Meet Consultant - Ritchie Martin

January 15, 2026 3 min read

Name:Ritchie Martin

Lives in: Ringwood

Occupation:Partnerships Director

Angling Category:All Rounder

Describe yourself as an angler:Well, where do I start, for me angling is a passion, and release, a sanctuary and an addiction, so I suppose angling is now fixed firmly in my DNA. I absolutely love the diversity in what I do, the challenge each species represents and the array of techniques needed to master to catch each one. My angling needs to match these challenges, I need to be able to adapt to each venue and each species. So being versatile and creative is key.

Favourite Venue:Beauty is everywhere, intimate ponds, large reservoirs, trickling chalk streams or flooded rivers. Each hold great opportunity and mystery

Favourite Species: Why have only one!! In the course of a season I fall in love many times, when the winter is upon us it is Roach, Perch, Pike, Grayling and Chub. The summer brings Rudd, Barbel, Tench, Crucians and surface caught Carp. If I really had to choose, I think I could narrow my selection maybe to Rudd and Perch … although last years Grayling fishing renewed my love affair for the lady of the stream.

Favourite Method/Approach: Trotting a float for me is one of lifes great gifts. Especially on crisp, still winter mornings when the cold air bites your fingers until the sun breaks the horizon. Theres a strange silence and calmness about it, I’m sure it’s the focus that’s needed, its beautifully mesmerising.

Favourite Hinders Bait: As mentioned above, my angling is so diverse I need to be able to adapt to each species, technique and venue. Hinders matches this need perfectly and over the years I have probably used close to the full range. One product that has and will always stand out for me is Hinders Betalin, I’m sure I use more if it than any other angler in the UK! It creeps into most of my angling, soaked hookbaits, strayed on Maggots and corn, in method mixes and ground baits. I absolutely love the stuff!

Most memorable session: I’ve been very lucky to have had a few red letter days over the years, with an incredible haul of Crucians caught with 4 fish over 3 ½ lb and the biggest being 4lb 2 and a huge Barbel (16lb 15) caught in the gale force winds of Storm Freya. However, recently I ventured north with my very good friend Simon to one of Scotlands finest rivers, it’s a 7 hour drive for me but it was worth every second. After a slow morning, I moved into a much slower deeper part of the river to try to change my fortunes and change they certainly did. My float soon dipped and in the clear cold water I could see and huge Grayling gliding gracefully over the heavy boulders in the pool. She soon was mine and pulled to needle of the scales around to 2lb 14.5 ounces!

As most who know me will tell you, I do wag my tail a fair bit and am known to get a little excited from time to time, so it was hard to keep any sort of composure when around an hour later yet another huge Grayling slide over the net! This time 3lb 1.5 ounces, a frantic call to Simon had him galloping to my aid and some fantastic pictures were taken. As he wandered downstream, I made another cast and trotted the exact same line again, only for the float to dip again, this time another fish of 3lb!

It's literally the stuff of dreams!

Target for the next 12months:Last year I made my first attempt to catch a ‘big’ bream, I managed to land my first double, quickly followed by my second, with fish of 10lb 10 and 11lb 10. This year I’d love to improve that, I have seen some absolutely incredible bream caught, deep bronzed colours, huge chests and dustbin lid in size. I also continue in my search for a 10lb tench!! I’ve come close but as yet that big Tinca has eluded me. I don’t want to be greedy but improving my Pike PB and a 1lb Dace would put the cherry on the cake

Current Personal Best Captures include: