In reply to Post #344
The wind blew stinging our faces i pulled my coat around me there was a a slight frost and it glistened on the fields the clouds made pretty patterns as they scuttled across the sky an old dog fox gave a sharp bark some where in the woods behind us we were waiting for the duck to arrive it was now November and the mallard had gained a lots of weight they were fat from feeding on the big stubble fields they has fed on these fields since September but now they had been plowed in by the farmer but they would come to this little pool to rest just as there ancestors had for generations we sat in the ditch behind a big hawthorn hedge my dog SAM, settled down beside graham, and myself, he was ever alert and was shaking with excitement god was it cold we would give it another hour but with this moon the may flight all night as we looked over the hedge into the distant fields we saw him old foxy, making his way towards the woods he gave a sharp bark and was answered from somewhere deep in the woods it would be the vixen, i wondered if they were mating , i looked at my watch it said 9-30 then from over the fields we heard them call they were on there way.
They would drop onto the water like arrows we only had one chance and shot them head on i pulled through the first bird and missed graham had a left and right SAM was gone, he was soon back with a big fat bird i had the next one he came crashing down into the undergrowth behind us SAM soon brought him to hand we had already shot three nice birds but i wanted four for the farmer who had given us permission to shoot his land we ended the night with thirteen birds it was enough and we left as more birds came in too this little pool we would be back at some stage but for now we left them come in to rest on this small water, we trudged across the field to the farm i am sure it felt colder than it was my feet felt like blocks of ice and i was not sorry to reach the farm house we knocked the door and it was opened by this ruff faced farmer caused by many years working on the land i heard e shooting how many did e shoot he said broad Shropshire drawl thirteen said i he was pleased with his birds and asked us in for a drink but we refused and made our way to the car and home. well a bit more latter
The wind blew stinging our faces i pulled my coat around me there was a a slight frost and it glistened on the fields the clouds made pretty patterns as they scuttled across the sky an old dog fox gave a sharp bark some where in the woods behind us we were waiting for the duck to arrive it was now November and the mallard had gained a lots of weight they were fat from feeding on the big stubble fields they has fed on these fields since September but now they had been plowed in by the farmer but they would come to this little pool to rest just as there ancestors had for generations we sat in the ditch behind a big hawthorn hedge my dog SAM, settled down beside graham, and myself, he was ever alert and was shaking with excitement god was it cold we would give it another hour but with this moon the may flight all night as we looked over the hedge into the distant fields we saw him old foxy, making his way towards the woods he gave a sharp bark and was answered from somewhere deep in the woods it would be the vixen, i wondered if they were mating , i looked at my watch it said 9-30 then from over the fields we heard them call they were on there way.
They would drop onto the water like arrows we only had one chance and shot them head on i pulled through the first bird and missed graham had a left and right SAM was gone, he was soon back with a big fat bird i had the next one he came crashing down into the undergrowth behind us SAM soon brought him to hand we had already shot three nice birds but i wanted four for the farmer who had given us permission to shoot his land we ended the night with thirteen birds it was enough and we left as more birds came in too this little pool we would be back at some stage but for now we left them come in to rest on this small water, we trudged across the field to the farm i am sure it felt colder than it was my feet felt like blocks of ice and i was not sorry to reach the farm house we knocked the door and it was opened by this ruff faced farmer caused by many years working on the land i heard e shooting how many did e shoot he said broad Shropshire drawl thirteen said i he was pleased with his birds and asked us in for a drink but we refused and made our way to the car and home. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #345
Watching telly on Sunday night it showed country file in the Shropshire hills it brought back many happy memories i have actually stood were the presenter, was unfortunately it was raining its beautiful country, and one i really miss when i was younger i would walk miles they also showed the river clun god i poached that a few times when i was younger it was full of brown trout i would cycle from craven arms rod strapped to the cross bar tackle in a bag my back. The river was full of trout i would hide my bike in the undergrowth then over the fence and spin or worm i would literally catch loads the river had been stocked by the gentry who owned the big estates it was looked after by one or two bailiffs and you had to watch out for the keepers depending where you were fishing i had few near escapes i put it down to be able to run faster than them its one of the few small rivers that you can see the fresh water Pearl mussel, i discovered a little lake not far from this river there were signs all around the lake private water keep out trespassers will be shot on sight i would take no notice and fished it for the Rudd and pike i would spin for the pike with big old spoons i think they were called kidney spoons the biggest pike i caught was around ten pounds i would not kill them and always put them back it was not long since the war, and most people would eat pike it made a good meal. I had noticed the lake had a lot of mallard duck but never gave them a second thought until i was disturbed this one day there was i stuck on this lake surrounded by shooters and keepers it was to late to run and i made my way forward into a big reed bed good job it was dry, i could hear the keepers, calling the dogs, i could hear the guns being fired and the sound of ducks hitting the water i managed to grab two that had fallen in the reeds you could hear the the lord of the estate saying good show keeper in a very posh voice, how many down about thirty your lord ship, i thought minus two i had in my bag i waited until it quietened down before leaving the lake then i was on my bike and away home.
The pike
I Was very lucky i never got caught well i suppose i nearly did i was up the woods one day with my trusted air gun when i hear, a voice saying e likes a bit of shooting do e boy i could not see any one but he spoke in a real broad Shropshire language then he stepped from behind a tree taking my birds are e no sir then a big grin came on his face he was the local keeper but i have already mentioned SAM in my part one of my stories i learned so much from him over the years he took me under his wing he showed me how to catch the eels and the trout using a fly rod he certainly liked a bit of poaching him, self i said to him one day we might get caught who by he said i am the keeper here lad , then he said if one of them water bailiffs comes we run like hell and hide in the woods i had to laugh but he was a wonderful old man and loved him like a father. a bit more latter
Watching telly on Sunday night it showed country file in the Shropshire hills it brought back many happy memories i have actually stood were the presenter, was unfortunately it was raining its beautiful country, and one i really miss when i was younger i would walk miles they also showed the river clun god i poached that a few times when i was younger it was full of brown trout i would cycle from craven arms rod strapped to the cross bar tackle in a bag my back. The river was full of trout i would hide my bike in the undergrowth then over the fence and spin or worm i would literally catch loads the river had been stocked by the gentry who owned the big estates it was looked after by one or two bailiffs and you had to watch out for the keepers depending where you were fishing i had few near escapes i put it down to be able to run faster than them its one of the few small rivers that you can see the fresh water Pearl mussel, i discovered a little lake not far from this river there were signs all around the lake private water keep out trespassers will be shot on sight i would take no notice and fished it for the Rudd and pike i would spin for the pike with big old spoons i think they were called kidney spoons the biggest pike i caught was around ten pounds i would not kill them and always put them back it was not long since the war, and most people would eat pike it made a good meal. I had noticed the lake had a lot of mallard duck but never gave them a second thought until i was disturbed this one day there was i stuck on this lake surrounded by shooters and keepers it was to late to run and i made my way forward into a big reed bed good job it was dry, i could hear the keepers, calling the dogs, i could hear the guns being fired and the sound of ducks hitting the water i managed to grab two that had fallen in the reeds you could hear the the lord of the estate saying good show keeper in a very posh voice, how many down about thirty your lord ship, i thought minus two i had in my bag i waited until it quietened down before leaving the lake then i was on my bike and away home.
The pike
I Was very lucky i never got caught well i suppose i nearly did i was up the woods one day with my trusted air gun when i hear, a voice saying e likes a bit of shooting do e boy i could not see any one but he spoke in a real broad Shropshire language then he stepped from behind a tree taking my birds are e no sir then a big grin came on his face he was the local keeper but i have already mentioned SAM in my part one of my stories i learned so much from him over the years he took me under his wing he showed me how to catch the eels and the trout using a fly rod he certainly liked a bit of poaching him, self i said to him one day we might get caught who by he said i am the keeper here lad , then he said if one of them water bailiffs comes we run like hell and hide in the woods i had to laugh but he was a wonderful old man and loved him like a father. a bit more latter
In reply to Post #346
I loved the one old lake its only a few miles from my home i have certainly spent some time fishing there i would go in the early years with my good mate Bernard and Graham we would fish for the bream, and eels, we also caught some really big roach, from the water it also held a few big carp but in those years not many fished for them we accidentally hooked one or two when bream fishing but they would soon break you i hooked two one night while eel fishing we had Dennis Kelly, along with us believe it or not i lost the two fish they felt really big but they got into a big weed bed and that was that. It really made us think a little bit more about the carp we did have a go for them but had no luck and with fishing at Ellesmere i did not have the time the year was around nineteen seventy one and we did not have very good tackle comparing it with today.
So we did not think any more about carp until i took the lease on Bomere we had seen one or two big fish showing i suppose it was then we showed some interest towards the carp it was in early eighties i had watched these big fish showing and decided to have a go Graham could not join us owing to his work commitments he was manager of a big quarry so it was Bern and myself i baited up for around two weeks we knew the depth of the water and where the fish had been showing i had high hopes of catching with all the bait that had gone we both fished the same swim which is now known as bailiffs it was a lovely warm night the only trouble was the mozzies they would eat you alive i suppose it was around one in the morning when two fish showed over our bait half an hour latter Bern's indicator shot up and stayed there he was in and it looked like a good fish i got him in the net we parted the net and looked at a most beautiful mirror and on weighing him he was twenty seven pounds twelve oz the first one out of this twenty five acre water i congratulated Bern on his excellent fish and took a few photos he was returned no worse for whare .
The common from Bomere
IT was about three weeks latter when i caught it was a lovely mirror without going to look in my diary i think it was around twenty three pounds i was a happy chappy and when i caught another the same night i was on cloud nine it only weighted twenty pounds but it was lovely common i had no one there to take the photos we did not have self take cameras but i did manage a shot of the common bern was supposed to have come but he did not turn up i was now quite confident
i was going to catch a few more i baited three time a week using hemp and fished maze over the top of the hemp we caught quite a few more over the months but the twenty seven was the biggest for that year. ill tell you more latter
A big tench from baliffs swim
I loved the one old lake its only a few miles from my home i have certainly spent some time fishing there i would go in the early years with my good mate Bernard and Graham we would fish for the bream, and eels, we also caught some really big roach, from the water it also held a few big carp but in those years not many fished for them we accidentally hooked one or two when bream fishing but they would soon break you i hooked two one night while eel fishing we had Dennis Kelly, along with us believe it or not i lost the two fish they felt really big but they got into a big weed bed and that was that. It really made us think a little bit more about the carp we did have a go for them but had no luck and with fishing at Ellesmere i did not have the time the year was around nineteen seventy one and we did not have very good tackle comparing it with today.
So we did not think any more about carp until i took the lease on Bomere we had seen one or two big fish showing i suppose it was then we showed some interest towards the carp it was in early eighties i had watched these big fish showing and decided to have a go Graham could not join us owing to his work commitments he was manager of a big quarry so it was Bern and myself i baited up for around two weeks we knew the depth of the water and where the fish had been showing i had high hopes of catching with all the bait that had gone we both fished the same swim which is now known as bailiffs it was a lovely warm night the only trouble was the mozzies they would eat you alive i suppose it was around one in the morning when two fish showed over our bait half an hour latter Bern's indicator shot up and stayed there he was in and it looked like a good fish i got him in the net we parted the net and looked at a most beautiful mirror and on weighing him he was twenty seven pounds twelve oz the first one out of this twenty five acre water i congratulated Bern on his excellent fish and took a few photos he was returned no worse for whare .
The common from Bomere
IT was about three weeks latter when i caught it was a lovely mirror without going to look in my diary i think it was around twenty three pounds i was a happy chappy and when i caught another the same night i was on cloud nine it only weighted twenty pounds but it was lovely common i had no one there to take the photos we did not have self take cameras but i did manage a shot of the common bern was supposed to have come but he did not turn up i was now quite confident
i was going to catch a few more i baited three time a week using hemp and fished maze over the top of the hemp we caught quite a few more over the months but the twenty seven was the biggest for that year. ill tell you more latter
A big tench from baliffs swim
In reply to Post #347
My friends and myself fished a small lake in Shropshire only one other fished it and that was old charlie Patterson i have told you about the gentleman in an earlier thread we really got the fishing through charlie, although we did know the farmer quite well as we cleared the foxes, that were doing a lot of damage around his farm so he gave his permission there was quite a number of carp in the water, they were very hard to catch as no one had fished for them in the past we fished this small lake many times but i must admit not one carp did we catch. We caught loads of tench beautiful golden colour but as i said the carp never graced our net the lake was so full of natural food and they had never seen sweet corn or maize so we admitted defeat i had really not got the time to fish it on a regular basis.
We were getting more and more calls from local farmers to help clear the foxes on there land at one time it was every weekend Saturday's and Sundays and as the days lengthened in the evenings to. The problem for me was i really loved this old character, but when it came to it we helped out as they could and did terrible damage especially in spring the hill farmers really suffered especially at lambing time and that's, where we came in we would walk miles looking for signs of fox activity IE earths and such where they were laying up resting we would surround big areas of gorse and send the dogs in old foxy would bolt out and bang and that would be that we have shot four dogs out of one patch of gorse and they say they are territorial no way it was a fast and clean way of disposing of the animal after lambing time they were left alone i think most farmers like to see the occasional fox on his land ,the country side would be a sad place without him helping the farmers out gave us more fishing most not all had a lake or small pool on his property one farmer gave graham and myself permission the fish his stretch of a trout stream my god it was full of beautiful brown trout as long as we took some for the farmer we could fish it when we wanted we would free line it with red worms it was a fish a cast some we put back as they were to small but it was great sport its fishing we would not of got if we had not helped that farmer out . well a bit more latter
My friends and myself fished a small lake in Shropshire only one other fished it and that was old charlie Patterson i have told you about the gentleman in an earlier thread we really got the fishing through charlie, although we did know the farmer quite well as we cleared the foxes, that were doing a lot of damage around his farm so he gave his permission there was quite a number of carp in the water, they were very hard to catch as no one had fished for them in the past we fished this small lake many times but i must admit not one carp did we catch. We caught loads of tench beautiful golden colour but as i said the carp never graced our net the lake was so full of natural food and they had never seen sweet corn or maize so we admitted defeat i had really not got the time to fish it on a regular basis.
We were getting more and more calls from local farmers to help clear the foxes on there land at one time it was every weekend Saturday's and Sundays and as the days lengthened in the evenings to. The problem for me was i really loved this old character, but when it came to it we helped out as they could and did terrible damage especially in spring the hill farmers really suffered especially at lambing time and that's, where we came in we would walk miles looking for signs of fox activity IE earths and such where they were laying up resting we would surround big areas of gorse and send the dogs in old foxy would bolt out and bang and that would be that we have shot four dogs out of one patch of gorse and they say they are territorial no way it was a fast and clean way of disposing of the animal after lambing time they were left alone i think most farmers like to see the occasional fox on his land ,the country side would be a sad place without him helping the farmers out gave us more fishing most not all had a lake or small pool on his property one farmer gave graham and myself permission the fish his stretch of a trout stream my god it was full of beautiful brown trout as long as we took some for the farmer we could fish it when we wanted we would free line it with red worms it was a fish a cast some we put back as they were to small but it was great sport its fishing we would not of got if we had not helped that farmer out . well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #348
For many years i was bailiff for shrewsbury and district anglers i really had my work cut out the number of people that fished with no permit, was quite high, we also had poaching the chinese were the worst they would take all fish, back to there shop then prepare and eat them the one morning i disturbed them there was at least twelve men amd women they ran when they saw me coming and on the bank was a pike, dead he weighed in at twenty five pounds they slipped up when they fished one fishery belonging to some one i know he chased them to there shop and gave them a warning i would have loved to been a fly on the wall and listened to him he was quite a character and very hard lets say we had no more trouble with poaching.
My main problem was getting anglers i caught to part with there money to pay for there permit which i carried and issued on the bank you would not believe how awkward some could be saying i have brought no money with me others would say i am local i am not paying i never have payed, i would explain that the fishing belonged to Shropshire federation and to fish they needed a permit costing six pounds some could become quite violent so i would warn them then fetch the police but most i met were very good and bought a ticket most of the time we operated in the hours of darkness and i would use my vehicle to travel along the river bank it was nothing to collect 80 pounds which was paid to the federation so much of what we collected was for our petrol and costs but i would not except the money and donated it to the young Shropshire anglers for there once a year match to help pay for prizes i must admit i loved every minute and made many friends over the years.
They do say it takes one to catch one that maybe very true i must have been very lucky as i never got caught and i did take some chances shooting, and fishing, most of my poaching was done in the hours of darkness as i have told you all i got chased a few times but always eluded them one thing that did help was knowing the lay of the land you were poaching it gave me quite a buzz if i was chased i have climbed a few trees, when i was young to get away, and have listened to the keepers and police talking down below at times i have been dying to laugh but dare not make a noise my mother was frightened i would be caught and would tell me so but times were hard and the trout and pheasant supplemented our diet which was very welcome. well a bit more latter
For many years i was bailiff for shrewsbury and district anglers i really had my work cut out the number of people that fished with no permit, was quite high, we also had poaching the chinese were the worst they would take all fish, back to there shop then prepare and eat them the one morning i disturbed them there was at least twelve men amd women they ran when they saw me coming and on the bank was a pike, dead he weighed in at twenty five pounds they slipped up when they fished one fishery belonging to some one i know he chased them to there shop and gave them a warning i would have loved to been a fly on the wall and listened to him he was quite a character and very hard lets say we had no more trouble with poaching.
My main problem was getting anglers i caught to part with there money to pay for there permit which i carried and issued on the bank you would not believe how awkward some could be saying i have brought no money with me others would say i am local i am not paying i never have payed, i would explain that the fishing belonged to Shropshire federation and to fish they needed a permit costing six pounds some could become quite violent so i would warn them then fetch the police but most i met were very good and bought a ticket most of the time we operated in the hours of darkness and i would use my vehicle to travel along the river bank it was nothing to collect 80 pounds which was paid to the federation so much of what we collected was for our petrol and costs but i would not except the money and donated it to the young Shropshire anglers for there once a year match to help pay for prizes i must admit i loved every minute and made many friends over the years.
They do say it takes one to catch one that maybe very true i must have been very lucky as i never got caught and i did take some chances shooting, and fishing, most of my poaching was done in the hours of darkness as i have told you all i got chased a few times but always eluded them one thing that did help was knowing the lay of the land you were poaching it gave me quite a buzz if i was chased i have climbed a few trees, when i was young to get away, and have listened to the keepers and police talking down below at times i have been dying to laugh but dare not make a noise my mother was frightened i would be caught and would tell me so but times were hard and the trout and pheasant supplemented our diet which was very welcome. well a bit more latter
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In reply to Post #349
Well another thread suppressed never mind he was probably being rude not that it bothers me much as all i have told you is true i have led a wonderful life and would live it all again if i had the chance but that is not an option i am not fishing much because of my problems they are really holding me back but as long as i can smile i am ok.
i will now tell you all a story about one lake i used to fish i suppose i was about sixteen at the time i was told by my mates don't go fishing or rabbiting on that estate you will be caught i am saying no names as i don't want to embarrass the owners oh yes its still in the family i have not graced the banks of that old lake for many years its still used for pheasant shooting and the lake is syndicate it now holds one or to big carp, i was determined to have a go and one night in late June i was away on my bike i had been down and had already had a look at the surrounding land so i had a fair idea were to fish.
I was told to watch out for the dogs especially at night they were a mixture of labs and Alsatians the keepers used to patrol the woods and land as it was a big pheasant shoot, so i knew what a chance i was taking but i knew from another friend who worked on the estate that the lake held some very big tench the year was approx 1957 so there were no alarms. I only fished with one rod using some new rod rests i had bought, a piece of doe pinched on my line served as my indicator I manged to hide my bike and used the red lamp to show up my doe bobbin i found a nice place to fish in the big reed bed it was quite dry and i was out of sight i made a small opening for my rod to poke through i was using bread flake tipped with maggots in those days for two shillings you could fill your bait box to the rim they were not that expensive my very first cast produced a tench it was as black as night i have never seen tench that dark before i had no keep net so back it went and within minutes another graced my net i really was on edge and when i smelled tobacco smoke it made me worse and then i heard a shout come on out we know you are there i lay down in the reeds i could hardly breath with fright i heard them move further into the woods i heard a gun shot and dogs barking god they were not after me but some one else i stayed there for another hour and carried on fishing i manged at least ten tench they were very easy to catch probably because no one had fished it before but i was still on edge and decided to make for my bike and call it a night i manage to get back to my bike i was just about to get onto the main road i saw a black police car the constables were talking to at least five keepers or maybe estate workers i stayed for another hour before they moved away one thing i did find out the trees were full of big plump pheasants must be some of last years stock lovely i would definitely have a few of those. when October comes around . well a bit more latter
Well another thread suppressed never mind he was probably being rude not that it bothers me much as all i have told you is true i have led a wonderful life and would live it all again if i had the chance but that is not an option i am not fishing much because of my problems they are really holding me back but as long as i can smile i am ok.
i will now tell you all a story about one lake i used to fish i suppose i was about sixteen at the time i was told by my mates don't go fishing or rabbiting on that estate you will be caught i am saying no names as i don't want to embarrass the owners oh yes its still in the family i have not graced the banks of that old lake for many years its still used for pheasant shooting and the lake is syndicate it now holds one or to big carp, i was determined to have a go and one night in late June i was away on my bike i had been down and had already had a look at the surrounding land so i had a fair idea were to fish.
I was told to watch out for the dogs especially at night they were a mixture of labs and Alsatians the keepers used to patrol the woods and land as it was a big pheasant shoot, so i knew what a chance i was taking but i knew from another friend who worked on the estate that the lake held some very big tench the year was approx 1957 so there were no alarms. I only fished with one rod using some new rod rests i had bought, a piece of doe pinched on my line served as my indicator I manged to hide my bike and used the red lamp to show up my doe bobbin i found a nice place to fish in the big reed bed it was quite dry and i was out of sight i made a small opening for my rod to poke through i was using bread flake tipped with maggots in those days for two shillings you could fill your bait box to the rim they were not that expensive my very first cast produced a tench it was as black as night i have never seen tench that dark before i had no keep net so back it went and within minutes another graced my net i really was on edge and when i smelled tobacco smoke it made me worse and then i heard a shout come on out we know you are there i lay down in the reeds i could hardly breath with fright i heard them move further into the woods i heard a gun shot and dogs barking god they were not after me but some one else i stayed there for another hour and carried on fishing i manged at least ten tench they were very easy to catch probably because no one had fished it before but i was still on edge and decided to make for my bike and call it a night i manage to get back to my bike i was just about to get onto the main road i saw a black police car the constables were talking to at least five keepers or maybe estate workers i stayed for another hour before they moved away one thing i did find out the trees were full of big plump pheasants must be some of last years stock lovely i would definitely have a few of those. when October comes around . well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #352
i loved to fish the big meres at Ellesmere in Shropshire i fished mostly for the big bream but they also held some very big tench graham and i spent a lot of our younger days fishing these big waters they were not very easy and a lot of work was put in before you even fished the place. One Fish i never really got to grips with on the meres was the eel there was some huge specimens caught mainly by the British Anguilla club i would see them on most occasions when we were fishing i have seen them catch eels, to six pounds not a bad fish, but there was a lot bigger in the waters i suspect they still fish some of the meres i have said many times before i spent a good many weeks fishing colemere mainly for the big bream we actually broke the record i think it was 1971, but we also loved to float fish for the roach we caught some beautiful roach on bread flake and maggot. Early morning was the time for these fish we used big sliding floats that you could see at distance the biggest went about two pounds in weight the rest were from a pound upwards but good fishing , we also fished crows mere even the big mere in the town, newton mere, white mere, in fact all of the meres newton, produced some very nice tench we spent hours in the winter catching the roach we had some good bags and real happy days catching this fish.
One big Bream from colmere
White mere, was another water that had held some huge Bream and two friends of mine actually smashed the British record when fishing there my friend Dennis Kelly of the big bream fame caught a fish of over thirteen pounds i think that was in the late sixties he never claimed the record and put it back another friend called john caught the other which went to fourteen pounds and he never claimed the record if they had we would not have fished on the water again as there were not many swims, There was also the yacht club on white mere and they had most of the say so we tried not to upset them i think they still have the yacht club on there today, it was around then i first met the great man Dick walker he was a big inspiration to me and my fishing i cannot say enough about the big man who helped me in many ways and encouraged me, to carry on fishing as i have said before he wanted me to write for angling times but i had a young family and really did not have the time i am sure he would have been proud of me if he saw my stories today.
well a bit more latter
Another big bream front page angling times
i loved to fish the big meres at Ellesmere in Shropshire i fished mostly for the big bream but they also held some very big tench graham and i spent a lot of our younger days fishing these big waters they were not very easy and a lot of work was put in before you even fished the place. One Fish i never really got to grips with on the meres was the eel there was some huge specimens caught mainly by the British Anguilla club i would see them on most occasions when we were fishing i have seen them catch eels, to six pounds not a bad fish, but there was a lot bigger in the waters i suspect they still fish some of the meres i have said many times before i spent a good many weeks fishing colemere mainly for the big bream we actually broke the record i think it was 1971, but we also loved to float fish for the roach we caught some beautiful roach on bread flake and maggot. Early morning was the time for these fish we used big sliding floats that you could see at distance the biggest went about two pounds in weight the rest were from a pound upwards but good fishing , we also fished crows mere even the big mere in the town, newton mere, white mere, in fact all of the meres newton, produced some very nice tench we spent hours in the winter catching the roach we had some good bags and real happy days catching this fish.
One big Bream from colmere
White mere, was another water that had held some huge Bream and two friends of mine actually smashed the British record when fishing there my friend Dennis Kelly of the big bream fame caught a fish of over thirteen pounds i think that was in the late sixties he never claimed the record and put it back another friend called john caught the other which went to fourteen pounds and he never claimed the record if they had we would not have fished on the water again as there were not many swims, There was also the yacht club on white mere and they had most of the say so we tried not to upset them i think they still have the yacht club on there today, it was around then i first met the great man Dick walker he was a big inspiration to me and my fishing i cannot say enough about the big man who helped me in many ways and encouraged me, to carry on fishing as i have said before he wanted me to write for angling times but i had a young family and really did not have the time i am sure he would have been proud of me if he saw my stories today.
well a bit more latter
Another big bream front page angling times
In reply to Post #353
I really have not thought that much about writing my stories this week i have been heart broken two friends have passed away the one shot with me the other was grahams wife we all went every where together on holidays and days out he is devastated so is my wife and myself but things must go on one thing i must say life is so fragile here one minute gone the next like a leaf on the wind
may they both rest in piece.
I will catch up with my stories latter pete
I really have not thought that much about writing my stories this week i have been heart broken two friends have passed away the one shot with me the other was grahams wife we all went every where together on holidays and days out he is devastated so is my wife and myself but things must go on one thing i must say life is so fragile here one minute gone the next like a leaf on the wind
may they both rest in piece.I will catch up with my stories latter pete
In reply to Post #354
I was nineteen years old when i first met graham we both had young families his wife and my wife really hit it off and they both ended up working together it has been many years since we first met approx fifty, graham at the time worked for sankeys of wellington as a paint sprayer and was very keen on fishing we soon got together and fished anywhere we could mainly the river. Graham managed to get us permission to fish a lake just out side wellington it was covered in old tree stumps but as we watched we saw fish moving i can always remember sitting there beside that old lake we float fished using maggots and small red worms we soon learned what the fish were as we got smashed every time we had a fish on, we could see they were carp they would leave a big bow wave as they tore off to the sanctuary of the tree stumps. Our tackle was not that good we were using only three pounds BS line, we were also using the first fiber glass rods we had seen we bought them quite cheaply from a local fishing shop i think he had them made for the shop they were twelve ft long we float fished and ledgered with the same rod i still had the old tank aerials but they were getting on a bit i also had the built cane combination rod made by Hardy but i prefer the fiber glass rod i think i still have the butt section in the attic the next time we visited the lake we used six pounds BS line and we managed to land a few i think the biggest was only five pound but did they go the lake was quite shallow the deepest part was only around three ft deep they would head straight for the tree stumps when hooked the lake was covered by dead trees which made it very hard to fish but we persevered and caught.
We were certainly on a Hight we were catching a few chub from the river as well not huge but to around four pounds WE managed to get permission to fish a lake nearer to home the owner was a women she explained to us what was in the lake apparently it was full of tench and held a few big carp with a scattering of big perch she had never let any one fish it before and said she may let it out for day tickets, at a latter stage but we could fish it for nothing the first time we fished the lake we were there at first light and float fished it was around eight ft deep we used bread flake tipped with maggot we caught some beautiful tench not one under four pounds and what a lovely lake it was. The lady came down for a chat and to see how were we getting on she could see we had fish in the keep nets in fact we had caught just under ninety pounds we were over the moon can we come again yes she said just let me know when you come by coming to the farm house, it was one of the best lakes i ever fished we had piece and quite and the wild life was wonderful it was covered in geese and duck they also had a few swans on the lake which at times became a nuisance but they had more rights to be on the lake than us and we managed to fish around them it was a wonderfull lake and we became good freinds with the ownerer ill tell you more latter about some of the catches we had while fishing there. well thats it for now more latter
I was nineteen years old when i first met graham we both had young families his wife and my wife really hit it off and they both ended up working together it has been many years since we first met approx fifty, graham at the time worked for sankeys of wellington as a paint sprayer and was very keen on fishing we soon got together and fished anywhere we could mainly the river. Graham managed to get us permission to fish a lake just out side wellington it was covered in old tree stumps but as we watched we saw fish moving i can always remember sitting there beside that old lake we float fished using maggots and small red worms we soon learned what the fish were as we got smashed every time we had a fish on, we could see they were carp they would leave a big bow wave as they tore off to the sanctuary of the tree stumps. Our tackle was not that good we were using only three pounds BS line, we were also using the first fiber glass rods we had seen we bought them quite cheaply from a local fishing shop i think he had them made for the shop they were twelve ft long we float fished and ledgered with the same rod i still had the old tank aerials but they were getting on a bit i also had the built cane combination rod made by Hardy but i prefer the fiber glass rod i think i still have the butt section in the attic the next time we visited the lake we used six pounds BS line and we managed to land a few i think the biggest was only five pound but did they go the lake was quite shallow the deepest part was only around three ft deep they would head straight for the tree stumps when hooked the lake was covered by dead trees which made it very hard to fish but we persevered and caught.
We were certainly on a Hight we were catching a few chub from the river as well not huge but to around four pounds WE managed to get permission to fish a lake nearer to home the owner was a women she explained to us what was in the lake apparently it was full of tench and held a few big carp with a scattering of big perch she had never let any one fish it before and said she may let it out for day tickets, at a latter stage but we could fish it for nothing the first time we fished the lake we were there at first light and float fished it was around eight ft deep we used bread flake tipped with maggot we caught some beautiful tench not one under four pounds and what a lovely lake it was. The lady came down for a chat and to see how were we getting on she could see we had fish in the keep nets in fact we had caught just under ninety pounds we were over the moon can we come again yes she said just let me know when you come by coming to the farm house, it was one of the best lakes i ever fished we had piece and quite and the wild life was wonderful it was covered in geese and duck they also had a few swans on the lake which at times became a nuisance but they had more rights to be on the lake than us and we managed to fish around them it was a wonderfull lake and we became good freinds with the ownerer ill tell you more latter about some of the catches we had while fishing there. well thats it for now more latter
In reply to Post #355
Graham and i have been invited to fish a lake i don't even know where the lake is we were told i can park my car by the side of the water, i asked the question is there any carp in the water yes we were told they were stocked years ago no one seems to catch them the biggest he saw out was twenty six pounds this has really wet my appetite so we will hopefully be having a go in the next couple of weeks i want to get graham out after his sad loss i think a bit of fishing will take his mind of other things so i will certainly be letting you all know how we get on i am told it is only half an hour drive from my house i am really stumped, its one lake i do not know graham has had a look and he said its beautiful with islands in the middle i cant wait.
The fish have probably never seen a bolie so we shall try different baits including worm, i have only fished a couple of days this year owing to ongoing health problems plus graham has had his own problems so it will be nice to be beside the water once again. Its not all about fishing but our wild life to, i have really missed it as much as fishing they both go hand in hand i will be able to try out my new motor a fiat qubo which i collect on Monday with the seats down there is loads of room for our tackle i loved my 4x4 but with the price of fuel i decided to sell it has only done thirty thousand miles but it was costing a fair bit of money to run it every month so its now time for a change.
I am sure as you get older the months seem to fly by here we are nearly in September get into October and and November the leaves will be showing different shades it is one time of the year i really love the woods will be a picture of vibrant colour, i have walked the woods many time in the autumn some time legal some times not in october i have watched the pheasents rise hight over the tree tops and have listened to the distant sound of guns they are standing in the valley, the birds soar over head to hight and fast to shoot the ocasonal bird will will fall in a ball of feathers far behind the guns but most were missed to fly another day if not found they would be left untill latter in the day unless old foxy found it first.
It is the time of year graham and myself have stood in the big stuble feild in hill country to shoot the malard duck we would wait hudled by the small pool the ducks came to rest on this small water after feeding on the stuble they would arrive in there hundreds we would take only what we needed and no more we would leave the remaning duck to come into rest as they had for generations as we drove across the hill the rabbits would run for cover four or five at a time went under the fence into the wood it would not be long before we were up on that hill with our rifles to sort them out this is how we got our fishing and shooting no money ever passed hands we did the farmers a favour and they returned it by letting us fish some old forgotten lake or shoot there land but that was years ago i could not walk to do that any more but i have my memories that cant be taken away. well a bit more latter
Graham and i have been invited to fish a lake i don't even know where the lake is we were told i can park my car by the side of the water, i asked the question is there any carp in the water yes we were told they were stocked years ago no one seems to catch them the biggest he saw out was twenty six pounds this has really wet my appetite so we will hopefully be having a go in the next couple of weeks i want to get graham out after his sad loss i think a bit of fishing will take his mind of other things so i will certainly be letting you all know how we get on i am told it is only half an hour drive from my house i am really stumped, its one lake i do not know graham has had a look and he said its beautiful with islands in the middle i cant wait.
The fish have probably never seen a bolie so we shall try different baits including worm, i have only fished a couple of days this year owing to ongoing health problems plus graham has had his own problems so it will be nice to be beside the water once again. Its not all about fishing but our wild life to, i have really missed it as much as fishing they both go hand in hand i will be able to try out my new motor a fiat qubo which i collect on Monday with the seats down there is loads of room for our tackle i loved my 4x4 but with the price of fuel i decided to sell it has only done thirty thousand miles but it was costing a fair bit of money to run it every month so its now time for a change.
I am sure as you get older the months seem to fly by here we are nearly in September get into October and and November the leaves will be showing different shades it is one time of the year i really love the woods will be a picture of vibrant colour, i have walked the woods many time in the autumn some time legal some times not in october i have watched the pheasents rise hight over the tree tops and have listened to the distant sound of guns they are standing in the valley, the birds soar over head to hight and fast to shoot the ocasonal bird will will fall in a ball of feathers far behind the guns but most were missed to fly another day if not found they would be left untill latter in the day unless old foxy found it first.
It is the time of year graham and myself have stood in the big stuble feild in hill country to shoot the malard duck we would wait hudled by the small pool the ducks came to rest on this small water after feeding on the stuble they would arrive in there hundreds we would take only what we needed and no more we would leave the remaning duck to come into rest as they had for generations as we drove across the hill the rabbits would run for cover four or five at a time went under the fence into the wood it would not be long before we were up on that hill with our rifles to sort them out this is how we got our fishing and shooting no money ever passed hands we did the farmers a favour and they returned it by letting us fish some old forgotten lake or shoot there land but that was years ago i could not walk to do that any more but i have my memories that cant be taken away. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #354
So sad to hear about Grahams wife, Pete. I feel as if I almost know both you and Graham from your stories, even though we have never met. Your's sounds like a wonderful and almost unique friendship and my thoughts are with Graham and yourself.
So sad to hear about Grahams wife, Pete. I feel as if I almost know both you and Graham from your stories, even though we have never met. Your's sounds like a wonderful and almost unique friendship and my thoughts are with Graham and yourself.
In reply to Post #357
Thanks ken its been a very sad time for us all once again thanks from the bottom of my heart pete
Thanks ken its been a very sad time for us all once again thanks from the bottom of my heart pete
In reply to Post #358
Septembers here once again big skeins of geese pass over head as i sit in my car watching they are a mixture of Canada and graylag i can still feel the excitement myself and graham has had over the years huddled together in some ditch waiting for the first goose, to arrive they would come to the old quarry pool to rest like they had done for generations some times it was so cold it would nearly freeze your breath the dog would shake with excitement at the sound of there approach, they would fly quite low over the hedge we would only shoot what we wanted and let the rest come in to the old pool we would take a couple to the farmer and the rest would be given to friends it was not unusual to shoot at least twelve birds the Canada's, are now classed as vermin there are far to many and can do a lot of damage to the farmers arable crops and winter wheat at one time it was not unusual to see large skeins of geese for or five hundred but that has reduced dramatically over the last few years.
We also liked to get out pike fishing we would take the boat and troll for them we have had some wonderful days in October and November but alas those days are now over as i have sold the boat owing to my health but there was nothing nicer than being on a large lake on a frosty morning we will be trying to catch a winter barbel or two as long as i can get the car by the side of the river we will be having a go. I am not one to catch carp in the winter and neither is graham as you get older you appreciate being in a warm house especially at night when we were younger we did give it a go and nearly froze to death we did not have the equipment that the anglers have today we have never done very well in the winter months fishing the lakes in Shropshire, and did a lot of our fishing on the rivers after the chub, and roach.
A PIKE FROM A SHROPSHIRE MERE
ANOTHER FROM THE SAME MERE
It wont be long until we are out after the pheasant and partridge i think my syndicate are planning a evening after the duck and perhaps the geese, i shall go along with graham i usually sit on my shooting stick as long as i don't walk to far i will be alright i have twelve guns in our syndicate we have some great times over the years we are now mostly old fogies. we don't shoot as many as we did when we were younger our reflexes and eyes are not what they used to be but its great to meet up once a week for a chat as we have been friends for many years. well thats all for now more a little bit latter.
Septembers here once again big skeins of geese pass over head as i sit in my car watching they are a mixture of Canada and graylag i can still feel the excitement myself and graham has had over the years huddled together in some ditch waiting for the first goose, to arrive they would come to the old quarry pool to rest like they had done for generations some times it was so cold it would nearly freeze your breath the dog would shake with excitement at the sound of there approach, they would fly quite low over the hedge we would only shoot what we wanted and let the rest come in to the old pool we would take a couple to the farmer and the rest would be given to friends it was not unusual to shoot at least twelve birds the Canada's, are now classed as vermin there are far to many and can do a lot of damage to the farmers arable crops and winter wheat at one time it was not unusual to see large skeins of geese for or five hundred but that has reduced dramatically over the last few years.
We also liked to get out pike fishing we would take the boat and troll for them we have had some wonderful days in October and November but alas those days are now over as i have sold the boat owing to my health but there was nothing nicer than being on a large lake on a frosty morning we will be trying to catch a winter barbel or two as long as i can get the car by the side of the river we will be having a go. I am not one to catch carp in the winter and neither is graham as you get older you appreciate being in a warm house especially at night when we were younger we did give it a go and nearly froze to death we did not have the equipment that the anglers have today we have never done very well in the winter months fishing the lakes in Shropshire, and did a lot of our fishing on the rivers after the chub, and roach.
A PIKE FROM A SHROPSHIRE MERE
ANOTHER FROM THE SAME MERE
It wont be long until we are out after the pheasant and partridge i think my syndicate are planning a evening after the duck and perhaps the geese, i shall go along with graham i usually sit on my shooting stick as long as i don't walk to far i will be alright i have twelve guns in our syndicate we have some great times over the years we are now mostly old fogies. we don't shoot as many as we did when we were younger our reflexes and eyes are not what they used to be but its great to meet up once a week for a chat as we have been friends for many years. well thats all for now more a little bit latter.