About Des Taylor.

Was General Secretary of the National Association of Specimen Groups.

Was General Secretary of the National Association of Specialist Anglers.

Was the founder member of the Worcestershire Specimen group.

Is a patron of the "Disabled Anglers Association".

Is a trustee of the "Angling Heritage Charity".

Is president of the "Perchfishers Club".

Is Vice President of the “Stoney and Friends” cancer charity.

Is a supporter of The Predation Action Group.

One of the 40 ambassadors for the Angling Trust.

The first winner of the “Angling Writer of the year” award from the Angling Writers Association.

The first winner of the “Angling personality of the year” award from the Angling Trade Association.

Winner of the “TG British Lure Championship” with a record weight of 99lb 11oz.

Was honoured with being asked to do a talk at the Dick Walker memorial presentation.

Was honoured to talk at the funeral of the late great Barrie Richards.

Has wrote a number of chapters and forewords for angling books.

Has written in the angling times a weekly column for well over 20 years and next to Dick Walker has written the longest running specialist weekly column in this publication.

Has written in excess of 1 million words in weeklies and monthly angling publications and recognized by his peers as the angling writer that “inspires anglers to go fishing”.

Wrote in many angling publications abroad and wrote for 5 years for German magazine “Fisch and Fang”.

Has written 5 books one he co-wrote one with Dave Philips (Where to fish in the Midlands), one with Barrie Rickards (Recollections 11) Fish the Midlands on his own, Great Days (hardback) and Great Days Extra (soft back version of Great Days plus three new chapters).

Recognised by his peers as one of the most successful big fish anglers of all time.

Broke the African Dusky Shark record with a fish of 660lbs.

Has caught Great White Shark to 1800lbs.

His biggest river fish is a Sturgeon of 550lbs.

Has caught specimen fish of all species from every branch of the sport including Rainbow Trout to 23lb 11oz with another 4 over 20lbs and over 200 double figured Trout including Brown Trout to 14lbs plus and two “Goldie’s” over 20lbs, he has taken 6 x 4lb Perch to 4lb 14oz and many over 3lbs, two Catfish over 200lbs and the first angler in England to catch three 30lb Cats in a day, Roach to over 3lbs with over 200 Roach over the 2lb mark, Chub to over 7lbs, Pike to over 30lbs with another 50 over 20lbs Atlantic and Pacific Salmon to over 30lbs, Eels to over 7lbs with many over 5lbs, Orfe to over 7lbs, Mirror Carp to over 70lbs, Common Carp to over 60lbs, 4x Dace over 1lb, Zander to over 18lbs, Halibut and Skate over 200lbs, Smoothounds over 20lbs, Tope to over 60lbs, the list is endless.

Has made numerous appearances on TV and radio angling shows.

Made the first two commercial carp videos at Cuttle Mill and in their day were best sellers.

Made the first two commercial pike videos at Thorpe Park and again in their day were best sellers.

Des has made another 16 videos and DVDs including “in pursuit of a 40” his latest DVD.

Designed the best selling range of carbon/Kevlar rods for North Western Blanks and been a consultant with some of the biggest angling companies in Europe.

Has been recognized by the Angling Times as a true LEGEND of the sport and they made a film “My life in Angling” that is shown on the Angling Times website.

Dick Walker told Des “You will make a living writing in angling for you have the gift to reach all men”.

John Wilson said of Des “Des has a pageant for catching monster fish better than anyone I know”.

In Des's own words:- I only want to be remembered in angling as “a man that stood by his post, inspired anglers to try something different and caught big fish along the way”.