In reply to Post #650
Years ago i suppose i was about twelve years old it was when i lived at craven arms and when i poached the river onny it must of been around 1954. all the old chaps that fished the onny always said this old big brown trout inhabited a certain stretch and they had hooked and lost him on many occasions . i hooked him once and lost him and from then on it became an obsession to catch it l would lie down on the bank peering into that clear water using the trees for shade and i saw him number of times chasing the minnows into the shallows to me he was big round three pounds but huge for that small river. i well remember another day i hooked him, i saw him take at the minnows in the shallows and cast a big lob worm to him he took it instantly and led me a merry dance away he went down stream i could gain no line at all i clambered over bushes around trees eventually i was up to my knees in water still in contact but he managed to snag me in the roots under the bank and bang and that was that. it took me two years to catch that wild brownie but i eventually did. i caught him while spinning i would mount a minnow in a flight you would push a spike into the minnows body and clamp the fins on the flight shut to hold the minnow tight there was two very small trebles attached to the flight that you hooked into either side of the minnow i was determined i would have him one day. i cast into that pool on the river a few times with no luck i left it and made my way further down stream and decided to come back and fish for him in the evening and so it comes to an end first cast and bang i had him on no landing nets in those days so i was in the water up to my waist i was hoping the bailiffs and keepers were not around i waded to the other side into shallow water and at last got him two my feet and out onto the bank he was an old warrior with a hooked snout i just stared at him my dad came down and took some photos i was the talk of the terraces where i lived i just could not kill him he was three and quarter pounds so dad and myself put the old warrior back i never saw him again althought i fished that pool many times after i still wander to day if he survived and lived to fight another day this is a true story about me as a young lad with an obsession with fishing which has never left me to this day more latter
Years ago i suppose i was about twelve years old it was when i lived at craven arms and when i poached the river onny it must of been around 1954. all the old chaps that fished the onny always said this old big brown trout inhabited a certain stretch and they had hooked and lost him on many occasions . i hooked him once and lost him and from then on it became an obsession to catch it l would lie down on the bank peering into that clear water using the trees for shade and i saw him number of times chasing the minnows into the shallows to me he was big round three pounds but huge for that small river. i well remember another day i hooked him, i saw him take at the minnows in the shallows and cast a big lob worm to him he took it instantly and led me a merry dance away he went down stream i could gain no line at all i clambered over bushes around trees eventually i was up to my knees in water still in contact but he managed to snag me in the roots under the bank and bang and that was that. it took me two years to catch that wild brownie but i eventually did. i caught him while spinning i would mount a minnow in a flight you would push a spike into the minnows body and clamp the fins on the flight shut to hold the minnow tight there was two very small trebles attached to the flight that you hooked into either side of the minnow i was determined i would have him one day. i cast into that pool on the river a few times with no luck i left it and made my way further down stream and decided to come back and fish for him in the evening and so it comes to an end first cast and bang i had him on no landing nets in those days so i was in the water up to my waist i was hoping the bailiffs and keepers were not around i waded to the other side into shallow water and at last got him two my feet and out onto the bank he was an old warrior with a hooked snout i just stared at him my dad came down and took some photos i was the talk of the terraces where i lived i just could not kill him he was three and quarter pounds so dad and myself put the old warrior back i never saw him again althought i fished that pool many times after i still wander to day if he survived and lived to fight another day this is a true story about me as a young lad with an obsession with fishing which has never left me to this day more latter
In reply to Post #651
Over the years i have met a great many old characters one such man was a chap called charlie Patterson he lived at a small village in Shropshire called much wenlock and was employed as a forester and game keeper he had a great understanding of the country side and its wild life. he also ran the Paterson hunt and had a membership of about sixty men who would be out most Saturdays and Sundays in the winter and spring and would do a job of work and shoot the foxes for the local farmers and gentry we shot vast numbers in those far off days he would sell the skins and the proceeds would be spent on a big dinner every year for the members and families. he was an incredible chap and would stand you in the wood and say don't you miss him he will be out in a minute and nine time out of ten he would but low betide if you missed he would really ball you out and you would be in the walking line for the next month. It really never happened to me as i would not shoot if i could not kill the animal. i learned such a lot from this man we would sit in the woods and he would say can you hear that Pete what charlie im sure he could hear a Nat fart but he had a great instinct almost like a second sight and would follow the tracks of badgers and foxes. i would take him around the farms and estates at Xmas and he would really get quite pissed by the time we were finished. he also carved walking stick and would make a marvelous job he would carve badgers foxes birds on the top of the stick and really was in big demand in those days. and would make a few bob for him self. he said to me one day Pete im not to well got blood pressure hows that charlie he was like a mountain goat and would really out walk most of us youngsters he walked every where never owned a car or a bike some days at least twenty miles not long after his wife found him dead in his favourite arm chair in front of the fire i went to his funeral there was hundreds farmers gentry and such he was really one of the old school who we wont see the likes of again this was way back in the late sixties and seventys it was a real privilege to have been his friend as i learned so much from him a little more latter
Over the years i have met a great many old characters one such man was a chap called charlie Patterson he lived at a small village in Shropshire called much wenlock and was employed as a forester and game keeper he had a great understanding of the country side and its wild life. he also ran the Paterson hunt and had a membership of about sixty men who would be out most Saturdays and Sundays in the winter and spring and would do a job of work and shoot the foxes for the local farmers and gentry we shot vast numbers in those far off days he would sell the skins and the proceeds would be spent on a big dinner every year for the members and families. he was an incredible chap and would stand you in the wood and say don't you miss him he will be out in a minute and nine time out of ten he would but low betide if you missed he would really ball you out and you would be in the walking line for the next month. It really never happened to me as i would not shoot if i could not kill the animal. i learned such a lot from this man we would sit in the woods and he would say can you hear that Pete what charlie im sure he could hear a Nat fart but he had a great instinct almost like a second sight and would follow the tracks of badgers and foxes. i would take him around the farms and estates at Xmas and he would really get quite pissed by the time we were finished. he also carved walking stick and would make a marvelous job he would carve badgers foxes birds on the top of the stick and really was in big demand in those days. and would make a few bob for him self. he said to me one day Pete im not to well got blood pressure hows that charlie he was like a mountain goat and would really out walk most of us youngsters he walked every where never owned a car or a bike some days at least twenty miles not long after his wife found him dead in his favourite arm chair in front of the fire i went to his funeral there was hundreds farmers gentry and such he was really one of the old school who we wont see the likes of again this was way back in the late sixties and seventys it was a real privilege to have been his friend as i learned so much from him a little more latter
In reply to Post #652
Its a few years since i fished the condover blind school stretch of the condover brook i had permission and as i said before had some great times fishing there unfortunately it closed down a few years ago. just opposite the school was a nursery they used to grow tomatoes and such the owner asked if i would clear the rabbits for her in return i could fish her private stretch on the brook i jumped at the chance and graham and myself would go and ferret her nursery oh what fun we had the rabbits had burrowed under the green houses and were inside gray had a terrier called sue she would be all through the plants chasing them every where we really caught loads. the owner said to me one day shoot those pheasants as well will you please they were every where. so i took half a dozen guns with me and stood them around the gardens we shot loads but the problem was they would hertel down and go straight throught the green house glass it was a bit deadly. The owner would be out there she would get quite exited and would be shouting her head off she really enjoyed it never mind the glass pete i can replace it we literally shot dozens from there over the years they would come from the big estate up the road old Bell was the keeper there as i have mentioned before i had quite a few run ins with him over the years he really did not like us shooting the pheasants at the nursery but the owner did not like him and would not let him on her property.The fishing was excellent and we would spin it using little mepps or use little red worms we caught loads the brook had been stocked by the local gentry so there was not shortage of brownies but they were all around the pound mark but very good eating we never over did it only taking what we needed and i would always take a couple for the owner. sadly the nursery has now all gone and the owner has died and they have now built houses on the land the price of progress or is it a little bit more gone never to return. well we went barbel fishing yesterday and we managed to catch more about that latter
Its a few years since i fished the condover blind school stretch of the condover brook i had permission and as i said before had some great times fishing there unfortunately it closed down a few years ago. just opposite the school was a nursery they used to grow tomatoes and such the owner asked if i would clear the rabbits for her in return i could fish her private stretch on the brook i jumped at the chance and graham and myself would go and ferret her nursery oh what fun we had the rabbits had burrowed under the green houses and were inside gray had a terrier called sue she would be all through the plants chasing them every where we really caught loads. the owner said to me one day shoot those pheasants as well will you please they were every where. so i took half a dozen guns with me and stood them around the gardens we shot loads but the problem was they would hertel down and go straight throught the green house glass it was a bit deadly. The owner would be out there she would get quite exited and would be shouting her head off she really enjoyed it never mind the glass pete i can replace it we literally shot dozens from there over the years they would come from the big estate up the road old Bell was the keeper there as i have mentioned before i had quite a few run ins with him over the years he really did not like us shooting the pheasants at the nursery but the owner did not like him and would not let him on her property.The fishing was excellent and we would spin it using little mepps or use little red worms we caught loads the brook had been stocked by the local gentry so there was not shortage of brownies but they were all around the pound mark but very good eating we never over did it only taking what we needed and i would always take a couple for the owner. sadly the nursery has now all gone and the owner has died and they have now built houses on the land the price of progress or is it a little bit more gone never to return. well we went barbel fishing yesterday and we managed to catch more about that latter
In reply to Post #653
Talking to a friend the other day he mentioned he had been clearing the rats for the local farmers. he was going out at night with his air rifle and lamp and had been shooting them in the farm buildings he had managed to shoot 300 rats in one evening last week now that's a lot of rats and is really giving the farmer a good service that's now when the harvests over the rats will really move in especially when the colder weather starts. I well remember when i was younger we would take half a dozen ferrets with us the farmers stored the grain in those days in bags in the granary we would pop the ferrets in and stand back the rats would fly out and run along the timber beams we would shoot them with a garden gun or four ten shot gun we literally shot dozens it was great fun and the farmers were well pleased. One farm had terrible problems with the little critters he had a big old hen run out in the field the eggs were getting eaten and some of the hens were getting killed there were hundreds holes every where. so we got the land rover into the hen run netted all around the perimeter filled some of the holes in and connected a hose to the exhaust of the land rover the fumes soon moved the little critters out came dozens we shot some with four tens and some got tangled in the net we ended the morning with at least 500 rats but that's years ago . but with the poison they use today they are a lot easier to deal with. but you still have to watch the live stock. Well we have managed to catch a barbel or two but nothing really big mostly fish around the five to six pounds mark a friend who fished with us the other day has managed a 10 pounds plus fish but every one i speak to seems to be catching the smaller specimens i think when we get some fresh water it will start to get better .We managed a carp or two yesterday the biggest only going 18 pounds plus falling to grahams rods it is one of the worst years i can remember on the fishing front and has really been a struggle i think its due to the very humid and hot weather well that's what i am putting it down to . a bit more latter
Talking to a friend the other day he mentioned he had been clearing the rats for the local farmers. he was going out at night with his air rifle and lamp and had been shooting them in the farm buildings he had managed to shoot 300 rats in one evening last week now that's a lot of rats and is really giving the farmer a good service that's now when the harvests over the rats will really move in especially when the colder weather starts. I well remember when i was younger we would take half a dozen ferrets with us the farmers stored the grain in those days in bags in the granary we would pop the ferrets in and stand back the rats would fly out and run along the timber beams we would shoot them with a garden gun or four ten shot gun we literally shot dozens it was great fun and the farmers were well pleased. One farm had terrible problems with the little critters he had a big old hen run out in the field the eggs were getting eaten and some of the hens were getting killed there were hundreds holes every where. so we got the land rover into the hen run netted all around the perimeter filled some of the holes in and connected a hose to the exhaust of the land rover the fumes soon moved the little critters out came dozens we shot some with four tens and some got tangled in the net we ended the morning with at least 500 rats but that's years ago . but with the poison they use today they are a lot easier to deal with. but you still have to watch the live stock. Well we have managed to catch a barbel or two but nothing really big mostly fish around the five to six pounds mark a friend who fished with us the other day has managed a 10 pounds plus fish but every one i speak to seems to be catching the smaller specimens i think when we get some fresh water it will start to get better .We managed a carp or two yesterday the biggest only going 18 pounds plus falling to grahams rods it is one of the worst years i can remember on the fishing front and has really been a struggle i think its due to the very humid and hot weather well that's what i am putting it down to . a bit more latter
In reply to Post #1000
I spent a bit a time down the woods yesterday with our syndicate members. it is a triple ssi site but we get on very well with English nature. we filled all the bins for the pheasant and also fed the pool for the ducks. the amount of wild life we also feed through the winter months is really remarkable and English nature likes the way we run the shoot. It really is not like the woods i poached all those years ago gone is Gerry the keeper long dead. they have cleared all the trees from around shomere and the rose dendrums it really has made a difference the pool looked beautiful with all the lilies growing the bream i used to fish for are still in there so to are the big eels we had them to six pounds plus the odd big Rudd is still there for the catching but the mozzies put a lot of people off from fishing the place they would eat you alive but since the under growth has been removed they don't seem to be as bad so it might encourage those that have permission to give it ago and fish it. When i poached i t years ago i would rub lemon juice all over my skin before putting my clothes on it did seem to work but would still get the odd bite. The times i fished that place right under the keepers nose his house backed right onto the pool he had a pheasant pen down there he would rear hundreds of pheasant's in those days in the winter i would have a few away it made a few bob and also fed the family. The pool has been on tele a couple of times it was known as the secret pool and had and still has some very rare dragon flies on it the dragon fly society used to come down and take photos of these beautiful creatures. i would catch the pheasants in those days with fishing line and a current or raisins on the hook it was clean and made no disturbance i would lie in the under growth or hedge feed a few currents let them get used to them then use the line and hook i would catch half a dozen put them in a sack and would be away old gerry never ever twiged what i was doing but thats the way we lived in those days well a bit more latter
I spent a bit a time down the woods yesterday with our syndicate members. it is a triple ssi site but we get on very well with English nature. we filled all the bins for the pheasant and also fed the pool for the ducks. the amount of wild life we also feed through the winter months is really remarkable and English nature likes the way we run the shoot. It really is not like the woods i poached all those years ago gone is Gerry the keeper long dead. they have cleared all the trees from around shomere and the rose dendrums it really has made a difference the pool looked beautiful with all the lilies growing the bream i used to fish for are still in there so to are the big eels we had them to six pounds plus the odd big Rudd is still there for the catching but the mozzies put a lot of people off from fishing the place they would eat you alive but since the under growth has been removed they don't seem to be as bad so it might encourage those that have permission to give it ago and fish it. When i poached i t years ago i would rub lemon juice all over my skin before putting my clothes on it did seem to work but would still get the odd bite. The times i fished that place right under the keepers nose his house backed right onto the pool he had a pheasant pen down there he would rear hundreds of pheasant's in those days in the winter i would have a few away it made a few bob and also fed the family. The pool has been on tele a couple of times it was known as the secret pool and had and still has some very rare dragon flies on it the dragon fly society used to come down and take photos of these beautiful creatures. i would catch the pheasants in those days with fishing line and a current or raisins on the hook it was clean and made no disturbance i would lie in the under growth or hedge feed a few currents let them get used to them then use the line and hook i would catch half a dozen put them in a sack and would be away old gerry never ever twiged what i was doing but thats the way we lived in those days well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #655
we have been down the river today after the barbel. the river is not really fishing that well it really wants a good flush through most anglers i saw today were not doing that well. But we did manage to catch a few fish but not the barbel we went for. we got amongst the chub and some nice specimens to we ledgered halibut pellet and what i call chops i did really well and ended the day with a truly great fish going 6 - 2 0z a real good fish for the Severn a very deep belled fish and really in good nick so we did not blank but i think most other anglers who stopped for a chat did. i shall be going back for another go on Thursday maybe fish the shrews town stretch but getting down the river bank is really taking its toll on me as my legs are not that good still i really need two more ops a left hip and the right hip i have already had that done eight years ago but it has now given up the ghost and wants doing again im a walking disaster but i keep smiling theres worse than me as long as i have fishing and good friends i will manage. i was watching a buzzard today a lovely bird he was being mobbed by four crows they just would not leave him alone but after awhile he did manage to shake them off there seems to be more and more buzzards i think its the rabbit population that has helped as it is there main food. well thats all for today a little more latter
we have been down the river today after the barbel. the river is not really fishing that well it really wants a good flush through most anglers i saw today were not doing that well. But we did manage to catch a few fish but not the barbel we went for. we got amongst the chub and some nice specimens to we ledgered halibut pellet and what i call chops i did really well and ended the day with a truly great fish going 6 - 2 0z a real good fish for the Severn a very deep belled fish and really in good nick so we did not blank but i think most other anglers who stopped for a chat did. i shall be going back for another go on Thursday maybe fish the shrews town stretch but getting down the river bank is really taking its toll on me as my legs are not that good still i really need two more ops a left hip and the right hip i have already had that done eight years ago but it has now given up the ghost and wants doing again im a walking disaster but i keep smiling theres worse than me as long as i have fishing and good friends i will manage. i was watching a buzzard today a lovely bird he was being mobbed by four crows they just would not leave him alone but after awhile he did manage to shake them off there seems to be more and more buzzards i think its the rabbit population that has helped as it is there main food. well thats all for today a little more latter
In reply to Post #656
Another,,funny story from my younger days. I was always out and about and carried a catapult in my pocket. we as lads would put a target up and shoot at it. one particular day we found some little round tins like the flat ones that used to contain toothpaste we put them on the fence out side my mates house and started to shoot at them. i was quite a good shot in those days and i hit the one smack in the middle there was an almighty explosion it nearly knocked us over our ears were ringing it broke the house windows out came my mates next door neighbour she was quite a big women she practically fell through the door no ,clothes on only those old fashioned bloomers her hair was down her back she looked a really wild women all she could say was the wars over where the bomb from. we were a bit scared but we fell around laughing. Within minutes there were police every where at the time it was a Sgt Jones he came tearing down the road on his BSA bantam he was a very large man and looked like a tom tit on a round of beef and in his haste also came a cropper and fell of his bike by this time there was police cars every where the old westminsters if i remember right. Well we did get a telling off apparently these little tins were detonators and had been stolen from the railway they were used to warn trains if anything was wrong on the line and would slow them down we found thirty of these little tins thinking back i suppose we could have been killed but that's another of my child hood memories and some of the older generation people in there eights and nineties can still remember the day Pete blew the windows out of that house funny how people can remember after all these years all they say you were a rum un i was always in trouble like the day i chucked a fire work and it went through the window of this car it was a police car bang it went out came three coppers spluttering and coughing the car was full of smoke they tried to chase us but we got away the local Sgt came to my house but i got away with it once again i really was jack the lad and as i have said some can still remember it. well thats a bit more about my youth and what i got up to it may give you all a laught more latter
Another,,funny story from my younger days. I was always out and about and carried a catapult in my pocket. we as lads would put a target up and shoot at it. one particular day we found some little round tins like the flat ones that used to contain toothpaste we put them on the fence out side my mates house and started to shoot at them. i was quite a good shot in those days and i hit the one smack in the middle there was an almighty explosion it nearly knocked us over our ears were ringing it broke the house windows out came my mates next door neighbour she was quite a big women she practically fell through the door no ,clothes on only those old fashioned bloomers her hair was down her back she looked a really wild women all she could say was the wars over where the bomb from. we were a bit scared but we fell around laughing. Within minutes there were police every where at the time it was a Sgt Jones he came tearing down the road on his BSA bantam he was a very large man and looked like a tom tit on a round of beef and in his haste also came a cropper and fell of his bike by this time there was police cars every where the old westminsters if i remember right. Well we did get a telling off apparently these little tins were detonators and had been stolen from the railway they were used to warn trains if anything was wrong on the line and would slow them down we found thirty of these little tins thinking back i suppose we could have been killed but that's another of my child hood memories and some of the older generation people in there eights and nineties can still remember the day Pete blew the windows out of that house funny how people can remember after all these years all they say you were a rum un i was always in trouble like the day i chucked a fire work and it went through the window of this car it was a police car bang it went out came three coppers spluttering and coughing the car was full of smoke they tried to chase us but we got away the local Sgt came to my house but i got away with it once again i really was jack the lad and as i have said some can still remember it. well thats a bit more about my youth and what i got up to it may give you all a laught more latter
In reply to Post #656
Another,,funny story from my younger days. I was always out and about and carried a catapult in my pocket. we as lads would put a target up and shoot at it. one particular day we found some little round tins like the flat ones that used to contain toothpaste we put them on the fence out side my mates house and started to shoot at them. i was quite a good shot in those days and i hit the one smack in the middle there was an almighty explosion it nearly knocked us over our ears were ringing it broke the house windows out came my mates next door neighbour she was quite a big women she practically fell through the door no ,clothes on only those old fashioned bloomers her hair was down her back she looked a really wild women all she could say was the wars over where the bomb from. we were a bit scared but we fell around laughing. Within minutes there were police every where at the time it was a Sgt Jones he came tearing down the road on his BSA bantam he was a very large man and looked like a tom tit on a round of beef and in his haste also came a cropper and fell of his bike by this time there was police cars every where the old westminsters if i remember right. Well we did get a telling off apparently these little tins were detonators and had been stolen from the railway they were used to warn trains if anything was wrong on the line and would slow them down we found thirty of these little tins thinking back i suppose we could have been killed but that's another of my child hood memories and some of the older generation people in there eights and nineties can still remember the day Pete blew the windows out of that house funny how people can remember after all these years all they say you were a rum un i was always in trouble like the day i chucked a fire work and it went through the window of this car it was a police car bang it went out came three coppers spluttering and coughing the car was full of smoke they tried to chase us but we got away the local Sgt came to my house but i got away with it once again i really was jack the lad and as i have said some can still remember it. well thats a bit more about my youth and what i got up to it may give you all a laught more latter
Another,,funny story from my younger days. I was always out and about and carried a catapult in my pocket. we as lads would put a target up and shoot at it. one particular day we found some little round tins like the flat ones that used to contain toothpaste we put them on the fence out side my mates house and started to shoot at them. i was quite a good shot in those days and i hit the one smack in the middle there was an almighty explosion it nearly knocked us over our ears were ringing it broke the house windows out came my mates next door neighbour she was quite a big women she practically fell through the door no ,clothes on only those old fashioned bloomers her hair was down her back she looked a really wild women all she could say was the wars over where the bomb from. we were a bit scared but we fell around laughing. Within minutes there were police every where at the time it was a Sgt Jones he came tearing down the road on his BSA bantam he was a very large man and looked like a tom tit on a round of beef and in his haste also came a cropper and fell of his bike by this time there was police cars every where the old westminsters if i remember right. Well we did get a telling off apparently these little tins were detonators and had been stolen from the railway they were used to warn trains if anything was wrong on the line and would slow them down we found thirty of these little tins thinking back i suppose we could have been killed but that's another of my child hood memories and some of the older generation people in there eights and nineties can still remember the day Pete blew the windows out of that house funny how people can remember after all these years all they say you were a rum un i was always in trouble like the day i chucked a fire work and it went through the window of this car it was a police car bang it went out came three coppers spluttering and coughing the car was full of smoke they tried to chase us but we got away the local Sgt came to my house but i got away with it once again i really was jack the lad and as i have said some can still remember it. well thats a bit more about my youth and what i got up to it may give you all a laught more latter
In reply to Post #658
i was talking to a young chap the other day who said he was doing a bit of guesting on a local lake. I told him today it was not worth the effort when you can join a syndicate for a few quid and not hide away while you fish. It was different when i was young all the estates were strictly private mostly big shooting estates and there was no chance to fish the lakes the only way was to poach them. And i did with quite a lot of success but you were always on your toes frightened that you would be caught the best time was at night or the evening when the keeper would be at the local pub. methods in those days was mostly float fishing and some of the old estate lakes held some really big Rudd i would catch them to over three pounds in weight and nearly all were caught on bread flake from a big fresh loaf using a porcupine quill as a float and a size 8 hook if you could get hold of them. but today the same lakes do not produce those quality Rudd they have gone the Rudd are still there but much smaller fish stunted its a shame really how things change over the years. the one lake i poached for years had some really big roach and you would regularly catch them to 2 pounds plus i have caught half a dozen in an evening all over the magical two pounds once again all on the bread flake its a bait i rate even today it really catches the bigger fish but i see very few use it like when i was young . Bread paste was another bait that we did well with i would soak the bread then squeeze it out add flour until it was a nice contingence and would mold around the hook some times adding grated cheese or a spoon full of honey i have done very well on all these bread based baits catching chub roach and Rudd but this was way back in the late forties and early fifties. My mother used to have a big old tin full off currants and sultanas i would pinch a few well more than a few and i caught some really nice roach using them and a few pheasents as well lots of my neighbors kept racing pigeons in those days and i would scrounge a few pigeon peas boil them till just soft enough to get the hook through great for the roach i caught dozens using them and i did not see any one else using them at that time why i don't know well a bit more latter
i was talking to a young chap the other day who said he was doing a bit of guesting on a local lake. I told him today it was not worth the effort when you can join a syndicate for a few quid and not hide away while you fish. It was different when i was young all the estates were strictly private mostly big shooting estates and there was no chance to fish the lakes the only way was to poach them. And i did with quite a lot of success but you were always on your toes frightened that you would be caught the best time was at night or the evening when the keeper would be at the local pub. methods in those days was mostly float fishing and some of the old estate lakes held some really big Rudd i would catch them to over three pounds in weight and nearly all were caught on bread flake from a big fresh loaf using a porcupine quill as a float and a size 8 hook if you could get hold of them. but today the same lakes do not produce those quality Rudd they have gone the Rudd are still there but much smaller fish stunted its a shame really how things change over the years. the one lake i poached for years had some really big roach and you would regularly catch them to 2 pounds plus i have caught half a dozen in an evening all over the magical two pounds once again all on the bread flake its a bait i rate even today it really catches the bigger fish but i see very few use it like when i was young . Bread paste was another bait that we did well with i would soak the bread then squeeze it out add flour until it was a nice contingence and would mold around the hook some times adding grated cheese or a spoon full of honey i have done very well on all these bread based baits catching chub roach and Rudd but this was way back in the late forties and early fifties. My mother used to have a big old tin full off currants and sultanas i would pinch a few well more than a few and i caught some really nice roach using them and a few pheasents as well lots of my neighbors kept racing pigeons in those days and i would scrounge a few pigeon peas boil them till just soft enough to get the hook through great for the roach i caught dozens using them and i did not see any one else using them at that time why i don't know well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #659
Well then year is slipping away fast. The farmers are getting the harvest in already i cant believe how fast the year has gone I went up to the woods last night and met some of the syndicate plenty for them to do last night they were putting legs on our feed bins and springs in the bottom of the bins so the pheasant can peck at the springs and make the grain flow good job done by all. As i came up the road towards the shoot and lakes i had an encounter with one of our smallest falcons on the road in front of the car was a hobby i think it had killed a sparrow i tried to get the camera and take a photo but it was away a bit to quick for me we followed it up the lane and it just flew above the hedge row . It really made my night a pretty little bird with its white throat and speckled breast we don't see them very much in Shropshire although i have seen one here before they are seem to be more down norfolk. i went to have a look at Bomere only one chap fishing although its spring fed its at the lowest level i have ever seen it in my life time. Shomere looked really great with all the lilies and i saw quite a number of dragon flies in different colours the blues the greens browns and the reds and a few damsels as far as dragon flies there are some real rare species on this little pool. the hazel trees are loaded with nuts they will be ready to pick latter this month if the squirrels don't beat us to it. We really could do with some rain the ground is so hard the and the lakes and rivers are so low the barbel fishing is real crap the only way you seem to be able to pick a decent fish up is to fish into the dark and then its really a hit and miss situation. most of the anglers fishing for the carp are really struggling the lakes are really short of water i, know it has really effected grahams and my catch rate and others as well. the hot weather does seem to have helped to produce some mega fruit apples plums and such and the wild life seem to have had a real good breeding season. In my part of the world there are huge flocks of pigeon the likes i have not seen for years the farmers will be asking for them to be shot as the damage they can do is very great. i have seen some very big skeens of grey lags and canadas so they must of had a good breeding year the lake i fish have had some really big broods of youngsters mostely grey lags but very nice to see there is also a couple of snow geese on there with them lovely little geese hope they dont get shot by the local shoot. well im off barbel fishing tomorrow evening so ill let you know how we fair little bit more latter
Well then year is slipping away fast. The farmers are getting the harvest in already i cant believe how fast the year has gone I went up to the woods last night and met some of the syndicate plenty for them to do last night they were putting legs on our feed bins and springs in the bottom of the bins so the pheasant can peck at the springs and make the grain flow good job done by all. As i came up the road towards the shoot and lakes i had an encounter with one of our smallest falcons on the road in front of the car was a hobby i think it had killed a sparrow i tried to get the camera and take a photo but it was away a bit to quick for me we followed it up the lane and it just flew above the hedge row . It really made my night a pretty little bird with its white throat and speckled breast we don't see them very much in Shropshire although i have seen one here before they are seem to be more down norfolk. i went to have a look at Bomere only one chap fishing although its spring fed its at the lowest level i have ever seen it in my life time. Shomere looked really great with all the lilies and i saw quite a number of dragon flies in different colours the blues the greens browns and the reds and a few damsels as far as dragon flies there are some real rare species on this little pool. the hazel trees are loaded with nuts they will be ready to pick latter this month if the squirrels don't beat us to it. We really could do with some rain the ground is so hard the and the lakes and rivers are so low the barbel fishing is real crap the only way you seem to be able to pick a decent fish up is to fish into the dark and then its really a hit and miss situation. most of the anglers fishing for the carp are really struggling the lakes are really short of water i, know it has really effected grahams and my catch rate and others as well. the hot weather does seem to have helped to produce some mega fruit apples plums and such and the wild life seem to have had a real good breeding season. In my part of the world there are huge flocks of pigeon the likes i have not seen for years the farmers will be asking for them to be shot as the damage they can do is very great. i have seen some very big skeens of grey lags and canadas so they must of had a good breeding year the lake i fish have had some really big broods of youngsters mostely grey lags but very nice to see there is also a couple of snow geese on there with them lovely little geese hope they dont get shot by the local shoot. well im off barbel fishing tomorrow evening so ill let you know how we fair little bit more latter
In reply to Post #660
when i was a youngster and when i had a young family i poached the streams and woods to live. one particular estate had a large lake and the owner stocked it full with trout i used to watch the gentry fly fish the place and they never knew was there. i was determined to have some of those trout away and gave it quite a lot of thought how i was going to do it as it was quite heavily keeper ed. we needed the fish for food i would not take to many just enough for the family. I would leave home in the early hours one or two in the morning taking a rod and reel loaded with six pounds line i would use a size eight hook with two or three little red worms at arriving on the lake i would cast out cut the line and peg it down then cover it with earth marking every spot by bending a twig or leaving a marker only i would know. i would be back the following night and really caught some good fish trout up to round three pounds and i was never discovered but i became to greedy and the owners must of realized his stock was disappearing. On this one night i set out and on arriving at the lake started to pull my lines in when there was a shout somewhere behind me it was the keeper well not one but two or three it was a very black night the police were present as they blew there whisle. i was away i can tell you up through the woods i went i could hear the sound of dogs behind me i really thought i was going to be caught. I ran down into this valley and found a small stream it was only about a foot deep still in the woods i ran through this water for what seemed forever and i could still hear them shouting far behind me in the woods. well the stream eventually ran into this brook i was in the book further down was an old road bridge i managed to get under the bridge and there i stayed for quite some time and waited and waited and i must admit i was shivering more than a bit. I eventually got onto the road and got my bearings i was about four miles from my home i cut across the fields and eventually made it home i was exhausted but i got a real thrill out of the chase it was all in the local paper how poachers had cleared the trout from this local estate this made me chuckle as it was only me. when mother died last year i found that piece in the paper about the poaching she had kept it all those years i never did fish that lake again not for many years but have had many laughs over it since especially when fishing it for the carp it now has in it. well that's a bit more about my younger days and its all true we poached to survive it was a necessity this was another story i had forgotten about there is a few more yet that will come to mind i am sure but it was my life and this is how myself and my family lived well a bit more latter
when i was a youngster and when i had a young family i poached the streams and woods to live. one particular estate had a large lake and the owner stocked it full with trout i used to watch the gentry fly fish the place and they never knew was there. i was determined to have some of those trout away and gave it quite a lot of thought how i was going to do it as it was quite heavily keeper ed. we needed the fish for food i would not take to many just enough for the family. I would leave home in the early hours one or two in the morning taking a rod and reel loaded with six pounds line i would use a size eight hook with two or three little red worms at arriving on the lake i would cast out cut the line and peg it down then cover it with earth marking every spot by bending a twig or leaving a marker only i would know. i would be back the following night and really caught some good fish trout up to round three pounds and i was never discovered but i became to greedy and the owners must of realized his stock was disappearing. On this one night i set out and on arriving at the lake started to pull my lines in when there was a shout somewhere behind me it was the keeper well not one but two or three it was a very black night the police were present as they blew there whisle. i was away i can tell you up through the woods i went i could hear the sound of dogs behind me i really thought i was going to be caught. I ran down into this valley and found a small stream it was only about a foot deep still in the woods i ran through this water for what seemed forever and i could still hear them shouting far behind me in the woods. well the stream eventually ran into this brook i was in the book further down was an old road bridge i managed to get under the bridge and there i stayed for quite some time and waited and waited and i must admit i was shivering more than a bit. I eventually got onto the road and got my bearings i was about four miles from my home i cut across the fields and eventually made it home i was exhausted but i got a real thrill out of the chase it was all in the local paper how poachers had cleared the trout from this local estate this made me chuckle as it was only me. when mother died last year i found that piece in the paper about the poaching she had kept it all those years i never did fish that lake again not for many years but have had many laughs over it since especially when fishing it for the carp it now has in it. well that's a bit more about my younger days and its all true we poached to survive it was a necessity this was another story i had forgotten about there is a few more yet that will come to mind i am sure but it was my life and this is how myself and my family lived well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #661
I Was talking to a friend the other day about our child hood and i said to him the most evocative memory of my child hood in Shropshire was the freedom to wander fishing, swimming in the brook, searching for wild flowers, birds nesting, my life was spent in the fresh air and it was without care, and without fear, but you were kept an eye and any misbehavior could result in a visit from the local bobby who would soon give you a clip behind the ear or a kick up the bum and would also tell your father and you may get another from him but i came from a very loving family and that rarely happened. i spent all my spare time when i was younger fishing, or birds nesting, i had a marvelous collection of eggs. you would go out in the morning and your parents would not see you again till the evening they trusted you and knew you would come to no harm. I soon learned the ways of the country side i used to love the harvest time as they cut the corn the rabbits ran out us young lads used to chase them we all had sticks, and would give the rabbit a good clout every one you killed you would put a notch on your stick. If you were lucky you would be given a couple at the end of the day. the farmer would keep the rest and sell them at market which would help his income as it was very hard in those days. Not me as i have said before i would hide a few in the hedge or ditch and collect them latter that evening it kept us in meat and our neighbors for most of the week. I would be off down the brook i would tie a spoon to a long stick and get the moorhens eggs and take them home to mother nothing was wasted It was a time of poverty low wages but most people in the war years and after kept a pig pig killing day was a great day not for the pig thought he would have his throat cut, you would be up early that day and would help to heat the water as soon as the pig was killed his liver was taken out i had to take it on a tray to the neighbors. we would have big blocks of salt which was used to cure the bacon hams they would then hang on hooks in the house to cure The hams would go black over a time mainly caused by the fire in the grate. i soon learned the art of poaching and had become quite a good shot with the catapult it was easy to shoot a couple of rabbits or a couple of pheasants, The estates and woods were full of pheasants reared for the gentry to shoot i would go and watch on a shoot day and stay out of sight i have had many of laughs watching the keeper looking for a pheasant that had been shot he would never find it as i had already got it i suppose it was stealing i had loads like that but they never really missed them as they shot hundreds in those days. But it helped us to live and our neighbors. well that's a bit more about my child hood and how we lived more latter
I Was talking to a friend the other day about our child hood and i said to him the most evocative memory of my child hood in Shropshire was the freedom to wander fishing, swimming in the brook, searching for wild flowers, birds nesting, my life was spent in the fresh air and it was without care, and without fear, but you were kept an eye and any misbehavior could result in a visit from the local bobby who would soon give you a clip behind the ear or a kick up the bum and would also tell your father and you may get another from him but i came from a very loving family and that rarely happened. i spent all my spare time when i was younger fishing, or birds nesting, i had a marvelous collection of eggs. you would go out in the morning and your parents would not see you again till the evening they trusted you and knew you would come to no harm. I soon learned the ways of the country side i used to love the harvest time as they cut the corn the rabbits ran out us young lads used to chase them we all had sticks, and would give the rabbit a good clout every one you killed you would put a notch on your stick. If you were lucky you would be given a couple at the end of the day. the farmer would keep the rest and sell them at market which would help his income as it was very hard in those days. Not me as i have said before i would hide a few in the hedge or ditch and collect them latter that evening it kept us in meat and our neighbors for most of the week. I would be off down the brook i would tie a spoon to a long stick and get the moorhens eggs and take them home to mother nothing was wasted It was a time of poverty low wages but most people in the war years and after kept a pig pig killing day was a great day not for the pig thought he would have his throat cut, you would be up early that day and would help to heat the water as soon as the pig was killed his liver was taken out i had to take it on a tray to the neighbors. we would have big blocks of salt which was used to cure the bacon hams they would then hang on hooks in the house to cure The hams would go black over a time mainly caused by the fire in the grate. i soon learned the art of poaching and had become quite a good shot with the catapult it was easy to shoot a couple of rabbits or a couple of pheasants, The estates and woods were full of pheasants reared for the gentry to shoot i would go and watch on a shoot day and stay out of sight i have had many of laughs watching the keeper looking for a pheasant that had been shot he would never find it as i had already got it i suppose it was stealing i had loads like that but they never really missed them as they shot hundreds in those days. But it helped us to live and our neighbors. well that's a bit more about my child hood and how we lived more latter
In reply to Post #662
When i poached i was always on the look out for the keeper or water bailiff. When out at night it was always a lonely vigil i did not like company i was responsible for my self and no one else. you soon got used to the night noises the dog fox calling his mate and the vixen answering with a shriek which can freeze the blood of some that are not used to the countryside. the whistle of the otter is another noise but one of the nicest noises i have heard and that was at Ellesmere while fishing was a nightingale it sang all night, Two hedge hogs fighting you could really compare it to some one fatally wounded and dying it can be a bit off putting. I really liked the woods and hedge rows and at certain times of the year you could really learn a lot about the wild life that lived there the different tracks that the animals and birds make in the snow but not really the time to be out poaching as you leave your tracks and the keeper knows you have been about. some things i soon learned was if you found a dead rabbit with a small puncture mark in its neck it indicates that it was done by a stoat, i always listened for warning sounds from other birds or animals the blackbird striking usually tells you that there is about a fox or a feathered foe about. I am sure the keeper had better sight than the average man especially at night as he was used to working in the dark. i don't think it is as bad today as it was when i was young if caught poaching when i was young you really went through the mill it was a very serious offence i was very lucky and never did get caught but i did get chased on a good many occasions but i knew the woods the, lanes, and ditches, and got away with it old sgt landers knew it was me but could never prove it so i have some happy memories from all those years ago i could not do it now because of my health i cant run and game pheasants and such are now two a penny you can buy it from the local super markets. well that's it for now more latter. i have been asked if i am writing a book i suppose i am about the fishing and my early life and how we survived it is being looked at by friends on this forum if it comes to anything the first copy will be donated to this forum thanks for reading my ramblings Pete
When i poached i was always on the look out for the keeper or water bailiff. When out at night it was always a lonely vigil i did not like company i was responsible for my self and no one else. you soon got used to the night noises the dog fox calling his mate and the vixen answering with a shriek which can freeze the blood of some that are not used to the countryside. the whistle of the otter is another noise but one of the nicest noises i have heard and that was at Ellesmere while fishing was a nightingale it sang all night, Two hedge hogs fighting you could really compare it to some one fatally wounded and dying it can be a bit off putting. I really liked the woods and hedge rows and at certain times of the year you could really learn a lot about the wild life that lived there the different tracks that the animals and birds make in the snow but not really the time to be out poaching as you leave your tracks and the keeper knows you have been about. some things i soon learned was if you found a dead rabbit with a small puncture mark in its neck it indicates that it was done by a stoat, i always listened for warning sounds from other birds or animals the blackbird striking usually tells you that there is about a fox or a feathered foe about. I am sure the keeper had better sight than the average man especially at night as he was used to working in the dark. i don't think it is as bad today as it was when i was young if caught poaching when i was young you really went through the mill it was a very serious offence i was very lucky and never did get caught but i did get chased on a good many occasions but i knew the woods the, lanes, and ditches, and got away with it old sgt landers knew it was me but could never prove it so i have some happy memories from all those years ago i could not do it now because of my health i cant run and game pheasants and such are now two a penny you can buy it from the local super markets. well that's it for now more latter. i have been asked if i am writing a book i suppose i am about the fishing and my early life and how we survived it is being looked at by friends on this forum if it comes to anything the first copy will be donated to this forum thanks for reading my ramblings Pete
In reply to Post #663
I was reminiscing about my early days carp fishing with a good friend. i suppose i started carp fishing at at very early age i think i was no more than 10- or 12 years old i would go and watch the anglers on a couple of pools, not far from my house, they never really caught that much but after watching the carp in the weed beds i decided i was going to catch some of those fish. there was a lake about four miles from my home it was strictly private and full of carp. So i poached this lovely old estate lake. My tackle was very limited as i have mentioned before the old tank aerial rods some old wooden reels big old black eel hooks and silk line the nylon line had arrived on the market but living where i did you could not acquire it. i always remember the first carp from that old lake i would strap my rods to the cross bar of my bike small bag on my back and i would be away i would hide my bike in the undergrowth and push my way through the tangle of bushes till i reached the waters edge. i would use bread flake under a peacock quill and i was quite successful but i caught no carp only big Rudd and roach but the Rudd were monsters going two pounds or more. the lake had been neglected and was mainly used for duck shooting in the winter by the gentry it was also heavily keeper so i was always on the alert and ready to run if i was spotted. i watched those carp in the weed beds they looked massive to a young lad like myself and it was only by accident that i realized they liked floating bread. i had been feeding the ducks when there was an almighty splash and the bread had gone. so it was on with a piece of crust pulling coils of my reel i gave it the big heave ho and away into the weed bed it went i missed so many takes the first time i used this method they would suck it in and away to go i would strike but felt nothing. But after a time i did manage to connect the first fish i had from there was around eight pounds i had no landing net and had to wade into the water i got it onto the bank what a fish to me it was huge. my father came and took some photos with one of the old fashion cameras i had so many carp from that lake loads around 4 pounds but the biggest weighted over ten pounds a big fish for those years but being a youngster you don't realize the significance of a fish of that size they were all commons ,and in really good nick i fished that lake for years and never got caught. i, also had a few duck from there i would wait for the gentry to shoot and would mark the birds down pick them before they even got the dogs hunting for them. i would usually take around four and would be away it was a nice change from rabbit and such i would give a couple to the neighbors they would be over the moon as meat was quite expensive and most did not earn the money . well that's a bit more about my life more latter
I was reminiscing about my early days carp fishing with a good friend. i suppose i started carp fishing at at very early age i think i was no more than 10- or 12 years old i would go and watch the anglers on a couple of pools, not far from my house, they never really caught that much but after watching the carp in the weed beds i decided i was going to catch some of those fish. there was a lake about four miles from my home it was strictly private and full of carp. So i poached this lovely old estate lake. My tackle was very limited as i have mentioned before the old tank aerial rods some old wooden reels big old black eel hooks and silk line the nylon line had arrived on the market but living where i did you could not acquire it. i always remember the first carp from that old lake i would strap my rods to the cross bar of my bike small bag on my back and i would be away i would hide my bike in the undergrowth and push my way through the tangle of bushes till i reached the waters edge. i would use bread flake under a peacock quill and i was quite successful but i caught no carp only big Rudd and roach but the Rudd were monsters going two pounds or more. the lake had been neglected and was mainly used for duck shooting in the winter by the gentry it was also heavily keeper so i was always on the alert and ready to run if i was spotted. i watched those carp in the weed beds they looked massive to a young lad like myself and it was only by accident that i realized they liked floating bread. i had been feeding the ducks when there was an almighty splash and the bread had gone. so it was on with a piece of crust pulling coils of my reel i gave it the big heave ho and away into the weed bed it went i missed so many takes the first time i used this method they would suck it in and away to go i would strike but felt nothing. But after a time i did manage to connect the first fish i had from there was around eight pounds i had no landing net and had to wade into the water i got it onto the bank what a fish to me it was huge. my father came and took some photos with one of the old fashion cameras i had so many carp from that lake loads around 4 pounds but the biggest weighted over ten pounds a big fish for those years but being a youngster you don't realize the significance of a fish of that size they were all commons ,and in really good nick i fished that lake for years and never got caught. i, also had a few duck from there i would wait for the gentry to shoot and would mark the birds down pick them before they even got the dogs hunting for them. i would usually take around four and would be away it was a nice change from rabbit and such i would give a couple to the neighbors they would be over the moon as meat was quite expensive and most did not earn the money . well that's a bit more about my life more latter
In reply to Post #663
I was reminiscing about my early days carp fishing with a good friend. i suppose i started carp fishing at at very early age i think i was no more than 10- or 12 years old i would go and watch the anglers on a couple of pools, not far from my house, they never really caught that much but after watching the carp in the weed beds i decided i was going to catch some of those fish. there was a lake about four miles from my home it was strictly private and full of carp. So i poached this lovely old estate lake. My tackle was very limited as i have mentioned before the old tank aerial rods some old wooden reels big old black eel hooks and silk line the nylon line had arrived on the market but living where i did you could not acquire it. i always remember the first carp from that old lake i would strap my rods to the cross bar of my bike small bag on my back and i would be away i would hide my bike in the undergrowth and push my way through the tangle of bushes till i reached the waters edge. i would use bread flake under a peacock quill and i was quite successful but i caught no carp only big Rudd and roach but the Rudd were monsters going two pounds or more. the lake had been neglected and was mainly used for duck shooting in the winter by the gentry it was also heavily keeper so i was always on the alert and ready to run if i was spotted. i watched those carp in the weed beds they looked massive to a young lad like myself and it was only by accident that i realized they liked floating bread. i had been feeding the ducks when there was an almighty splash and the bread had gone. so it was on with a piece of crust pulling coils of my reel i gave it the big heave ho and away into the weed bed it went i missed so many takes the first time i used this method they would suck it in and away to go i would strike but felt nothing. But after a time i did manage to connect the first fish i had from there was around eight pounds i had no landing net and had to wade into the water i got it onto the bank what a fish to me it was huge. my father came and took some photos with one of the old fashion cameras i had so many carp from that lake loads around 4 pounds but the biggest weighted over ten pounds a big fish for those years but being a youngster you don't realize the significance of a fish of that size they were all commons ,and in really good nick i fished that lake for years and never got caught. i, also had a few duck from there i would wait for the gentry to shoot and would mark the birds down pick them before they even got the dogs hunting for them. i would usually take around four and would be away it was a nice change from rabbit and such i would give a couple to the neighbors they would be over the moon as meat was quite expensive and most did not earn the money . well that's a bit more about my life more latter
I was reminiscing about my early days carp fishing with a good friend. i suppose i started carp fishing at at very early age i think i was no more than 10- or 12 years old i would go and watch the anglers on a couple of pools, not far from my house, they never really caught that much but after watching the carp in the weed beds i decided i was going to catch some of those fish. there was a lake about four miles from my home it was strictly private and full of carp. So i poached this lovely old estate lake. My tackle was very limited as i have mentioned before the old tank aerial rods some old wooden reels big old black eel hooks and silk line the nylon line had arrived on the market but living where i did you could not acquire it. i always remember the first carp from that old lake i would strap my rods to the cross bar of my bike small bag on my back and i would be away i would hide my bike in the undergrowth and push my way through the tangle of bushes till i reached the waters edge. i would use bread flake under a peacock quill and i was quite successful but i caught no carp only big Rudd and roach but the Rudd were monsters going two pounds or more. the lake had been neglected and was mainly used for duck shooting in the winter by the gentry it was also heavily keeper so i was always on the alert and ready to run if i was spotted. i watched those carp in the weed beds they looked massive to a young lad like myself and it was only by accident that i realized they liked floating bread. i had been feeding the ducks when there was an almighty splash and the bread had gone. so it was on with a piece of crust pulling coils of my reel i gave it the big heave ho and away into the weed bed it went i missed so many takes the first time i used this method they would suck it in and away to go i would strike but felt nothing. But after a time i did manage to connect the first fish i had from there was around eight pounds i had no landing net and had to wade into the water i got it onto the bank what a fish to me it was huge. my father came and took some photos with one of the old fashion cameras i had so many carp from that lake loads around 4 pounds but the biggest weighted over ten pounds a big fish for those years but being a youngster you don't realize the significance of a fish of that size they were all commons ,and in really good nick i fished that lake for years and never got caught. i, also had a few duck from there i would wait for the gentry to shoot and would mark the birds down pick them before they even got the dogs hunting for them. i would usually take around four and would be away it was a nice change from rabbit and such i would give a couple to the neighbors they would be over the moon as meat was quite expensive and most did not earn the money . well that's a bit more about my life more latter