In reply to Post #58
I walk through the woods at wen-lock myself and charlie, who is a mine of information. As we walked a long the track he says can you smell him Pete yes charlie we had come across the rancid smell of old foxy who had passed by not so long ago it was very strong so he had passed by the place where we stood minutes before this is where charlie would hold the next fox shoot the local farmers had been troubled by, foxes taking the lambs but it was a huge wood it would take a lot of guns to cover such a big area but it never deterred charlie he knew these woods well he had been at this game many years he knew where to stand the guns where old foxy would break, he was so full of information. I Was with charlie when i found the albino foxes they were pure white with pink eyes beautiful animals i have only seen the likes this once as I told you before we moved them on by leaving our scent on the earth she moved them and we never saw them again i have often wondered if they survived most foxes don't reach old age and were killed by the local Hunt, most did not survive over two years old but you would come across the odd one which had lived for a few more years usually his teeth were yellow and broken but they managed to survive i have seen foxes with three legs and they ran as fast as the ones with four i always put this down to them being in a trap or snare and they have bitten there leg off to get away how they survived i don't know as they must of been in severe pain but they had so they must of eaten what they could find or catch, over the years i have seen a couple with three legs.
The blue bells in the woods
The beautiful gorse that surrounded the woods where the badgers played
Charlie liked all wild life although he killed foxes it was a job of work that had to be done for the local farmers he absolutely loved the badger and we would lie in the under growth for hours watching them he would go up to the earth at dark and feed them with with peanuts and peanut butter on bread he had them so tame they would feed from his hand i called him the badger man he would just laugh low betide any one that tried to hurt them even thought he shot foxes he did not like cruelty especially to his badgers he would walk miles and in the winter he would be away at first light, ferret box on his back and spade on his shoulder he would be away all day and maybe he had walked over twenty miles he would leave the rabbits at the farm on whose ground he had been until the likes of myself picked them up for him we became firm friends over the years and were together most weekends. As i have told you all once before he liked his fishing we would go down to brassing tons farm and charlie and i would sit in Harolds kitchen at the farm ant eat big bowls of broth with big slabs of home made bread and butter we would fish the farm pool it was full of small tench and a fair amount of wild carp we had great days down there we did Harold's vermin control as it was quite a big pheasant shoot in those days the farm had a fair head of deer and when you were fishing they would come down to drink we would keep very still and quite i have seen as many as twenty at a time well that's a bit more about my life and a friend i held in high s esteem Charlie has long gone but i will always hold him in my heart it was a pleasure to have known him. well a bit more latter
Charlies badgers he would hand feed them on peanut butter
I walk through the woods at wen-lock myself and charlie, who is a mine of information. As we walked a long the track he says can you smell him Pete yes charlie we had come across the rancid smell of old foxy who had passed by not so long ago it was very strong so he had passed by the place where we stood minutes before this is where charlie would hold the next fox shoot the local farmers had been troubled by, foxes taking the lambs but it was a huge wood it would take a lot of guns to cover such a big area but it never deterred charlie he knew these woods well he had been at this game many years he knew where to stand the guns where old foxy would break, he was so full of information. I Was with charlie when i found the albino foxes they were pure white with pink eyes beautiful animals i have only seen the likes this once as I told you before we moved them on by leaving our scent on the earth she moved them and we never saw them again i have often wondered if they survived most foxes don't reach old age and were killed by the local Hunt, most did not survive over two years old but you would come across the odd one which had lived for a few more years usually his teeth were yellow and broken but they managed to survive i have seen foxes with three legs and they ran as fast as the ones with four i always put this down to them being in a trap or snare and they have bitten there leg off to get away how they survived i don't know as they must of been in severe pain but they had so they must of eaten what they could find or catch, over the years i have seen a couple with three legs.
The blue bells in the woods
The beautiful gorse that surrounded the woods where the badgers playedCharlie liked all wild life although he killed foxes it was a job of work that had to be done for the local farmers he absolutely loved the badger and we would lie in the under growth for hours watching them he would go up to the earth at dark and feed them with with peanuts and peanut butter on bread he had them so tame they would feed from his hand i called him the badger man he would just laugh low betide any one that tried to hurt them even thought he shot foxes he did not like cruelty especially to his badgers he would walk miles and in the winter he would be away at first light, ferret box on his back and spade on his shoulder he would be away all day and maybe he had walked over twenty miles he would leave the rabbits at the farm on whose ground he had been until the likes of myself picked them up for him we became firm friends over the years and were together most weekends. As i have told you all once before he liked his fishing we would go down to brassing tons farm and charlie and i would sit in Harolds kitchen at the farm ant eat big bowls of broth with big slabs of home made bread and butter we would fish the farm pool it was full of small tench and a fair amount of wild carp we had great days down there we did Harold's vermin control as it was quite a big pheasant shoot in those days the farm had a fair head of deer and when you were fishing they would come down to drink we would keep very still and quite i have seen as many as twenty at a time well that's a bit more about my life and a friend i held in high s esteem Charlie has long gone but i will always hold him in my heart it was a pleasure to have known him. well a bit more latter
Charlies badgers he would hand feed them on peanut butter
In reply to Post #59
Reading the thread old school tackle made me thing a bit i don't think i could go back and use the sort of tackle we used in the late forties and fifties an old wooden center pin reel i think they called it the star back coupled with the bamboo cane rod and then the silk line the hooks were not that good either big old jobs but we got by thinking back a still wander how we caught fish at all on this antiquated tackle but we did all we had for ledgers were the old coffin leads or the ball ones you could get the split shot but it was not that good.
I well remember coiling the line up behind behind my self after pulling what you thought was enough out, you gave it the big heave ho and away it would go taking bits of grass with it i got quite accurate doing it. I loved to use floating crust some times it would come off on the cast and you went through the same procedure again but most of the time it stayed on i would cut a forked stick from the hedge pull a bit of line from the reel and put the rod in the fork of the stick you watched the carp play about in the extensive weed beds then finding your crust would start to whittle it down then you watched in wonder as a big pair of lips appeared and engulfed your piece of crust the slack line would fly from below your reel and you would lift the rod and strike it took some time to extract the fish from the weed bed but i would stare in wonder as i managed to get fish to the side we had no landing nets in those days, the carp was only about four pounds but huge to an eight year old boy i never tired of catching fish with this method it was a great way to fish on a nice sunny day i suppose the year would be around 1951 or 1952 i also fished with the float using an old quill usually it was porcupine but with the silk line which was quite thick it really looked a bit of a mess you would not think you could catch fish with it but you did some i had was coloured green so i suppose it blended in with the weeds the other line i had was black and white still silk and it still caught fish bait was mainly worm or bread unless i managed to get some maggots from the abattoir down the road but it was quite a smelly job collecting them from the skins of the animals they had killed, my parents played hell as i would go , home stinking but the maggots worked catching tench and lovely Rudd .
Things really improved when my father got me the old tank aerial rods they were marvelous and it really helped my fishing next came my first fixed spool real a cheap job i now cant remember what it was but it certainly helped my fishing i can remember it was green in colour and had a half bail arm the next one i had was a Mitchell 300 which really was very good my friends were very envious off me, well theres a bit more. some more latter
Reading the thread old school tackle made me thing a bit i don't think i could go back and use the sort of tackle we used in the late forties and fifties an old wooden center pin reel i think they called it the star back coupled with the bamboo cane rod and then the silk line the hooks were not that good either big old jobs but we got by thinking back a still wander how we caught fish at all on this antiquated tackle but we did all we had for ledgers were the old coffin leads or the ball ones you could get the split shot but it was not that good.
I well remember coiling the line up behind behind my self after pulling what you thought was enough out, you gave it the big heave ho and away it would go taking bits of grass with it i got quite accurate doing it. I loved to use floating crust some times it would come off on the cast and you went through the same procedure again but most of the time it stayed on i would cut a forked stick from the hedge pull a bit of line from the reel and put the rod in the fork of the stick you watched the carp play about in the extensive weed beds then finding your crust would start to whittle it down then you watched in wonder as a big pair of lips appeared and engulfed your piece of crust the slack line would fly from below your reel and you would lift the rod and strike it took some time to extract the fish from the weed bed but i would stare in wonder as i managed to get fish to the side we had no landing nets in those days, the carp was only about four pounds but huge to an eight year old boy i never tired of catching fish with this method it was a great way to fish on a nice sunny day i suppose the year would be around 1951 or 1952 i also fished with the float using an old quill usually it was porcupine but with the silk line which was quite thick it really looked a bit of a mess you would not think you could catch fish with it but you did some i had was coloured green so i suppose it blended in with the weeds the other line i had was black and white still silk and it still caught fish bait was mainly worm or bread unless i managed to get some maggots from the abattoir down the road but it was quite a smelly job collecting them from the skins of the animals they had killed, my parents played hell as i would go , home stinking but the maggots worked catching tench and lovely Rudd .
Things really improved when my father got me the old tank aerial rods they were marvelous and it really helped my fishing next came my first fixed spool real a cheap job i now cant remember what it was but it certainly helped my fishing i can remember it was green in colour and had a half bail arm the next one i had was a Mitchell 300 which really was very good my friends were very envious off me, well theres a bit more. some more latter
In reply to Post #60
I can remember using that old fixed spool reel as i said i can still see the colour it was green i used it for spinning for the trout i literally caught dozens on that old reel, i managed to get some nylon line from ludlow it was green in colour and matched the reel but it was a bit springy and it coiled a bit but i managed with it i would catch a few minnows in the trap, and would mount one on a flight putting the point down the minnows throat and you would clamp the mettle fins tight to his head it was a deadly way for catching trout i was introduced to the flight by a man called peter finch, i have talked about him before he would take me carp fishing when he went he was a most mysterious man and a bit eccentric, as well but he lived for his carp fishing and he did have a landing net and some nice rods well nice for those years they were built cane where he got them i don't know and i never really found out where he worked or even if he did because he put a fair bit of time in fishing it was he that told me about dick walker and co and lent me a book that was written by dick it was not long before dick had a column in angling times us lads worshiped him little did i know in a few years i would become a great friend of the gentleman.
In those days you taught your self there was no one to show you how it was done you would watch and learn i did get one of the first copy of Mr crab-tree goes fishing and to some extent that did help but mostly it was chuck it and chance it but we managed to catch fish i loved to fish a float over depth with a big lob worm i would leave the float lying ,flat on the surface i was learning, old Mr carp would come along pick up the worm the float would rise up in the water and start to move lie flat and vanish under the water strike and you were in a bit crude by today's standards but it caught fish i was on a learning curve funny i never worried about fishing in weed i would cast into it and i still caught i would walk miles or get on my bike looking for pools and lakes to fish i was totally besotted with fishing i would eat drink and slept fishing it was my life even to the extent playing truant from school, most of the big lakes were private no fishing they were used by the big estates for shooting the duck but it did not stop me i fished a good many and even had a few pheasants away on shoot days it was very hard in the late forties and fifties money was short anything i brought home pheasant duck trout was greatly received by my family and neighbours. A little more latter
I can remember using that old fixed spool reel as i said i can still see the colour it was green i used it for spinning for the trout i literally caught dozens on that old reel, i managed to get some nylon line from ludlow it was green in colour and matched the reel but it was a bit springy and it coiled a bit but i managed with it i would catch a few minnows in the trap, and would mount one on a flight putting the point down the minnows throat and you would clamp the mettle fins tight to his head it was a deadly way for catching trout i was introduced to the flight by a man called peter finch, i have talked about him before he would take me carp fishing when he went he was a most mysterious man and a bit eccentric, as well but he lived for his carp fishing and he did have a landing net and some nice rods well nice for those years they were built cane where he got them i don't know and i never really found out where he worked or even if he did because he put a fair bit of time in fishing it was he that told me about dick walker and co and lent me a book that was written by dick it was not long before dick had a column in angling times us lads worshiped him little did i know in a few years i would become a great friend of the gentleman.
In those days you taught your self there was no one to show you how it was done you would watch and learn i did get one of the first copy of Mr crab-tree goes fishing and to some extent that did help but mostly it was chuck it and chance it but we managed to catch fish i loved to fish a float over depth with a big lob worm i would leave the float lying ,flat on the surface i was learning, old Mr carp would come along pick up the worm the float would rise up in the water and start to move lie flat and vanish under the water strike and you were in a bit crude by today's standards but it caught fish i was on a learning curve funny i never worried about fishing in weed i would cast into it and i still caught i would walk miles or get on my bike looking for pools and lakes to fish i was totally besotted with fishing i would eat drink and slept fishing it was my life even to the extent playing truant from school, most of the big lakes were private no fishing they were used by the big estates for shooting the duck but it did not stop me i fished a good many and even had a few pheasants away on shoot days it was very hard in the late forties and fifties money was short anything i brought home pheasant duck trout was greatly received by my family and neighbours. A little more latter
In reply to Post #61
The easterly wind blew across the fields driving the sleet towards us we were huddled together under the old hedge it gave us some protection but the sleet still stung our faces i pulled my coat around me and sat in the ditch on some plastic sheeting there were four of us today spread out in the ditch behind this big hedge we were waiting for the geese to come into roost on the quarry pool like we had done for many years but the conditions were bad at times you could not see as the wind brought the sleet towards us thick and fast the farmer stopped to chat as he made his way to check on his sheep further up the field he had the protection of his cab on the tractor by gum its cold Pete he says are you going to stay in this weather yes john, they have to arrive at some stage in the day, as i took a sip of warm coffee from my flask we heard the unmistakable call of the wild geese somewhere far away they were stirring graham and i really needed a couple as i had promised some friends i would get them one for Christmas which was still a few weeks away Tom and tony were both above graham and myself further along the hedge so we had got it well covered the farmer left us in piece and went to check his sheep.
My dog SAM was huddled up between graham and myself at times he shook with excitement he knew why he was there he had done this many times before the wind and sleet stung our hands and faces so i slipped my gloves on and pulled my hat well down over my ears once again we heard the call of the geese i looked above the hedge and spotted a big skein coming our way it was a mixture of grey lags and canada's i gave the signal to the others and shouted don't shoot the forward birds only the birds behind by this time SAM was standing and shivering with anticipation i looked at graham his thumb resting on the safty catch of the gun then they were over us up with my gun i pulled througt the bird down he came hitting the ground with a thump sam was gone and back with in seconds with a lovely grey lag in his mouth they were gone i watched them circle and disapear onto the quarry pool graham had shot two so i sent sam to pick them up two canadas but it will do tom and tony had another three six in all we would usualy call it a day but we wanted at least another three or four as we ha promised a few to freinds a goose or two.
The sleet still lashed our faces but we did not have to wait long as you could hear the call of the geese coming towards us as i looked over the hedge you could see them in the distance they looked like ghosts drifting on the wind but it would not be long before they would be over us and gone i took my shots well and shot a right and left graham also had one down sam was away and back whithen minutes dropping one then two at my feet then went to fetch grahams but tony dog had already picked it i did not see what tony and tom had shot but as they came towards us i could see they had done well we lay them out side by side 13 was the total thats it for today ill go and get the car and put them in the boot we can sort them out latter we pulled into the old car park and sorted the birds out then made our way home cold but happy this is a true story we have stood behind that hedge many times since but not in the conditions we experienced that day it was cold wet and windy blowing a gail the east wind felt more like ice but we enjoyed the experience as i made for home i called in at the farm and dropped one for the farmer a way of saying thank you. well that it for now more latter
The easterly wind blew across the fields driving the sleet towards us we were huddled together under the old hedge it gave us some protection but the sleet still stung our faces i pulled my coat around me and sat in the ditch on some plastic sheeting there were four of us today spread out in the ditch behind this big hedge we were waiting for the geese to come into roost on the quarry pool like we had done for many years but the conditions were bad at times you could not see as the wind brought the sleet towards us thick and fast the farmer stopped to chat as he made his way to check on his sheep further up the field he had the protection of his cab on the tractor by gum its cold Pete he says are you going to stay in this weather yes john, they have to arrive at some stage in the day, as i took a sip of warm coffee from my flask we heard the unmistakable call of the wild geese somewhere far away they were stirring graham and i really needed a couple as i had promised some friends i would get them one for Christmas which was still a few weeks away Tom and tony were both above graham and myself further along the hedge so we had got it well covered the farmer left us in piece and went to check his sheep.
My dog SAM was huddled up between graham and myself at times he shook with excitement he knew why he was there he had done this many times before the wind and sleet stung our hands and faces so i slipped my gloves on and pulled my hat well down over my ears once again we heard the call of the geese i looked above the hedge and spotted a big skein coming our way it was a mixture of grey lags and canada's i gave the signal to the others and shouted don't shoot the forward birds only the birds behind by this time SAM was standing and shivering with anticipation i looked at graham his thumb resting on the safty catch of the gun then they were over us up with my gun i pulled througt the bird down he came hitting the ground with a thump sam was gone and back with in seconds with a lovely grey lag in his mouth they were gone i watched them circle and disapear onto the quarry pool graham had shot two so i sent sam to pick them up two canadas but it will do tom and tony had another three six in all we would usualy call it a day but we wanted at least another three or four as we ha promised a few to freinds a goose or two.
The sleet still lashed our faces but we did not have to wait long as you could hear the call of the geese coming towards us as i looked over the hedge you could see them in the distance they looked like ghosts drifting on the wind but it would not be long before they would be over us and gone i took my shots well and shot a right and left graham also had one down sam was away and back whithen minutes dropping one then two at my feet then went to fetch grahams but tony dog had already picked it i did not see what tony and tom had shot but as they came towards us i could see they had done well we lay them out side by side 13 was the total thats it for today ill go and get the car and put them in the boot we can sort them out latter we pulled into the old car park and sorted the birds out then made our way home cold but happy this is a true story we have stood behind that hedge many times since but not in the conditions we experienced that day it was cold wet and windy blowing a gail the east wind felt more like ice but we enjoyed the experience as i made for home i called in at the farm and dropped one for the farmer a way of saying thank you. well that it for now more latter
In reply to Post #62
We arrived at the lake late after noon it was to be our home for the next three days we unloaded our gear from the trailer behind the tractor and said our fair well to the farmer we had brought plenty of food and water with us as the nearest shop was miles away we sorted our stuff out and erected our bivvies before getting some tea, it was bacon and egg on the menu graham did the cooking i would fish to the right hand side of the lake up beside the reed fringed water graham would fish down the centre while Bern fished the wood side as i looked back across the moors you could see thin tentacles of mist making its way to wards us like fingers out stretched at the top end of the lake stood the old house abandoned by some old game keeper years before it now looked like some old haunted house as it was shrouded by the approaching mist the house end of the lake was all reeds and deep stinking chod if you walked to far out you would soon sink to the tops of your wellies so fishing that end was no no unless you had a boat.
Graham and Bern with two wildies from the old lake on the moor
How the fish became to be stocked in this old lake is any ones guess the farmer had told us they were in when his great grandfather farmed the land but what i do know they are wildies all muscle and shaped like torpedoes it also held tench and between the lull mostly in the day we float fished for these wonderful little fish because that what they were the biggest only about a pound all stunted but you could have great sport fishing for then and on light tackle they gave you quite a fight. the first time graham and i fished this lake there was no bite alarms only the old herons which i owned two given me by dick walker but now they had improved so much i had managed to buy some op tonics bite alarms now they were all the rage and coupled with the hair rig you could not go wrong the year was some time in the eighties i cannot remember if you could use three rods i think not it was two but up here on the moor you would see no bailiffs to far from civilization and besides you would see him approaching it was wide open except for gorse bushes and such in fact it was such a beautiful place and the wild life was amazing
Seven more wildies from this forgotten lake
The action started in the night no need for boilies here only luncheon meat hair rigged they had never seen a boilie in there lives but absolutely went mad for meat of any description the first night i hooked and landed six i think we had about fifteen between us they were all the same size the biggest was only around six pounds but do they fight if you have never experienced fishing for true wild carp and you know where some are have a go you will be pleasantly surprised how they fight. I think without going upstairs and looking in my diaries we caught over thirty fish in those three days it was wonderful fishing and we spent some very happy times fishing the place you certainly got piece and quite you would not see another living soul only the farmer checking his sheep. well there we go a bit more latter
We arrived at the lake late after noon it was to be our home for the next three days we unloaded our gear from the trailer behind the tractor and said our fair well to the farmer we had brought plenty of food and water with us as the nearest shop was miles away we sorted our stuff out and erected our bivvies before getting some tea, it was bacon and egg on the menu graham did the cooking i would fish to the right hand side of the lake up beside the reed fringed water graham would fish down the centre while Bern fished the wood side as i looked back across the moors you could see thin tentacles of mist making its way to wards us like fingers out stretched at the top end of the lake stood the old house abandoned by some old game keeper years before it now looked like some old haunted house as it was shrouded by the approaching mist the house end of the lake was all reeds and deep stinking chod if you walked to far out you would soon sink to the tops of your wellies so fishing that end was no no unless you had a boat.
Graham and Bern with two wildies from the old lake on the moorHow the fish became to be stocked in this old lake is any ones guess the farmer had told us they were in when his great grandfather farmed the land but what i do know they are wildies all muscle and shaped like torpedoes it also held tench and between the lull mostly in the day we float fished for these wonderful little fish because that what they were the biggest only about a pound all stunted but you could have great sport fishing for then and on light tackle they gave you quite a fight. the first time graham and i fished this lake there was no bite alarms only the old herons which i owned two given me by dick walker but now they had improved so much i had managed to buy some op tonics bite alarms now they were all the rage and coupled with the hair rig you could not go wrong the year was some time in the eighties i cannot remember if you could use three rods i think not it was two but up here on the moor you would see no bailiffs to far from civilization and besides you would see him approaching it was wide open except for gorse bushes and such in fact it was such a beautiful place and the wild life was amazing
Seven more wildies from this forgotten lakeThe action started in the night no need for boilies here only luncheon meat hair rigged they had never seen a boilie in there lives but absolutely went mad for meat of any description the first night i hooked and landed six i think we had about fifteen between us they were all the same size the biggest was only around six pounds but do they fight if you have never experienced fishing for true wild carp and you know where some are have a go you will be pleasantly surprised how they fight. I think without going upstairs and looking in my diaries we caught over thirty fish in those three days it was wonderful fishing and we spent some very happy times fishing the place you certainly got piece and quite you would not see another living soul only the farmer checking his sheep. well there we go a bit more latter
In reply to Post #63
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned Rudd and how i fished for them when i was a young lad, not far from my home at craven arms was a lake well maybe we should call it a pool it was very weedy covering most of the surface of the pool it was no bigger than around two acres if that the depth was around three to six ft at its deepest it was full of beautiful Rudd us young lads would fish through the holes in the weed bait in those days was mostly bread although as i have mentioned before i would collect the maggots from the local abattoir but the problem was it made you stink my cloths would absolutely hum and my parents really did not like me going there but i found it very well worth the effort thinking back i really did not realize the potential and how big the Rudd were i caught huge fish you could not get your hands around them beautiful deep bodied fish.
i think it was sometime in the early sixties i met my long term fishing partner graham and it was quite by accident i introduced graham to the pool we had gone to fish a night on another lake but when we got there we found it packed with anglers and radios blaring out around the lake this was far to much for me and we never really started to fish we stayed the night in the van i said we would go and fish this other lake which was full of Rudd graham agreed and by six am next morning we were on our way i got permission from the farmer to be honest i have never in my whole life caught bigger Rudd the place was full of them the only other place i had seen them this size but not in quantity was a little pool up Clungunford way but it was a route march to get to the place and of course we would be poaching .
But this pool was something else we caught Rudd to 3-8- 0z a big fish but there was bigger in there i remember at the time a chap called SOS valentine wrote for angling times and he discovered the place and started fishing it but the problem was he published photos of the pool and it started to get to many fishing there. The farmer really got fed up with his piece and quite being interrupted and chucked most off the anglers off place, we still fished there i can honestly say we never had any fish under a pound most were two to three pounds lovely fish in those days we never owned cameras, or never even thought about records, we fished for pleasure but now thinking back i sure we would have broken the record on this small pool but it was not to be some one be it the farmer i do not know lifted the sluice gate and drained the place the fish were left floundering in the mud not only rudd but carp and pike as well the locals carried huge amounts in bins and buckets and put them into the adjacent river onny there was some huge Rudd some going well over four pounds what a shame the pool was ruined i have been back many times it appeared in country wise on tele the other night it is now full of water once again but unfortunately devoid of life. well a bit more latter
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned Rudd and how i fished for them when i was a young lad, not far from my home at craven arms was a lake well maybe we should call it a pool it was very weedy covering most of the surface of the pool it was no bigger than around two acres if that the depth was around three to six ft at its deepest it was full of beautiful Rudd us young lads would fish through the holes in the weed bait in those days was mostly bread although as i have mentioned before i would collect the maggots from the local abattoir but the problem was it made you stink my cloths would absolutely hum and my parents really did not like me going there but i found it very well worth the effort thinking back i really did not realize the potential and how big the Rudd were i caught huge fish you could not get your hands around them beautiful deep bodied fish.
i think it was sometime in the early sixties i met my long term fishing partner graham and it was quite by accident i introduced graham to the pool we had gone to fish a night on another lake but when we got there we found it packed with anglers and radios blaring out around the lake this was far to much for me and we never really started to fish we stayed the night in the van i said we would go and fish this other lake which was full of Rudd graham agreed and by six am next morning we were on our way i got permission from the farmer to be honest i have never in my whole life caught bigger Rudd the place was full of them the only other place i had seen them this size but not in quantity was a little pool up Clungunford way but it was a route march to get to the place and of course we would be poaching .
But this pool was something else we caught Rudd to 3-8- 0z a big fish but there was bigger in there i remember at the time a chap called SOS valentine wrote for angling times and he discovered the place and started fishing it but the problem was he published photos of the pool and it started to get to many fishing there. The farmer really got fed up with his piece and quite being interrupted and chucked most off the anglers off place, we still fished there i can honestly say we never had any fish under a pound most were two to three pounds lovely fish in those days we never owned cameras, or never even thought about records, we fished for pleasure but now thinking back i sure we would have broken the record on this small pool but it was not to be some one be it the farmer i do not know lifted the sluice gate and drained the place the fish were left floundering in the mud not only rudd but carp and pike as well the locals carried huge amounts in bins and buckets and put them into the adjacent river onny there was some huge Rudd some going well over four pounds what a shame the pool was ruined i have been back many times it appeared in country wise on tele the other night it is now full of water once again but unfortunately devoid of life. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #64
I suppose i have been very lucky in life i have done most things i have wanted to do fishing shooting nature what more could i ask i have walked the woods of Shropshire fished the streams the lakes done a fair bit of game keeping on our shoot i have watched the fox and badgers all hours of the day and night i have waited for the duck to fly on a moonlight night going in to roost on the old quarry pool and shot the geese on a winters evening or early morning and i have made many friends over the years friends i would not have had it not been for the fishing and shooting i have tracked the fox through the woods also the deer and they have never even known i was there i have got down in the under growth old foxy has past me by i could have stretched out and touched him that's how close i have been, he has cocked his leg against the tree where i was and never even caught my scent how wonderful nature is.
But now i find it hard my back hurts like hell i can't walk the distance but i have my memories from all those years ago i have seen things that others have not, i have seen the grass ripple while fishing on the field behind as thought the grass had come alive and then i saw a big black line stretching far behind i left the rod where it was up the tree i got and from the fork of a branch way above i watches the rats pass me by there were hundreds of the things they looked like a black wave as they disappeared into the distance i had heard about this sort of thing but it was the first and last time i have experienced it. The rats were on the move from one farm to another why this happens i don't know but others used to tell me stories about the rats that moved to pastures knew some time it was caused by floods or maybe they had thrashed all the corn and there was no cover or food left i know they would congregate in the big chicken houses as there was plenty of food but that's one thing i can honestly say i have seen it would be around the middle sixties and i was fishing at Atcham nr Shrewsbury.
I have fished the big Shropshire meres and heard the song of the nightingale it sang from dusk till dawn a most beautiful song what More could i want and have watched the water vole sit up and take the doe bobbin from the line and never bite it through it kept graham and i wide awake watching the antics of this little furry animal i would replace the bobbin time and time again but he was intent of taking every piece i replaced i even moved him on but he would be back within the hour but now they are so scarce caused by the predatory mink who have nearly made them extinct. How things have changed over the years you would see the vole on most rivers and brooks but not any more we have to many predators on our water ways the problem now is the general public they thing the mink and otter are furry little creatures that do no harm, but that's the way these animals have been portrayed in school and books we also have the comoront the goosander the merganser taking the small fish which are the future stock for our rivers they need to be controled before its to late but i dont think it will happen in my life time it will be up to the younger generation to voice there opinions before some of our rivers are devoid of life.. well rant over a bit more latter
I suppose i have been very lucky in life i have done most things i have wanted to do fishing shooting nature what more could i ask i have walked the woods of Shropshire fished the streams the lakes done a fair bit of game keeping on our shoot i have watched the fox and badgers all hours of the day and night i have waited for the duck to fly on a moonlight night going in to roost on the old quarry pool and shot the geese on a winters evening or early morning and i have made many friends over the years friends i would not have had it not been for the fishing and shooting i have tracked the fox through the woods also the deer and they have never even known i was there i have got down in the under growth old foxy has past me by i could have stretched out and touched him that's how close i have been, he has cocked his leg against the tree where i was and never even caught my scent how wonderful nature is.
But now i find it hard my back hurts like hell i can't walk the distance but i have my memories from all those years ago i have seen things that others have not, i have seen the grass ripple while fishing on the field behind as thought the grass had come alive and then i saw a big black line stretching far behind i left the rod where it was up the tree i got and from the fork of a branch way above i watches the rats pass me by there were hundreds of the things they looked like a black wave as they disappeared into the distance i had heard about this sort of thing but it was the first and last time i have experienced it. The rats were on the move from one farm to another why this happens i don't know but others used to tell me stories about the rats that moved to pastures knew some time it was caused by floods or maybe they had thrashed all the corn and there was no cover or food left i know they would congregate in the big chicken houses as there was plenty of food but that's one thing i can honestly say i have seen it would be around the middle sixties and i was fishing at Atcham nr Shrewsbury.
I have fished the big Shropshire meres and heard the song of the nightingale it sang from dusk till dawn a most beautiful song what More could i want and have watched the water vole sit up and take the doe bobbin from the line and never bite it through it kept graham and i wide awake watching the antics of this little furry animal i would replace the bobbin time and time again but he was intent of taking every piece i replaced i even moved him on but he would be back within the hour but now they are so scarce caused by the predatory mink who have nearly made them extinct. How things have changed over the years you would see the vole on most rivers and brooks but not any more we have to many predators on our water ways the problem now is the general public they thing the mink and otter are furry little creatures that do no harm, but that's the way these animals have been portrayed in school and books we also have the comoront the goosander the merganser taking the small fish which are the future stock for our rivers they need to be controled before its to late but i dont think it will happen in my life time it will be up to the younger generation to voice there opinions before some of our rivers are devoid of life.. well rant over a bit more latter
In reply to Post #65
I wander some times why a certain fish gets caught time after time they must certainly be suckers for punishment or are they plain greedy not long ago i had the same fish three times in one session the hooking and playing the fish certainly did not seem to do it much harm but its strange you catch others and at times never see that fish again for months i do think they learn by association but some never seem to learn i well remember fishing for pike on one of the big lakes in Shropshire i was dead baiting i had this run struck into the fish and duly got broken snapping the line above the trace it must of caught on some snag after tackling up again back out it went within the hour i had another run on playing him to the net i was surprised to see my other trace ,in the side of his mouth it was the same fish i had lost but it never stopped him feeding i have landed a good many pike with parts of a trace still in there jaws the hooks had nearly corroded away how can they feel pain i cant say they do as if they did how on earth do they feed the trace never seemed to bother that fish i hooked twice, not that i like loosing fish but it does happen at time through no fault of your own.
One fish i have not mentioned on here is the EEl a few years ago well more than a few years myself graham and Bernard did quite a lot of EEl fishing and over the months caught some big specimens we caught them to nearly seven pounds big fish by any ones standards i know Bern played one to the landing net that was absolutely huge only to loose it trying to get it into his net i think it really startled Bern and his father who was with him that night it was huge Pete he would say it was thicker than my arm how big do you think bern i would say, i can not hazard a guess it was real big and his father said the same that was from Betton it was in the late seventies we had loads from this old water from three pounds to over six it really produced some monsters funny really we have tried since before it went syndicate and never had one EEl why i don't know Bomere was a strange place when it was day ticket, long after i had it as syndicate the British anguilla club fished it for weeks without success not one EEl was caught i even fished it myself with bern and graham but we never caught i heard one had come out the other year caught by a syndicate member that's the first one i have heard about in all the years i have fished it.
The other small lake holds some huge EEls when it was electro fished a few years ago i was really surprised as it produced some good EEls the biggest over six pounds which was but back after photos of my self holding it why people have not caught them while fishing is any ones guess i think they feed on the small Rudd that are in the water its a bad water to fish at night although i have done it years ago, most wont fish there because of the mosquitoes they would eat you alive i dont think i have ever fished where they are so bad but one day that small water will throw up a suprise shropshire has thrown up some huge specimens over the years the gate pit at wem produced a fantastic fish going seven pounds twelve oz caught by david Bennet that was in july 1979 we had another of 8-13 0z from a wem pit by R woollham in 1984 another of 7-8 -0z from a shropshire mere by d holman 1982 there are several fish of around seven plus fish from the shropshire meres also a big specimen from the severn at Hightly caught by R Perks at seven pounds 7-3-0z the shropshire union canal has also thrown fish to 7-4-0z so you can see shropshire has produced some fantastic eels over the years . well a bit more latter
I wander some times why a certain fish gets caught time after time they must certainly be suckers for punishment or are they plain greedy not long ago i had the same fish three times in one session the hooking and playing the fish certainly did not seem to do it much harm but its strange you catch others and at times never see that fish again for months i do think they learn by association but some never seem to learn i well remember fishing for pike on one of the big lakes in Shropshire i was dead baiting i had this run struck into the fish and duly got broken snapping the line above the trace it must of caught on some snag after tackling up again back out it went within the hour i had another run on playing him to the net i was surprised to see my other trace ,in the side of his mouth it was the same fish i had lost but it never stopped him feeding i have landed a good many pike with parts of a trace still in there jaws the hooks had nearly corroded away how can they feel pain i cant say they do as if they did how on earth do they feed the trace never seemed to bother that fish i hooked twice, not that i like loosing fish but it does happen at time through no fault of your own.
One fish i have not mentioned on here is the EEl a few years ago well more than a few years myself graham and Bernard did quite a lot of EEl fishing and over the months caught some big specimens we caught them to nearly seven pounds big fish by any ones standards i know Bern played one to the landing net that was absolutely huge only to loose it trying to get it into his net i think it really startled Bern and his father who was with him that night it was huge Pete he would say it was thicker than my arm how big do you think bern i would say, i can not hazard a guess it was real big and his father said the same that was from Betton it was in the late seventies we had loads from this old water from three pounds to over six it really produced some monsters funny really we have tried since before it went syndicate and never had one EEl why i don't know Bomere was a strange place when it was day ticket, long after i had it as syndicate the British anguilla club fished it for weeks without success not one EEl was caught i even fished it myself with bern and graham but we never caught i heard one had come out the other year caught by a syndicate member that's the first one i have heard about in all the years i have fished it.
The other small lake holds some huge EEls when it was electro fished a few years ago i was really surprised as it produced some good EEls the biggest over six pounds which was but back after photos of my self holding it why people have not caught them while fishing is any ones guess i think they feed on the small Rudd that are in the water its a bad water to fish at night although i have done it years ago, most wont fish there because of the mosquitoes they would eat you alive i dont think i have ever fished where they are so bad but one day that small water will throw up a suprise shropshire has thrown up some huge specimens over the years the gate pit at wem produced a fantastic fish going seven pounds twelve oz caught by david Bennet that was in july 1979 we had another of 8-13 0z from a wem pit by R woollham in 1984 another of 7-8 -0z from a shropshire mere by d holman 1982 there are several fish of around seven plus fish from the shropshire meres also a big specimen from the severn at Hightly caught by R Perks at seven pounds 7-3-0z the shropshire union canal has also thrown fish to 7-4-0z so you can see shropshire has produced some fantastic eels over the years . well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #66
As i crept through the undergrowth to the side of the lake the sweat ran down my face the sun was high in the sky my cloths stuck to me a felt like a wet rag but we were both determined to fish this old lake it was private no fishing it belonged to a big shooting estate here in Shropshire but this would not stop us, but we needed to have a look at the place in the day time find a couple of swims that would protect us from the elements and also hide us from prying eyes there were at least seven keepers on the estate mostly under keepers and one head keeper i had got to know the estate with a friend called Robert willox at the time he knew the head keeper Mr owlet and he gave us permission but the owner knew nothing about it it was kept very quite as Roberts father was a big wig on the council and a friend of the keeper so we were allowed to go we did manage to catch a few pike but that was about it.
We were only young when Robert and i would bike up from bayston hill with our old bamboo rods tied to the cross bar of our bikes two exited young lad maybe seven years old, but things change over the years my parents moved to craven arms it was not until we moved back to bayston hill that i decided to go and have a look at the lakes there were two they were packed with big tench and roach little did we know but there was also carp in the lakes . Between the lakes was the eel trap and i believe they caught hundreds in the Victorian times most were sold at market with a few kept for the estate but it was now strictly shooting pheasants and ducks with a few geese thrown in, i was approaching 15 years old we still; had to bike up to the lake i would go with a lad called Billie we could not carry that much with us as it was about six miles from our home the rod reel a few ledgers i had a couple of Michell 3oo so i was really set up i well remember the first time i fished there with Billie we were frightened to death we would get caught and even more so when the mist drifted across the lake or should i say rolling it really spooked us both you could here a pin drop Billie would say is it haunted Pete know said i well i don't think so but he would really scare me, but all the years i fished there i never saw any one worse than my self we had a few scares when the keepers came down to feed the ducks mostly on dark you would hear them talking then they were off to the pub so you knew you were ok until morning we caught some good tench up to five pounds but they were good fish to us young lads and a few Roach as well mostly around a pound we saw the occasional carp show but never hooked one it was not untill a few years latter when graham and i got permision that we managed to catch a few carp from the place. That place is now kown to most anglers as acton burnell well a bit more latter
As i crept through the undergrowth to the side of the lake the sweat ran down my face the sun was high in the sky my cloths stuck to me a felt like a wet rag but we were both determined to fish this old lake it was private no fishing it belonged to a big shooting estate here in Shropshire but this would not stop us, but we needed to have a look at the place in the day time find a couple of swims that would protect us from the elements and also hide us from prying eyes there were at least seven keepers on the estate mostly under keepers and one head keeper i had got to know the estate with a friend called Robert willox at the time he knew the head keeper Mr owlet and he gave us permission but the owner knew nothing about it it was kept very quite as Roberts father was a big wig on the council and a friend of the keeper so we were allowed to go we did manage to catch a few pike but that was about it.
We were only young when Robert and i would bike up from bayston hill with our old bamboo rods tied to the cross bar of our bikes two exited young lad maybe seven years old, but things change over the years my parents moved to craven arms it was not until we moved back to bayston hill that i decided to go and have a look at the lakes there were two they were packed with big tench and roach little did we know but there was also carp in the lakes . Between the lakes was the eel trap and i believe they caught hundreds in the Victorian times most were sold at market with a few kept for the estate but it was now strictly shooting pheasants and ducks with a few geese thrown in, i was approaching 15 years old we still; had to bike up to the lake i would go with a lad called Billie we could not carry that much with us as it was about six miles from our home the rod reel a few ledgers i had a couple of Michell 3oo so i was really set up i well remember the first time i fished there with Billie we were frightened to death we would get caught and even more so when the mist drifted across the lake or should i say rolling it really spooked us both you could here a pin drop Billie would say is it haunted Pete know said i well i don't think so but he would really scare me, but all the years i fished there i never saw any one worse than my self we had a few scares when the keepers came down to feed the ducks mostly on dark you would hear them talking then they were off to the pub so you knew you were ok until morning we caught some good tench up to five pounds but they were good fish to us young lads and a few Roach as well mostly around a pound we saw the occasional carp show but never hooked one it was not untill a few years latter when graham and i got permision that we managed to catch a few carp from the place. That place is now kown to most anglers as acton burnell well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #67
Not far from Acton burn-ell was another lake i will not mention names on here as it could cause a bit of embarrassment although it has been a long time ago i think the lake is still there although the fish got poisoned years ago some sort of chemicals got into the stream running in to the lake and killed everything in there but it was years before i fished that stately old lake the house was black and white a most beautiful place and it had stood for centuries well that's giving some a clue i got to know the old Gardner well i new his son better and he told me all about the carp that were in the lake, but he also said the place was haunted by some pipe smoking squire that owned the estate years before, you could not get permission it was strictly private in those days the lake was part of the extensive gardens a most beautiful place i would say the best place i have ever fished the problem was getting to the lake without disturbing the residents i would cut across the fields pushing my bike then hide it in the extensive undergrowth in the wood that boarded the hall and lake. There were pheasants every were hundreds of the things as the land and woods were used for shooting and joined onto the Acton shoot.
I had a few while i fished the place using fishing line and sultanas and currents on the hook. But it was the fishing that really interested me i only used one rod it was easier to get away if discovered i would cast a big old lob worm out, place my rods on the rest mainly sticks with a v cut from the hedge bobbin on the line and i would hide in the foliage and reeds that surrounded the lake up it would go and i was in lovely fish i don't think i had one above five pound in all the time i fished the old lake but it was great fishing and free. Billie asked if he could come with me we will fish it in the dark no way i said the place supposed to be haunted by the old squire funny really it has been in the local papers about the said haunting quite recently. we decided to fish in the dark and fished it for a number of weeks and never once saw the old squire, we caught a good many carp and tench but this one night we had just set up and sat down behind the rods when we heard a shout we know your in there come on out it was the owner and the police, the gamekeeper was also there. We snatched our rods and made a run for the field hide the rods Billie then follow me we put the rods under the brambles at the side of the wood and climbed the nearest tree we were covered by the foliage up the tree we heard the policeman who i knew as Sgt landers say he would go down the road in his land rover and see if he could catch us, we also heard the owner and the keeper talking for about an hour landers came back and said he could not see us and eventually they went back to the hall we stayed up the tree for another hour when all was quite we were away picking up our rods and bikes on the way. we eventually got home in the early hours i did not fish there again for a few months . well a bit more latter
Not far from Acton burn-ell was another lake i will not mention names on here as it could cause a bit of embarrassment although it has been a long time ago i think the lake is still there although the fish got poisoned years ago some sort of chemicals got into the stream running in to the lake and killed everything in there but it was years before i fished that stately old lake the house was black and white a most beautiful place and it had stood for centuries well that's giving some a clue i got to know the old Gardner well i new his son better and he told me all about the carp that were in the lake, but he also said the place was haunted by some pipe smoking squire that owned the estate years before, you could not get permission it was strictly private in those days the lake was part of the extensive gardens a most beautiful place i would say the best place i have ever fished the problem was getting to the lake without disturbing the residents i would cut across the fields pushing my bike then hide it in the extensive undergrowth in the wood that boarded the hall and lake. There were pheasants every were hundreds of the things as the land and woods were used for shooting and joined onto the Acton shoot.
I had a few while i fished the place using fishing line and sultanas and currents on the hook. But it was the fishing that really interested me i only used one rod it was easier to get away if discovered i would cast a big old lob worm out, place my rods on the rest mainly sticks with a v cut from the hedge bobbin on the line and i would hide in the foliage and reeds that surrounded the lake up it would go and i was in lovely fish i don't think i had one above five pound in all the time i fished the old lake but it was great fishing and free. Billie asked if he could come with me we will fish it in the dark no way i said the place supposed to be haunted by the old squire funny really it has been in the local papers about the said haunting quite recently. we decided to fish in the dark and fished it for a number of weeks and never once saw the old squire, we caught a good many carp and tench but this one night we had just set up and sat down behind the rods when we heard a shout we know your in there come on out it was the owner and the police, the gamekeeper was also there. We snatched our rods and made a run for the field hide the rods Billie then follow me we put the rods under the brambles at the side of the wood and climbed the nearest tree we were covered by the foliage up the tree we heard the policeman who i knew as Sgt landers say he would go down the road in his land rover and see if he could catch us, we also heard the owner and the keeper talking for about an hour landers came back and said he could not see us and eventually they went back to the hall we stayed up the tree for another hour when all was quite we were away picking up our rods and bikes on the way. we eventually got home in the early hours i did not fish there again for a few months . well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #68
As graham and i huddled just inside the wood the wind ripped through the tree tops . It was really blowing a gale we were once again up in hill country the sky looked grey and full of snow but it was not forecast the moon came out casting shadows on the ground and the surrounding fields as the clouds raced by, once again we were after the mallard duck that came to roost on the little pool below the wood as a rule the ducks would fly over the wood before turning and then land on the pool but tonight they were late as a rule you could set your watch by them, we had been here the last couple of hours it was cold i pulled my coat up around my neck and tucked my scarf under the color the wind was cold it had an icy feeling to it. Do you want to stay i said to graham we will give it another hour he says i put my hand in my pockets and grasped the hand warmer out came my pipe lighting it the aroma filled the little wood if old foxy was around he would certainly would have gone by now.
Looking up i was sure the wind was getting worse the clouds were racing across the sky, i looked behind where my dog was curled up he did not seem interested tonight, graham sounded the mallard caller and within minutes a couple of duck swung behind the old wood only to reappear second latter up with my gun bang bang i had one out of the two it was a start i sent the dog i had watched the duck hit the distant fence the wind had took it that far it was not long before my dog blaze returned with a big fat mallard. The mallard had arrived within minutes there was four more over us graham managed two a right and left i got one we had already shot four but i needed more the farmer Mr shake shaft wanted at least four to be dropped of at the farm latter, the ducks kept coming we had shot a good dozen before we called it a night we picked them up and made our way across the fields the wind was blowing that hard we had trouble standing upright but at last we made it to the old land rover that belonging to graham, i for one was pleased as i sat in the front the dog curled up under my legs making it a bit cramped in the front, but he had done his job so he deserved a bit of warmth we called at the farm dropping the four ducks do you want a drink the farmer shouted the wind was really howling around the old farm yard no thanks,, we said our fair wells and made for home and the warmth of the fire this was sometime in the seventies. a bit more latter
As graham and i huddled just inside the wood the wind ripped through the tree tops . It was really blowing a gale we were once again up in hill country the sky looked grey and full of snow but it was not forecast the moon came out casting shadows on the ground and the surrounding fields as the clouds raced by, once again we were after the mallard duck that came to roost on the little pool below the wood as a rule the ducks would fly over the wood before turning and then land on the pool but tonight they were late as a rule you could set your watch by them, we had been here the last couple of hours it was cold i pulled my coat up around my neck and tucked my scarf under the color the wind was cold it had an icy feeling to it. Do you want to stay i said to graham we will give it another hour he says i put my hand in my pockets and grasped the hand warmer out came my pipe lighting it the aroma filled the little wood if old foxy was around he would certainly would have gone by now.
Looking up i was sure the wind was getting worse the clouds were racing across the sky, i looked behind where my dog was curled up he did not seem interested tonight, graham sounded the mallard caller and within minutes a couple of duck swung behind the old wood only to reappear second latter up with my gun bang bang i had one out of the two it was a start i sent the dog i had watched the duck hit the distant fence the wind had took it that far it was not long before my dog blaze returned with a big fat mallard. The mallard had arrived within minutes there was four more over us graham managed two a right and left i got one we had already shot four but i needed more the farmer Mr shake shaft wanted at least four to be dropped of at the farm latter, the ducks kept coming we had shot a good dozen before we called it a night we picked them up and made our way across the fields the wind was blowing that hard we had trouble standing upright but at last we made it to the old land rover that belonging to graham, i for one was pleased as i sat in the front the dog curled up under my legs making it a bit cramped in the front, but he had done his job so he deserved a bit of warmth we called at the farm dropping the four ducks do you want a drink the farmer shouted the wind was really howling around the old farm yard no thanks,, we said our fair wells and made for home and the warmth of the fire this was sometime in the seventies. a bit more latter
In reply to Post #69
As i stood in my mates kitchen he wife shouts the badgers are in the garden come on Pete watch me feed them his wife turned the back light on it illuminated the back garden and there stood five beautiful badgers my mate sat on the steps and the badgers were all over him his wife brought out some bread smeared in peanut butter they really loved it apparently they had been coming for a few years he could even hold a piece in his teeth and the badgers would take it from him ever so gently by what i saw they absolutely loved him, they come from the old set down the fields Pete they make there way up the ditch behind my garden then in to the garden i could see that some were full grown cubs maybe from this year or last he said the old boar comes as well but he can be a bit funny and really keeps the others in check but like everything else Pete i have a few problems why Bernard neighbours keep complaining about them as they dig a few holes around the garden especially in the lawn when looking for worms i have told them to fence the back off behind the ditch but i don't think it will keep them out at all they have been coming for years well before the houses were built, he really has a great passion for these animals and now he has retired he does all the liaising for the badger society i met Bern a number of years ago when i used to go fly fishing he was a good fisherman and a good naturalist he also liked a bit of course fishing.
Periodically he would contact me asking if he could go down to have a look at the big sets at Bomere i would ask the owners if it was OK and they always said yes well they would have a job stopping him he had a big map at home in his garage with nearly all the sets he knew of in our area and more beside from further away, he knew i shot and he had no problem with that he also knew i loved old foxy but he hated cruelty and got called out a good many times to people digging the sets up he carried a camera not any old thing but a good one i think it was a Nikon with all the different lenses the photos were used in evidence against the men they caught digging up the sets i really should of got a few photos from him that i could put up on here i may go down to see him latter as he only lives down the road from me he is a wonderful friend although i don't see him that often when we meet we have a good old natter he certainly knows the ways of the country side and its animals although he has been a bit upset of late about the possible gassing and shooting of badgers as he said to me they will get any one to shoot them i would rather leave it to some one like you Pete who understands the country side but now it looks if it wont be necessary as in some areas they are being inoculated i am certainly in favour of this as i could see whole sale slaughter of this beautiful animal.
Bern also removed badgers that caused a huge problem to the farmers and would release them else where he did one such job for the old quarry where graham was manager it happened a few years ago there was a big lake at the quarry and the badgers had moved in and the managment were frightened they would tunnel through to the water at the dam end and flood the surrounding fields and property there was quite a big family living there so they fenced all the lake off putting a big cage at the only exit and fed this cage trap for weeks with peanut butter and bread when they were used to it the one end was closed and the trap set over a few days they caught them all a good job well done the Badgers were released a few miles away as far as i know the quarry have had no more trouble since. well a bit more latteer
As i stood in my mates kitchen he wife shouts the badgers are in the garden come on Pete watch me feed them his wife turned the back light on it illuminated the back garden and there stood five beautiful badgers my mate sat on the steps and the badgers were all over him his wife brought out some bread smeared in peanut butter they really loved it apparently they had been coming for a few years he could even hold a piece in his teeth and the badgers would take it from him ever so gently by what i saw they absolutely loved him, they come from the old set down the fields Pete they make there way up the ditch behind my garden then in to the garden i could see that some were full grown cubs maybe from this year or last he said the old boar comes as well but he can be a bit funny and really keeps the others in check but like everything else Pete i have a few problems why Bernard neighbours keep complaining about them as they dig a few holes around the garden especially in the lawn when looking for worms i have told them to fence the back off behind the ditch but i don't think it will keep them out at all they have been coming for years well before the houses were built, he really has a great passion for these animals and now he has retired he does all the liaising for the badger society i met Bern a number of years ago when i used to go fly fishing he was a good fisherman and a good naturalist he also liked a bit of course fishing.
Periodically he would contact me asking if he could go down to have a look at the big sets at Bomere i would ask the owners if it was OK and they always said yes well they would have a job stopping him he had a big map at home in his garage with nearly all the sets he knew of in our area and more beside from further away, he knew i shot and he had no problem with that he also knew i loved old foxy but he hated cruelty and got called out a good many times to people digging the sets up he carried a camera not any old thing but a good one i think it was a Nikon with all the different lenses the photos were used in evidence against the men they caught digging up the sets i really should of got a few photos from him that i could put up on here i may go down to see him latter as he only lives down the road from me he is a wonderful friend although i don't see him that often when we meet we have a good old natter he certainly knows the ways of the country side and its animals although he has been a bit upset of late about the possible gassing and shooting of badgers as he said to me they will get any one to shoot them i would rather leave it to some one like you Pete who understands the country side but now it looks if it wont be necessary as in some areas they are being inoculated i am certainly in favour of this as i could see whole sale slaughter of this beautiful animal.
Bern also removed badgers that caused a huge problem to the farmers and would release them else where he did one such job for the old quarry where graham was manager it happened a few years ago there was a big lake at the quarry and the badgers had moved in and the managment were frightened they would tunnel through to the water at the dam end and flood the surrounding fields and property there was quite a big family living there so they fenced all the lake off putting a big cage at the only exit and fed this cage trap for weeks with peanut butter and bread when they were used to it the one end was closed and the trap set over a few days they caught them all a good job well done the Badgers were released a few miles away as far as i know the quarry have had no more trouble since. well a bit more latteer
In reply to Post #70
As i walked down the field to the old earth i could see something was not right some one had been digging up the earth and had killed the cubs i was overwhelmed with sadness, i had a word with the farmer who passed by on his tractor asking who had done it he had no idea as he had not given permission to anyone other than myself and graham i can understand killing foxes that had caused trouble i have my self when needs be but to dig up an earth and kill the cubs and throw them to one side really gets up my back they had just about ventured out side in the last couple of weeks , the diggers had been using terriers you could see there prints in the sandy soil.
I buried the cubs by putting them in the old earth then i covered them with soil using my hands i stood still i could hear a faint mewing where on earth was it coming from i looked above the earth it seemed to be coming from the big bed of nettles parting them i found the cause of the noise it was a little cub one they had missed it had beautiful blue eyes and chocolate coloured coat poor little beggar i picked it up and wrapped my coat around it to keep it warm it trembled all over what could i do with it, the vixen would not come back so i had two options open to me either kill it or try and rear it so i took it home the poor thing was very traumatized caused by its ordeal i got it home and put it in a box by the gas heater i manged to get a bottle and some dried milk and i got it feeding by gum was it hungry it had obviously been weened so i tried it on dog meat all went well and he began to eat the problem was at night he was lonely and would call out all night so i gave him a old toy my daughter had years before in the shape of a cat it did the trick and he would cuddle up to it and sleep i had a friend at work who was keen to own a fox so i had a word and he went to them and they reared him to an adult he would even go to the pub and lie under neath the chair they sat on and he even liked a drink of mild beer the landlord would put an old dog bowl full and he would lap it up i lost touch over the years but i was told by friends that they still had him.
That was a few years ago the foxes have now moved back into the earth and have had one or two litters since and i really hope it continues as the farmer said they cause him no trouble so they are left well alone i never ever discovered who had dug them out and i will probably never know it does happen even badgers get the same treatment i always think they are sick individuals who have no knowledge of the country side or its wild life.
well a bit more latter
As i walked down the field to the old earth i could see something was not right some one had been digging up the earth and had killed the cubs i was overwhelmed with sadness, i had a word with the farmer who passed by on his tractor asking who had done it he had no idea as he had not given permission to anyone other than myself and graham i can understand killing foxes that had caused trouble i have my self when needs be but to dig up an earth and kill the cubs and throw them to one side really gets up my back they had just about ventured out side in the last couple of weeks , the diggers had been using terriers you could see there prints in the sandy soil.
I buried the cubs by putting them in the old earth then i covered them with soil using my hands i stood still i could hear a faint mewing where on earth was it coming from i looked above the earth it seemed to be coming from the big bed of nettles parting them i found the cause of the noise it was a little cub one they had missed it had beautiful blue eyes and chocolate coloured coat poor little beggar i picked it up and wrapped my coat around it to keep it warm it trembled all over what could i do with it, the vixen would not come back so i had two options open to me either kill it or try and rear it so i took it home the poor thing was very traumatized caused by its ordeal i got it home and put it in a box by the gas heater i manged to get a bottle and some dried milk and i got it feeding by gum was it hungry it had obviously been weened so i tried it on dog meat all went well and he began to eat the problem was at night he was lonely and would call out all night so i gave him a old toy my daughter had years before in the shape of a cat it did the trick and he would cuddle up to it and sleep i had a friend at work who was keen to own a fox so i had a word and he went to them and they reared him to an adult he would even go to the pub and lie under neath the chair they sat on and he even liked a drink of mild beer the landlord would put an old dog bowl full and he would lap it up i lost touch over the years but i was told by friends that they still had him.
That was a few years ago the foxes have now moved back into the earth and have had one or two litters since and i really hope it continues as the farmer said they cause him no trouble so they are left well alone i never ever discovered who had dug them out and i will probably never know it does happen even badgers get the same treatment i always think they are sick individuals who have no knowledge of the country side or its wild life.
well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #71
As i sat beside the old mere midnight was fast approaching it was so still you could hear a pin drop the weather was humid with a chance of thunder but it was a great night to be out fishing you could hear the thunder in the distance giving a rumble but it was still miles from where we fished we had already caught a couple of slabs that weighed in at just under nine pounds i said to graham we best get the umbrellas up i could see the flashes of lightning in the distance it was approaching fast as you looked across the mere the lightning would show the flock geese over the far side .
Looking up the sky looked black and the wind had started to get up a sure sign of an approaching storm we pegged the old umbrellas down as best we could and waited now to late to make for shelter of the car it was the early seventies we did not have the protection of a bivi like today it started to rain but did it rain hail as well the thunder crashed over head and and it echoed through the woods the lighting flashed over head sending streaks of forked lighting across the sky we huddled under our umbrellas for protection from the rain and then we heard an almighty crash the lighting had hit a tree behind us somewhere in the wood you could smell the arid smoke as it scorched the old tree the wind got even worse blowing waves like white horses towards us and leaving the water by our feet a foaming white what a night and it was not easing one bit, we had to stay and let the storm pass i was really hoping we would not get another run as i did not fancy getting wet but up went my bobbin and as it glided towards the but ring i struck and found solid resistance this was no small fish i played him with care to the waiting net and then we had him we parted the net and stared in wander at the big bronze slab lying in the folds of the net we weighed him quickly and slid him into the huge net that had already been pegged out ten pounds not a bad fish graham was next to catch we were getting wetter by the minute another good fish of nine plus the sky was still black as coal and the lightning still streaked across the sky.
We were both clad to see morning the storm had moved on we had pulled our rods in and got our heads down for the rest of the night as i looked behind our swim it was flooded how we going to get through that graham i don't know he said we weighted our fish and photos done we packed our tackle away and made a move good job we had waders on we went through mud and water up to our knees what a night we made our way over the canal bridge to the van that had been parked in the lay by loading the tackle we got our wet cloths off and sat back i lit my pipe and looked at graham with a big grin on my face what a night lets get home the mere was colemere for those that want to know, we fished it for a number of years leading to the british record bream. well a bit more latter
As i sat beside the old mere midnight was fast approaching it was so still you could hear a pin drop the weather was humid with a chance of thunder but it was a great night to be out fishing you could hear the thunder in the distance giving a rumble but it was still miles from where we fished we had already caught a couple of slabs that weighed in at just under nine pounds i said to graham we best get the umbrellas up i could see the flashes of lightning in the distance it was approaching fast as you looked across the mere the lightning would show the flock geese over the far side .
Looking up the sky looked black and the wind had started to get up a sure sign of an approaching storm we pegged the old umbrellas down as best we could and waited now to late to make for shelter of the car it was the early seventies we did not have the protection of a bivi like today it started to rain but did it rain hail as well the thunder crashed over head and and it echoed through the woods the lighting flashed over head sending streaks of forked lighting across the sky we huddled under our umbrellas for protection from the rain and then we heard an almighty crash the lighting had hit a tree behind us somewhere in the wood you could smell the arid smoke as it scorched the old tree the wind got even worse blowing waves like white horses towards us and leaving the water by our feet a foaming white what a night and it was not easing one bit, we had to stay and let the storm pass i was really hoping we would not get another run as i did not fancy getting wet but up went my bobbin and as it glided towards the but ring i struck and found solid resistance this was no small fish i played him with care to the waiting net and then we had him we parted the net and stared in wander at the big bronze slab lying in the folds of the net we weighed him quickly and slid him into the huge net that had already been pegged out ten pounds not a bad fish graham was next to catch we were getting wetter by the minute another good fish of nine plus the sky was still black as coal and the lightning still streaked across the sky.
We were both clad to see morning the storm had moved on we had pulled our rods in and got our heads down for the rest of the night as i looked behind our swim it was flooded how we going to get through that graham i don't know he said we weighted our fish and photos done we packed our tackle away and made a move good job we had waders on we went through mud and water up to our knees what a night we made our way over the canal bridge to the van that had been parked in the lay by loading the tackle we got our wet cloths off and sat back i lit my pipe and looked at graham with a big grin on my face what a night lets get home the mere was colemere for those that want to know, we fished it for a number of years leading to the british record bream. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #72
I had a phone call on Sunday morning it was tony who runs the shoot with me can you help Pete whats a matter tony the farm above me has got fox troubles and the farmer was wandering if you would come and have a look i know the said farmer and he has lots of free range chickens as a few ducks up to now they have lost four ducks and a number of hens charlie having a great time but he has obviously got cubs and big ones by the sound of it and they will keep coming back as the food is an easy option.
The crunch came on Saturday the farmers wife went out to give them a bit of corn and she said the smallest fox she had ever seen was walking down the field with a white hen in her mouth this is where i had a laugh she chased this fox and it dropped the bird which got up and ran back to the farm it had not killed it usually they bite there heads off so i have to go have a look and find where there coming from it should not take that long but i feel there is more than one fox visiting .
The farmers wife asked me if it could be a young cub as it was very small i would not think so, i think i know this vixen i have mentioned her in my stories before she was at bomere for some time she is very small i would think it is the same vixen as you can see the woods of bomere from the farm so she has moved on just across the fields
but she has obviously got a big family of cubs to feed and i would think they are near splitting up by that i mean they are a few months old and will go there separate ways. if there are a couple of young vixens they may stay together i have seen this before but the young dogs will fend for there selves so i shall not kill this small vixen i will follow her from a distance and see where she Leeds me, the earth will not be that far away but i would think the cubs are lying out in one of the big fields of oil seed rape that's if they are as big as i think.
the farmer says he has seen three different dog foxes visiting the farm it would not surprise me at all as there are a number of woods bordering the farm and the hens are easy pickings but it must stop as he sells the eggs to local hotels and such he cannot afford to lose to many. So tomorrow i will be going to have a look around and try and find where they are, i could just hide and do a bit of squeaking and call the fox to me then bang job done but its not my way i must see how big the cubs are and i certainly will not kill the little vixen as i have known her for some time how she has survived i don't know as she looks like a small cat but she has and has got a family to look after so ill write a bit more about the foxes and how i get on in a latter story. more to come latter
I had a phone call on Sunday morning it was tony who runs the shoot with me can you help Pete whats a matter tony the farm above me has got fox troubles and the farmer was wandering if you would come and have a look i know the said farmer and he has lots of free range chickens as a few ducks up to now they have lost four ducks and a number of hens charlie having a great time but he has obviously got cubs and big ones by the sound of it and they will keep coming back as the food is an easy option.
The crunch came on Saturday the farmers wife went out to give them a bit of corn and she said the smallest fox she had ever seen was walking down the field with a white hen in her mouth this is where i had a laugh she chased this fox and it dropped the bird which got up and ran back to the farm it had not killed it usually they bite there heads off so i have to go have a look and find where there coming from it should not take that long but i feel there is more than one fox visiting .
The farmers wife asked me if it could be a young cub as it was very small i would not think so, i think i know this vixen i have mentioned her in my stories before she was at bomere for some time she is very small i would think it is the same vixen as you can see the woods of bomere from the farm so she has moved on just across the fields
but she has obviously got a big family of cubs to feed and i would think they are near splitting up by that i mean they are a few months old and will go there separate ways. if there are a couple of young vixens they may stay together i have seen this before but the young dogs will fend for there selves so i shall not kill this small vixen i will follow her from a distance and see where she Leeds me, the earth will not be that far away but i would think the cubs are lying out in one of the big fields of oil seed rape that's if they are as big as i think.
the farmer says he has seen three different dog foxes visiting the farm it would not surprise me at all as there are a number of woods bordering the farm and the hens are easy pickings but it must stop as he sells the eggs to local hotels and such he cannot afford to lose to many. So tomorrow i will be going to have a look around and try and find where they are, i could just hide and do a bit of squeaking and call the fox to me then bang job done but its not my way i must see how big the cubs are and i certainly will not kill the little vixen as i have known her for some time how she has survived i don't know as she looks like a small cat but she has and has got a family to look after so ill write a bit more about the foxes and how i get on in a latter story. more to come latter