John Wilson (1943-2018) presented 109 Go Fishing programmes between 1987 and 2003. Having been unable to find a list of the episodes online I decided (with help from a friend) to create my own. Whilst each episode is in the correct series, I have been unable to work out if all the episode within a series are in the correct order. Please let me know if you know any different.
John was born in Enfield in London and spent time as a hairdresser, and in the Merchant Navy prior to opening his fishing tackle shop in Norwich.
He presented 109 Go Fishing programmes between 1987 and 2003 on various TV channels, as well as Wilson’s World, Fishing Safari, Dream Fishing and Fishing World. He also wrote numerous books and magazine articles.
He moved to Thailand in 2013 where he lived for 5 years. He passed away in 2018.
John’s fishing programmes were a delight to watch. Once seen who can forget his gentle humour and easy presenting style, along with his catchphrases and unforgettable laugh.
| Series/Episode | Title/Area | First Line |
|---|---|---|
| 1987×01 | Fishing For Pike | Well here we are |
| 1987×02 | Fishing For Trout | There a sort of |
| 1987×03 | Fishing For Chub | It’s a bit grim |
| 1987×04 | Fishing For Tench | Goodness me this lane |
| 1987×05 | Fishing For Roach | What a lovely warm morning |
| 1987×06 | Fishing For Carp | The weather forecast for today |
| 1988×01 | Down On The Avon | Well here we are on |
| 1988×02 | Deep Sea Wrecking | Well here we are and |
| 1988×03 | Grayling And The Stream | There aren’t many |
| 1988×04 | Weirpool Magic | What do you think of this |
| 1988×05 | Spinners Spoons And Gadgets | Well here we are |
| 1988×06 | Carp In The Lillies | Here we are where |
| 1988×07 | Fishing Summer Lakes | Love the way these |
| 1988×08 | Small River Barbel | Well we’re a long |
| 1988×09 | In Search Of A Trout | Ohh it feels a bit |
| 1988×10 | Olivers First Carp | Well Oli it looks |
| 1988×11 | Foreign Fiske 1 | Noisy here isn’t it |
| 1988×12 | Foreign Fiske 2 | Before we get stuck in |
| 1990×01 | The Emerald Isle | No this isn’t Whykeekee |
| 1990×02 | Small Waters | Isn’t this a glorious patch |
| 1990×03 | A Winters Tale | Here we are again on the |
| 1990×04 | The Shannon | Top O’ the morning to you |
| 1990×05 | TheI Irish Predator | Hello this lovely |
| 1990×06 | The King Of Fish | Well for this last programme |
| 1991×01 | Canada | Hello welcome to Canada |
| 1991×02 | Spain | Well i didn’t catch this |
| 1991×03 | Gambia | When you’re in a strange land |
| 1991×04 | Ireland | A very cold and blustery |
| 1991×05 | Kenya | Well what do you think |
| 1991×06 | Denmark | Its rather nice to be |
| 1991×07 | India 1 | This is a land of |
| 1991×08 | India 1 | Ok Saban which rock has it |
| 1991×09 | Africa | Well we might be here |
| 1991×10 | Kenya | A warm tropical welcome |
| 1991×11 | Gambia | Now where is he |
| 1991x12M | Canada | Missing titles |
| 1992×01 | Wilsons Fishery | Having fished all over |
| 1992×02 | Rutland | You may recall in the first |
| 1992×03 | Austria | This week Go Fishing visits |
| 1992×04 | Canada | After flying direct from |
| 1992×05 | Thames Estuary | Welcome to another |
| 1992×06 | Suffolk | Constables country is this week’s |
| 1992×07 | Norfolk | Welcome to another Go Fishing |
| 1992×08 | Canada | Having left Stu Mackay |
| 1992×09 | Sweden | This week our destination |
| 1992×10 | Africa 1 | After a 10 hour flight |
| 1992×11 | Africa 2 | After starting our Zambizee |
| 1992×12 | Norfolk Broads | As the Norfolk Broads are |
| 1994×01 | Thames Estuary | Welcome to the Thames Estuary |
| 1994×02 | Northamptonshire | In this weeks Go Fishing |
| 1994×03 | Morocco | This week Go Fishing welcomes you |
| 1994×04 | Essex | This week Go Fishing travels to |
| 1994×05 | Norfolk | This week we bring the |
| 1994×06 | Denmark | While Denmark is perhaps |
| 1995×01 | Sussex | Hello again and welcome to |
| 1995×02 | Diss | In Go Fishing this week |
| 1995×03 | Hampshire | During the winter months |
| 1995×04 | Sussex | Our first destination |
| 1995×05 | Norfolk | I’m starting off close |
| 1995×06 | Hampshire | Throughout much of the |
| 1996×01 | Sussex | Hidden away |
| 1996×02 | Dorset | In this weeks Go Fishing programme |
| 1996×03 | Norfolk | If you travel 12 miles due west |
| 1996×04 | Wiltshire | Our journey this week |
| 1996×05 | Norfolk | Many of the estates |
| 1996×06 | Dorset | Having taken that 100cwt catch |
| 1997×01 | Sussex | Hello again and welcome to our 11th |
| 1997×02 | Northamptonshire | This week on Go Fishing |
| 1997×03 | Bedfordshire | Trying to catch specimens |
| 1997×04 | Surrey | Waters both deep and shallow |
| 1997×05 | Hampshire | This week Go Fishing takes |
| 1997×06 | Hampshire | Two of the most exciting |
| 1998×01 | Buckinghamshire | Hello again welcome to |
| 1998×02 | West Sussex | No you haven’t got the wrong |
| 1998×03 | Offshore | A wonderful summers day |
| 1998×04 | Dorset | Wereham must be one of |
| 1998×05 | Surrey | A beautiful misty morning |
| 1998×06 | Dorset | The view across Weymouth harbour |
| 1999×01 | Chigborough | There really is an amazing |
| 1999×02 | Newport Pagnell | Welcome to another Go Fishing |
| 1999×03 | Berkshire | Welcome to Royal Berkshire |
| 1999×04 | Ringwood | These fast flowing middle reaches |
| 1999×05 | Carp Fishing | Now the reason I’m |
| 1999×06 | Norfolk | Welcome to north west Norfolk |
| 2000×01 | Sussex | It’s the crack of dawn |
| 2000×02 | Suffolk | In series past weve fished |
| 2000×03 | Norfolk | It’s a glorious summers morning |
| 2000×04 | Surrey | This twelve acre lake |
| 2000×05 | Dorset | Setting out from beautiful |
| 2000×06 | West Sussex | Its a beautiful morning |
| 2001×01 | Norfolk | This secluded five acre lake |
| 2001×02 | Berkshire | This is the lovely River Kennett |
| 2001×03 | Essex | This is Ardley Reservoir just a few |
| 2001×04 | Alderney | This is picturesque Alderney |
| 2001×05 | Norfolk | Morning yes this is me |
| 2001×06 | Sussex | This is beautiful Winton’s Fishery |
| 2002×01 | Suffolk | Ho ho ho ho it’s a nice fish |
| 2002×02 | Suffolk | Don’t they go in this flow |
| 2002×03 | Norfolk | Later in today’s programme |
| 2002×04 | Suffolk | Berkshire’s River Kennett |
| 2002×05 | Suffolk | Oh yes here we go arrrgghh |
| 2002×06 | Hampshire | In part two this week |
| 2003×01 | Norfolk | This enchanted secluded Norfolk |
| 2003×02 | Bedfordshire | For species like |
| 2003×03 | Norfolk | These three beautiful day ticket |
| 2003×04 | Norfolk | There are three well stocked |
| 2003×05 | Hertfordshire | I’ve fished in few more |
| 2003×06 | Norfolk | There are three beautiful lakes |
Well known catchphrases:
“I’m in a right two and eight”
“Well, I never did”
“I’m in”
“The hook’s come out in the net”
“What a clonker”
“Would you believe it”
Christopher's Cactus Corner 