The Story of Rivers of Gold
One river. Generations of anglers.
A lifetime of memories.
More Than Just a Fishing River
For generations, the River Severn has been far more than a stretch of water. It has been a meeting place, a competition arena, a classroom and a source of lifelong friendships.
Along its banks, anglers have gathered before dawn, shared stories over steaming mugs of tea, celebrated victories, suffered disappointments and returned home carrying memories that often lasted far longer than the fish they caught.
Rivers of Gold was created to preserve something of that world — the river, the characters, the friendships and the remarkable stories created along its banks.
The Golden Years
There was a time when major fishing matches on the Severn could attract enormous numbers of anglers. Pegs stretched for miles, tackle shops buzzed with conversation and the river became one of the great stages of British match fishing.
It was an era of great competitors, innovative methods and fierce rivalry — but also tremendous friendship. For many anglers, the journey to the Severn was every bit as important as the result at the scales.
The Anglers and the Characters
The Champions
Anglers whose skill, determination and understanding of flowing water made their names part of Severn match-fishing history.
The Club Anglers
The thousands who travelled week after week, shared information and built friendships that often lasted for decades.
The Characters
Organisers, tackle dealers, river men and unforgettable personalities whose humour and stories gave the Severn its unique character.
Jim Burton
An angler, a friend and a story worth telling
Jim Burton — a lifetime of memories from the riverbank
At the heart of the project is Jim Burton, an angler whose life has been closely connected with the River Severn and the friendships created through fishing.
Jim’s experience with prostate cancer, together with his determination to raise awareness and help others, gave the original Rivers of Gold story an importance that reached far beyond fishing.
What began as a musical tribute became something larger — a way of remembering the people, places and moments that made the River Severn such an important part of so many anglers’ lives.
Listen to Jim’s Song
The Man They Call Jim Burton
A musical tribute to the angler and friend who helped inspire Rivers of Gold
From One Song to a Collection
One story led naturally to another. The more memories that surfaced, the clearer it became that the Severn held enough stories for an entire musical collection.
Rivers of Gold became a celebration of the people who fished the river, the famous stretches they knew, the matches they remembered and the friendships that survived long after the final whistle and weigh-in.
“The matches may finish and the seasons may change, but the stories of the River Severn live on.”
Keeping the Memories Alive
Rivers of Gold is not simply about nostalgia. It is about recording a part of angling history that deserves to be remembered.
Through music, stories and memories, the project celebrates a river that has given generations of anglers excitement, friendship and moments they have never forgotten.