The wife of a missing angler found dead in a north Cumbrian river has paid tribute to a man who lived life to the full.

Jim McKay, 63, sparked a search after he failed to return home from a fishing trip.

He was found in the River Eden, near Armathwaite, the following morning by a friend, with his fishing rod still in his hand.

His wife, Anna McKay, 61, of Armathwaite, said: “It was the perfect fisherman’s end. His line was still in the water across the river. We all hope he had a fish on the other end. He died in his boots.”

It was a fitting end for a man who had lived a full life of adventure and fun, with no fear or inhibitions.

He had gone out fishing on the river Eden last Monday as usual, and Anna recalled asking him what time he would be back and whether he would want something to eat.

“He said, ‘If I told you I’d have to lie to you’,” Anna said.

Jim told her he was probably going to go haaf netting up at the Solway later on or do some night fishing in the River Eden.

“I wasn’t expecting him home,” Anna continued. “It wasn’t until I woke up in the very early hours of the morning that I realised there was something not quite right.”

She called one of Jim’s friends who immediately went to look for him and found him by the edge of the water.

It is unknown whether he died on Monday or very early on Tuesday morning. He is believed to have had a heart attack.

Friends of Jim have been visiting Anna since he died and he is still managing to spread joy after his death. No matter how sad they are, his friends and family cannot talk about him without smiling. “I know I’m going to crash at some point but I’m just trying to keep going until [the funeral],” said Anna.

Today (FRI) fishermen and haaf netters will give Jim a guard of honour, processing before his coffin and lining the entrance of Carlisle Crematorium.

At least 250 people are expected at the funeral of the popular man, before his wake at the Fox and Pheasant, Armathwaite, which Anna described as his second home.

Jim initially worked as a blacksmith before training as a hyperbaric welder in the oil industry, welding deep under water. He travelled all over the world with this work, making numerous friends wherever he went.

But when he had a son, James, with his first wife, he decided the deep diving was too dangerous and took up a job as a gamekeeper for James Carr at Holmegate.

Throughout his life, Jim had a passion for country life. Anna said: “That’s always been a thread running through his life, the outdoors, wildlife, plants and always his dogs.”

He went fly fishing all over the world, including Mexico this year. “He loved fishing, it was his absolute passion, but it was for the table,” said Anna.

A man of many talents, he could cook, tie fishing flies for friends, who used them all over the world, and make walking sticks with carved antler handles. He was very generous and hated waste. He once made buttons for his jumper out of the small ends of horn left over from sticks.

Music was also a passion throughout his life, and he played both the tin whistle and concertina, which he learned while in the diving bell. He loved opera and last year went to see La Bohème at La Scala in Milan.

Anna and Jim were together for 24 years and married in 2010 in Armathwaite.

“Jim lived completely in the moment because he said it was all you could really be sure of. You can’t argue with that can you,” said Anna.

Jim’s funeral, organised by John Tremble Funeral Directors, will be held at Carlisle Crematorium today at 1.40pm.