throughout the last four years.

Formerly a features writer for the now defunct Angler's Mail, Dave's voluntary weekly local fishing news has been greatly enjoyed by both anglers and non-anglers alike, and his regular contributions will be sorely missed by all.

All the best for the future Dave and 'tight lines'.