24th May, Saturday, 11.35a.m.
The challenge of getting the limited passes from Astro for a meet and greet session with Jeremy Wade seemed worth it when you stand amidst Jeremy’s most recent achievements , on display at the blue concourse of Sunway Pyramid, Kuala Lumpur.
Though I have a lot to say about the event, the main focus of this entry is on the man himself.A presence so inspiring and powerful accompanied by years of experience, I cannot help but dedicate an entry to share with you how amazing he is, despite not being a big fan of freshwater angling myself. When you love to fish, you tend to be passionate about anything and everything associated with the sport, after seeing Jeremy Wade in person, I have a newfound respect for the extreme angler.
Standing amidst the crowd that was building up by the minute, you cannot help but realise how the fans of River Monsters range from 8 months (Babies were paying attention!) to 80 years old. Every glimpse we got of anything associated with and to the angler, be it the police escort, or the staff of Discovery Channel S.E.A arranging Jeremy’s gear for display, we cheered excitedly.
Finally, the host comes up on stage and announces the arrival of Jeremy Wade, after a quick introduction video clip, the crowd cheered to welcome him warmly. There he was, with a tanned complexion that feeds your imagination of images from the tropical sun ray on his skin whilst fighting a monster fish, wearing a V-neck short sleeved black t-shirt and travelling convertible pants by Rohan, a brand that complements the lifestyle of the angler. He oozes simplicity & confidence as he smiles to the crowd and with a deep yet humble tone to his voice, he utters happily, “Apa Khabar!?”. How charming.
The crowd reacted to his voice, with oohs and aahs. He sounded even better in person.
The event gave us a sneak peek of what’s to come in River Monsters Season 6, with first hand information from Jeremy Wade on his experience & new found freshwater species, which includes tips and tricks of freshwater fishing for both monsters and regular fishes. He took the time to explain and demonstrate what it was like to fight a fish on his very own rod and reel. Due to the fact that his fans are not limited to anglers only, most of the question and answer sessions with the fans were of a general nature.
As an amateur angler, I was interested to know more about his techniques, his gear and every nitty gritty detail of fishing for freshwater fishes. I am certain I was not the only amateur angler out there who wanted to know more.
Therefore, I did a bit of research and read a little more about him.
Did you know?
Jeremy Wade prefers multiplier reels over fixed-spool ones as they handle heavier fishing lines and control the fishes better, especially if they have a lever drag. He isn’t sponsored by any brands (Bummer if you thought it was Shimano). He has used reels from a South African brand known as Policansky as well as more familiar brands like Abu and Penn (the guy has got good taste!). His hook of choice is a Circle Hook (just like my husband) from brands like Owner, Mustad as well as Gamakatsu. The knots he fancies are the Uni-Knot (how can I not love him!), the 4-turn untucked blood knot for heavier mono, Bimini Twist for creating a length of double line as well as the Allbright knot for joining braid to Mono. He does not have a personal Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account (better ask yourself who you following!).
These are just a few that I have picked out of the list of information available from the sites, for more visit Jeremy Wade’s official website or read the interview he had with Singular Magazine. Click on the highlighted link to be redirected to the websites.
Jeremy Wade, an angling force to be reckoned with. Having had the opportunity to see the angler in person is definitely an experience not to forget. Though we did not get the opportunity to meet him personally for an autograph session,we would like to thank our friends from Fishmalaysia that was kind enough to hand us a signed copy of an Abu Garcia cap as a momento of the event.
Did you think I would forget you though? There is no way I would! Here are bits and pieces of the experience in video and photos. Enjoy!
The Milkfish Lady Official Website 