Josh Pickett

For this article, my primary reference on where taxa are situated is Phylogenetic Classification of Living and Fossil Ray-Finned Fishes (Actinopterygii) by Near & Thacker, 2024, which I regard to be the most   authoritative r evision of actinopterygiians at the time of this article's publication.    Who wants to be a Blennionaire? An overview of the true blenny families, with a guide to British species.   I can't think of many questions where the potential answers could be 'true' or 'false' without actually being a proper 'true or false' question, but when talking of blennies, it makes a pretty good case. The answer of course is "A"; the triplefins are one of six families of true blennies, unlike, let's say the Vivaparous blenny, which is not a blenny at all (and isn't even vivaparous) , and would informally be considered a false blenny —what a poser. So what exactly are blennies? What makes a blenny true? How many species are ...

      "Josh Pickett looks at one of the rarest and most sought-after fish by LRF species hunters. It won't win prizes for beauty or fighting strength. It might, however, win you a species comp. All hail the bizzare Connemara clingfish!" As seen in Sea Angler , issue 647, April 2025. Read the full article here .     Also included in the issue is a Sea Angler Selects piece on the best fish identification books [preview below]. "Even the most seasoned angler will not know every species in our waters, and with the rise of species hunting and ultra-light tackle, it has never been more useful to know your blue skate from you Montagu's blenny. This month we choose the three best fish identification books, with the help of conservationist and author, Josh Pickett."    

    "The Bullhead is a small benthic freshwater fish. The species shown to be present in Britain, Cottus perifretum , has suffered a history of misrecognition. Everard and Pickett describe the natural history, ecology and taxonomy of the Bullhead in Britain and highlight the consequent problems of its continued misidentification. " As seen in British Wildlife , 36.4, February 2025. Read the full article here .    

    "Josh Pickett explores the exciting return of red bream to the shores of the UK and investigates how they got here and if they’re here to stay." As seen in Sea Angler , issue 645, March 2025. Read the full article here .    

  2024 has been a great year! I picked up where I left off in 2023 with light rock fishing (LRF), accounting for most of my fishing, though I didn’t limit myself, and did some boat charters, shore fishing with bait, and went back to freshwater to tick off some species I had not yet caught. Below is a tally of all the rod and line species I've ticked off this year... All photos/icons are my own catches     #1 - Flounder (Platyichthys flesus) Keen to start off the 2024 tally, I headed over to Charlestown for a couple of hours on New Year's Day for the ever-so-reliable Flounder, which I had some sucess on a few days prior. The conditions weren't really in my favour this time, being right in the middle of the day, and during a bout of hellish rain; though after some persistence, I finally hooked one, on what has fast become one of my favourite lures, the Ecogear Aqua Shirasu. #2 - Painted Goby (Pomatoschistus pictus)   A stunning January morning in P...