Premier League hero Jimmy Bullard has lifted the lid on a funny fishing mishap that ended up looking like a ‘scene from a horror movie’.
The former footballer has been an avid angler since childhood and has had a rod in his hand as much as he’s had a ball at his feet.
He was introduced to fishing by his dad, Jimmy Senior, when was just seven years old.
But ex-midfielder Jimmy has revealed how an accident involving several pints of maggots saw a mate’s car infested with a noxious swarm of angry bluebottles.
Speaking to Select Van Leasing, as he tested an electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz as his next fishing load-lugger, the 45-year-old revealed: “My dad had always fished, and so when I was seven or eight, he took me to this boot fair to get my first rod, an old split cane. We went down to Danson Park in Bexleyheath and I caught my first fish, a little roach, and fishing just grabbed me. It was like, ‘Wow - this is amazing’. Dad taught me the craft of angling, and the time we spent together on the riverbank was a massive bonding experience. It’s a hobby like no other. I play a lot of golf, but golf doesn’t grab me like fishing does.
“I used to go fishing with my dad and his mates, and they’d bundle me in the back of the van with all the fishing gear. On the way home one time, I went to put all the gear away, but I put the maggots in the wrong tub and the lid didn’t fit properly. I lost about three and a half pints of maggots in the back!
“Two days later, my dad’s mate is on the phone screaming, ‘Jim, what the hell have you done! There’s maggots EVERYWHERE!’ It was the middle of summer, baking hot, and soon enough thousands and thousands of bluebottles hatched. It completely ruined his van for a year. You’d open the back and it was just one massive swarm of flies, like a scene from a horror movie.”
Jimmy, star of Sky’s recently-retired Soccer AM, told Select Van Leasing that he found time to fish at every club he played at during his career - which includes Fulham, Wigan Athletic and Hull City. He loved the competitive edge that came with fishing matches, but also relished the peace and tranquillity.
But being recognised on the riverbank came with its own dangers.
He explained: “Every football club I’ve been at, I’ve always fished. When I was at Wigan, I learned my trade from some great anglers and went to some of the best fisheries, getting into the match scene up there.
“But I was fishing in this match, and there was a group of young lads on the opposite bank going, ‘That’s Bullard, in’t it!? He plays for Wigan!’ I went to go down the bank to sort out a bit of a tangle, caught my trouser leg on my fishing box, and ended up going in the water. It was so embarrassing, especially with loads of people watching. I don’t think I’ll ever live it down.”
In 2020 Jimmy launched his own fishing podcast, Off the Hook, which saw him angling with special guests including Neil Warnock, Sean Dyche and Robbie Keane.
But one episode with former England goalkeeper David Seaman, 60, didn’t quite go according to plan.
Jimmy laughed: “It was winter and there was snow on the ground. It’s typically harder to fish when it’s cold, so you really just go hoping you’ll get one or two bites.
“As we’re setting up, I put some bait on the hook and then put my rod down to help David with this mic. The maggot was barely even dangling in the water. I look around, my rod’s almost gone in and I’m hooked into a seven pound carp! I wasn’t even expecting to get a bite! It was unbelievable luck. It’s never happened before and I’m sure it won’t happen again.”
Meanwhile Jimmy reckons he’s naturally drawn to the water, with fishing working wonders for his mental wellbeing. Recent university research validates that view, indicating how male anglers are ‘17% less likely to experience depression and anxiety’.
The dad-of-two said: “Something happens to me when I’m around water - the sea, a river, a pond, a canal, whatever - and I get drawn to it. It’s strange, but it’s like my ‘zen’ thing, and it has been that way since I was a kid. I naturally gravitate to water, even if I’m just walking my dog.
“And that’s the lovely thing about fishing - it’s not always just about the fish. Of course, I love the sport of it, but it’s also about just looking at the wildlife, enjoying the scenery, and with some of the places I go to, the wildlife is unreal. When you’re sitting there on your Jack Jones, away from everyone, it’s just really nice. I can stay there for hours. I think I’ve probably chosen fishing as a way to escape from a bit of a hectic lifestyle.”
Watch Gone Fishing with Select - Jimmy Bullard via the Select Van Leasing YouTube channel.
And you can lease an electric VW ID.Buzz Cargo with Select Van Leasing from £298 per month*, ex VAT.
*Prices exclude VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 05/02/24.
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