Fish and Game

The season begins with British bluefin tuna, breeding woodcock in Cornwall and three very different shooting calendars. In the first full episode of Fish & Game, Avian Sandercock, Sam Turner and Jake Woolf set out their plans – and rather smaller personal ambitions – for the months ahead.

Sam wants to tackle Atlantic bluefin tuna off the South West coast, prompting a look at the boats, tackle and controlled fishery behind one of Britain’s most remarkable sporting recoveries. Jake is preparing for the opening of the partridge season at Warter Priory and a walked-up gundog training day, while Avian hopes to investigate reports of woodcock breeding close to his Cornish farm shoot.

There is also the proper place of elevenses in a shoot day, fried partridge and pheasant, forgotten wellies, a prospective 20-bore over-and-under, barefoot boots, beginner fly rods and the hosts’ continuing move towards non-lead ammunition. It is an opening look at the fishing, shooting, dogs, food and field adventures Fish & Game will follow through the season – with several promising rabbit holes already waiting.

In this episode

– Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing in British waters
– The tackle, boats and teamwork involved in targeting tuna
– Early-season shooting plans and Warter Priory
– Looking for breeding woodcock in Cornwall
– Why elevenses matters to the rhythm of a shoot day
– Fried game, venison and improving shoot-day food
– A 20-bore over-and-under and a first fly-fishing outfit
– Experiences with non-lead game cartridges

Links

Bluefin tuna fisheries in 2026 — Marine Management Organisation

Breeding Woodcock Survey — Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Woodcock species information — British Trust for Ornithology

Warter Priory Estate

Bioammo Blue 12-bore cartridges — Just Cartridges

River Lynher

Presented by Avian Sandercock, Sam Turner and Jake Woolf.
Edited by Avian Sandercock.

Produced for SideCountry by Richard Prideaux.

DISCLAIMER
Views are those of individual speakers and do not necessarily represent SideCountry, its presenters, contributors, partners or sponsors. For general information and entertainment only. Laws, seasons, access and guidance change; check official sources, obtain permission and act within your competence.

Meet the Hosts of Fish and Game! - Fishing, Shooting and What to Expect from Fish and Game

Short summary
SideCountry founder Richard Prideaux introduces Avian Sandercock, Sam Turner and Jake Woolf. They compare their fishing and shooting backgrounds, explain what has brought them together and set out a podcast built around learning, community, conservation and getting more people into the countryside.

Episode description
Meet Avian Sandercock, Sam Turner and Jake Woolf, the three hosts of Fish and Game, as SideCountry founder Richard Prideaux asks how they came to fishing, shooting and the countryside - and what they intend to do with a podcast.

Avian talks about his Cornish roots, lifelong fishing and the small club shoot that brings his local community together.
Sam explains how farming, fly-fishing, clay coaching and simulated game days fit into his working life.
Jake traces a route from falconry and gundogs to shooting at Branches Park, KuduRiver Gundogs and the TWENTY10 Club.

Along the way, the three give an honest assessment of their fly-fishing ability (or inability) and discover that enthusiasm may be more useful than elegance.

This short introduction sets out the ground Fish and Game intends to cover: coarse, game and sea fishing; driven and walked-up shooting; deer stalking; gundogs; falconry; conservation; habitat and land management. More importantly, it explains the spirit of the show - breaking down unfamiliar language and barriers to entry, learning in public and showing the people, places and work that surround a day in the field or on the water.

In this episode
- Who Avian, Sam and Jake are, and the parts of Britain they call home
- Their very different histories with fly-fishing, coarse fishing and sea angling
- Why fishing and catching fish are not necessarily the same activity
- The overlap between fishing, shooting, food, conservation and land management
- The importance of community in club shoots, sim days and days on the river
- Jake's route from falconry and gundogs to KuduRiver and TWENTY10
- How Fish and Game plans to explain terminology and make unfamiliar sports easier to approach

Presented by Avian Sandercock, Sam Turner and Jake Woolf, with Richard Prideaux.
Edited by Avian Sandercock.
Produced for SideCountry by Amy Green.

DISCLAIMER
Views are those of individual speakers and do not necessarily represent SideCountry, its presenters, contributors, partners or sponsors. For general information and entertainment only. Laws, seasons, access and guidance change; check official sources, obtain permission and act within your competence.