With its baleful stare and lupine grin, the Death Metal anti-hero of the subaqueous scene enjoys a diabolical reputation

Chris Kennedy-Barnard reports back from North Carolina in the USA where hundreds of anglers compete chasing red drum in a gruelling 60-hour surfcasting tournament

THE BELLA VISTA BASS

Meet the prehistoric giants that roamed the Arctic Circle thousands of years ago

Q What are some of the longest lifespans in fish? A Technically the longest lifespan lies with the Greenland shark, which live a staggering 250-plus years – perhaps even more than 500, in some cases.

Whether winter-faded ferns, the spindly harvestman or the tyrannical stare of an irate chicken, through-lines from the prehistoric to our modern age are all around us in November, says John Lewis-Stempel