Jack Simpson Shop owner

Jack Simpson the founder of Simpsons of Turnford has been an angler since his early boyhood days in County Durham fishing for perch and pike in local ponds and lakes and trout in the River Wear.
Since those early days Jack has fished and caught most of the species of British fresh and saltwater fish.
Over the past 50 years he has also fished most of the Worlds more exotic destinations fishing for marlin, tarpon, salmon, and bonefish and just about anything you can name that swims in salt or fresh-water
Jack is a qualified fly casting and game fishing instructor and also hosts groups to Cuba for Roxtons Worldwide, Aardvark McLeod and Avalon Fishing Cuba.
Jack is possibly one of the UKs most respected rod makers with a background in split cane rod building and over the years he has worked with some of the Countries leading specialist anglers such as Kevin Maddocks and Jim Gibbinson in the design and production of carp and specialist top quality carbon, custom built rods.

Len Goulding Shop Manager

Len was one of our bait boys who started with us at 13 years old,
and has been fishing since the age of 5.
A key member off our staff for over 25years Len is a very knowledgeable all-round angler, his early angling interest was in match fishing for teams
Such as Robbos, Future and Delcac.
He then became very interested in Stillwater trout fishing with specimen rainbow trout to over 10lbs to his credit.
Len is very much an around angler with big chubb and barbell over 10lbs and carp to 45lbs to his credit.
Len also plays a major part in running of our private Stillwater 5 acre Netherhall fishery. He has also been very instrumental in the setting up of our website catalogue.
With such a broad band of angling experience you can contact Len on any aspect of fishing equipment that we stock, he can also advise you of the latest up-to-date fishing prospects in the Lee Valley.
Outside of his work and family obligations Len fishes every minute that he can.

Phill Barker Game manager

Phil has been a key member of our staff for over 15 years and manages our Game fishing department.
Initially an all-round angler Phil turned his angling interests in the late 60s
to fly fishing and has fished for trout and salmon and saltwater fish throughout the Northern Hemisphere. with trout over 20lbs Atlantic salmon over 30lbs and Pacific king salmon to over 50lbs to his credit.
Phil is very knowledgeable on all aspect of game fishing and can advise you on all the game fishing equipment that we stock.
He has also visited the Sage rod building factory in Seattle and can advise you on all aspects of the Sage fly rod and reels range.
A licensed qualified fly casting instructor, Phil can be booked for individual or group fly casting lessons, he can also organise corporate fly fishing days on both stillwaters and rivers. He has also hosted groups for fishing holidays in Alaska for the last 10 years; please contact him for further details

Steve Gosnell

I have been fishing since the age of 8, I started fishing the old river Lea and Walthamstow reservoir, and I joined the local club which was Chingford
After my parents moved to Woodford green I spent a lot of time on Highams park
Lake fishing for roach and tench.
At the age of 12 I caught my first carp 12lb from Eagle Pond and that was me hooked
I then moved on to Stanborough Lakes and this is where I really started to learn about carp fishing, boilies hair rigs all were new, Plus friendships were made, this is where I first met and fished with Rob Maylin.
I have continued to pursue carp with a great many captures of 30s and 40s with a PB of 53.7lb.
I have also written articles for Both Big Carp and Carpworld magazines