In reply to Post #665
Well i went barbel fishing yesterday down the avenue in shrews bury what a disaster there was about ten anglers when i got there no one had caught the river was so clear no colour at all its really a waste of time fishing it until we have some rain. To cut a story short i tripped and fell over landing on my belly and catching my head in the gravel it really shook me up i found it difficult to get up and it was a good job my mate graham was with me or i may of been lying there for some time before some one spotted me. when i eventually got home i was in a right state could hardly walk and today has been murder i have been hurting all over it really has stirred my arthritis up and i suspect it will take a few days to get over it. But i will still plod on i just can not leave my fishing alone it will be a sad day when i have to hang my rods up but that's the trouble with old age the mind is willing but the body's not. i can not believe the amount of streamer weed in the river its in places i have never seen it before i don't think i have seen the river so low for many years. The lakes are the same all very short of water i have been talking to a few friends who fish for the carp and they all seem to be struggling. i am an all rounder fish for carp to anything that is catch-able but this year i am really not doing the business and i really hope it improves in the autumn. as i have said we really need the rain. When i was young i would spend all my time on the bank side i would love to trot down for the roach or the dace using Castor or maggot but those big roach don't seem to be there in quantities like they used to be you could catch a dace a chuck they even seem to be in short supply also. where they have gone is any ones guess maybe polution or weather change i really dont know but the river is certainly not what it was when i was younger gone are the days of big bags of dace and roach you still catch them but not in great numbers . well thats it for now more latter
Well i went barbel fishing yesterday down the avenue in shrews bury what a disaster there was about ten anglers when i got there no one had caught the river was so clear no colour at all its really a waste of time fishing it until we have some rain. To cut a story short i tripped and fell over landing on my belly and catching my head in the gravel it really shook me up i found it difficult to get up and it was a good job my mate graham was with me or i may of been lying there for some time before some one spotted me. when i eventually got home i was in a right state could hardly walk and today has been murder i have been hurting all over it really has stirred my arthritis up and i suspect it will take a few days to get over it. But i will still plod on i just can not leave my fishing alone it will be a sad day when i have to hang my rods up but that's the trouble with old age the mind is willing but the body's not. i can not believe the amount of streamer weed in the river its in places i have never seen it before i don't think i have seen the river so low for many years. The lakes are the same all very short of water i have been talking to a few friends who fish for the carp and they all seem to be struggling. i am an all rounder fish for carp to anything that is catch-able but this year i am really not doing the business and i really hope it improves in the autumn. as i have said we really need the rain. When i was young i would spend all my time on the bank side i would love to trot down for the roach or the dace using Castor or maggot but those big roach don't seem to be there in quantities like they used to be you could catch a dace a chuck they even seem to be in short supply also. where they have gone is any ones guess maybe polution or weather change i really dont know but the river is certainly not what it was when i was younger gone are the days of big bags of dace and roach you still catch them but not in great numbers . well thats it for now more latter
In reply to Post #666
I think its a real shame the younger generation know nothing about our heritage the likes of walker, Hilton, Pete Thomas, Fred j . and many more some one asked me the other day who dick walker was i was amazed he had no knowledge of the said anglers. Maybe its because am getting old and living in the past. .But i do no one thing the youngsters of today have got it easy and that's not knocking any one. If you have the money you can by the very best of tackle and be an instant angler over night this does not apply to every youngster as there are some good anglers out there. Come on you oldies there a few out there we had nothing we learned the hard way we learned water craft made our own tackle but it was enjoyable all part of the excitement would this work or would it not altering it till it did. They were hard times but good We watched the lake for weeks before the season started watching for some movement or rolling fish finding patrol routes going out in a boat checking the depth most of this was done at first light you would over a period of time build a picture up it would all be put on paper also another point worth a mention was which way the prevailing wind blew by the time the season started we would have a fair idea where the fish were it was all part of the magic of fishing. maybe there is no place for water craft today as some learn by watching others fish. I personally think it a real shame as in my day you would not have caught without it and it was all part of the fun of fishing . there are some great oldies on here great carp anglers. i will ask a question to you all are we to old for the younger generation do they care how we started or interested i fear they do not a shame really. as you and the likes of walker and co are the real pioners of our great hobby. well a bit more latter
I think its a real shame the younger generation know nothing about our heritage the likes of walker, Hilton, Pete Thomas, Fred j . and many more some one asked me the other day who dick walker was i was amazed he had no knowledge of the said anglers. Maybe its because am getting old and living in the past. .But i do no one thing the youngsters of today have got it easy and that's not knocking any one. If you have the money you can by the very best of tackle and be an instant angler over night this does not apply to every youngster as there are some good anglers out there. Come on you oldies there a few out there we had nothing we learned the hard way we learned water craft made our own tackle but it was enjoyable all part of the excitement would this work or would it not altering it till it did. They were hard times but good We watched the lake for weeks before the season started watching for some movement or rolling fish finding patrol routes going out in a boat checking the depth most of this was done at first light you would over a period of time build a picture up it would all be put on paper also another point worth a mention was which way the prevailing wind blew by the time the season started we would have a fair idea where the fish were it was all part of the magic of fishing. maybe there is no place for water craft today as some learn by watching others fish. I personally think it a real shame as in my day you would not have caught without it and it was all part of the fun of fishing . there are some great oldies on here great carp anglers. i will ask a question to you all are we to old for the younger generation do they care how we started or interested i fear they do not a shame really. as you and the likes of walker and co are the real pioners of our great hobby. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #667
i suppose i have been really lucky in life i had freedom to roam the country side was my oyster. there was so much to see. I learned most of my fishing on the river Rea, the onny, and the severn,. In the beginning i fished for the pot it was a necessity we did it to survive it was the late forties i would catch the wild brown trout. another fish that was excellent for eating was the perch i would float fish a minnow under the falls at halford and would catch some real nice fish i would take them home and mother would prepare and cook them they were really nice. i think most people those days would eat most fish. one fish that i found easy to catch was the eel i would put night lines in the river onny baited with big bunches of worms you would always catch one or two with the odd trout or gray ling chucked in. i would stand and watch the neighbors strip the skin off the eel cut up into steaks then batter and fry it was lovely eating i caught hundreds using night lines. the rivers were heavily keepers in those days and if you were caught it was a very serous offence and most ended up in court or if using rod and line it would be confiscated i soon learned i found the best time to be out was arround about 4 in the morning as the baliff would be still in bed or late evening as the baliff and keepers would be at the pub it was a great life. i was only a youngster when as i have mentioned before i met old sam the keeper he taught me many things how to read the tracks of the different animals and the different warning noises the birds would make if someone was in the woods or a predetor was about. He also liked a bit of poaching him self and was not past catching a trout or two and at times took me with him they say a poacher makes a good keeper and i think that statment is right it takes one to catch one. so i had a really happy child hood poaching the streams and estates in my county of shropshire. i would play trunt from school just to fish i lived and breathed fishing it was my life ,which i have met many freinds and a few really old charictors but most are now gone and i am now the oldie who now has all the memories from all those years ago more latter
i suppose i have been really lucky in life i had freedom to roam the country side was my oyster. there was so much to see. I learned most of my fishing on the river Rea, the onny, and the severn,. In the beginning i fished for the pot it was a necessity we did it to survive it was the late forties i would catch the wild brown trout. another fish that was excellent for eating was the perch i would float fish a minnow under the falls at halford and would catch some real nice fish i would take them home and mother would prepare and cook them they were really nice. i think most people those days would eat most fish. one fish that i found easy to catch was the eel i would put night lines in the river onny baited with big bunches of worms you would always catch one or two with the odd trout or gray ling chucked in. i would stand and watch the neighbors strip the skin off the eel cut up into steaks then batter and fry it was lovely eating i caught hundreds using night lines. the rivers were heavily keepers in those days and if you were caught it was a very serous offence and most ended up in court or if using rod and line it would be confiscated i soon learned i found the best time to be out was arround about 4 in the morning as the baliff would be still in bed or late evening as the baliff and keepers would be at the pub it was a great life. i was only a youngster when as i have mentioned before i met old sam the keeper he taught me many things how to read the tracks of the different animals and the different warning noises the birds would make if someone was in the woods or a predetor was about. He also liked a bit of poaching him self and was not past catching a trout or two and at times took me with him they say a poacher makes a good keeper and i think that statment is right it takes one to catch one. so i had a really happy child hood poaching the streams and estates in my county of shropshire. i would play trunt from school just to fish i lived and breathed fishing it was my life ,which i have met many freinds and a few really old charictors but most are now gone and i am now the oldie who now has all the memories from all those years ago more latter
In reply to Post #669
Over the years i have heard many people bragging about the poaching they have done shooting the odd hair and the odd pheasant., and i have thought you should have been out with me a few times on a cold windy winters night with only an old rim fire 2-2 rifle and torch fixed to the barrel i have poached some estates and shot the pheasants out of the trees right out side the hall they have had all the lights on and have been having a real old knees up in side. Usually i would wait until the party had finished and the farmer had gone to his bed. some times i would shake like a leaf the pure excitement of it all your heart would pump as you dropped a few of his precious pheasants on his front lawn i would have seven or eight and i would be away putting them in an old sack and away home i would go. Some of those nights were cold and i would really shiver but it was a necessity i suppose i was around eighteen or nineteen then but we needed the game for food and also make a bob or two as i had a young wife and child to keep. I have had locals say was i scarred yes i suppose i was but i loved every minute of it. and as i have said before i was jack the lad and would always leave my calling card and leave a brace tied to the gate for the farmer or keeper it was a way of saying thank you i have had your birds. It was the same with my fishing i would be out and about at night when the old keeper would be away in his bed. i always went out alone you always used common sense i liked the wind in my face i learned the signs of the woods i suppose you could call it wood craft the call of the birds and distinguish the different sounds. The woods are full of different sounds at night and can be quite frightening to people that don't know the ways of the country side. when fishing i would trot a worm or spin a minnow and would mostly catch trout around the pound but they were great eating and i had no trouble getting rid of them what i did not give away i sold i was never short of a bob or two for a pint i loved the pub i learned so much the beer would loose the tongues off even the most hardened keeper and it was surprising what you could pick up i used to say, hear all and say nowt. well that's a bit more about my early life more to come latter
Over the years i have heard many people bragging about the poaching they have done shooting the odd hair and the odd pheasant., and i have thought you should have been out with me a few times on a cold windy winters night with only an old rim fire 2-2 rifle and torch fixed to the barrel i have poached some estates and shot the pheasants out of the trees right out side the hall they have had all the lights on and have been having a real old knees up in side. Usually i would wait until the party had finished and the farmer had gone to his bed. some times i would shake like a leaf the pure excitement of it all your heart would pump as you dropped a few of his precious pheasants on his front lawn i would have seven or eight and i would be away putting them in an old sack and away home i would go. Some of those nights were cold and i would really shiver but it was a necessity i suppose i was around eighteen or nineteen then but we needed the game for food and also make a bob or two as i had a young wife and child to keep. I have had locals say was i scarred yes i suppose i was but i loved every minute of it. and as i have said before i was jack the lad and would always leave my calling card and leave a brace tied to the gate for the farmer or keeper it was a way of saying thank you i have had your birds. It was the same with my fishing i would be out and about at night when the old keeper would be away in his bed. i always went out alone you always used common sense i liked the wind in my face i learned the signs of the woods i suppose you could call it wood craft the call of the birds and distinguish the different sounds. The woods are full of different sounds at night and can be quite frightening to people that don't know the ways of the country side. when fishing i would trot a worm or spin a minnow and would mostly catch trout around the pound but they were great eating and i had no trouble getting rid of them what i did not give away i sold i was never short of a bob or two for a pint i loved the pub i learned so much the beer would loose the tongues off even the most hardened keeper and it was surprising what you could pick up i used to say, hear all and say nowt. well that's a bit more about my early life more to come latter
In reply to Post #670
The desire to catch fish really used to over power me. i would go to work and all i could think about was fishing it was like a drug it consumed every waking hour if i was not fishing i was making tackle or planning our next session mainly after the big bream. i would normally fish a Friday till a Sunday but i have been known to go straight to work from a session i would be absolutely buggered tired out. Because in those days you did not sleep much you had to stay awake and watch your indicators which in the middle late sixties was a piece of bread squeezed on your line between reel and but ring the doe bobbin i made myself a light from a small battery with a red reflector that would just show any movement that the bobbin gave. on a windy night you could have a few problems the bobbin would rise because of the wind or under tow. but we managed and enjoyed our fishing. Before dick gave me some bite alarms the old herons the doe bobbin was the only method i used to use i did try silver paper. but prefer the bobbins we caught loads of big bream using this method big for those years 7- 8 pounds i also used it for the roach with a lot of success we mainly sat up in an old garden chair all night. some times in the day you may catch up with your sleep for a couple of hours we would take a hessian sack with us and a piece of canvas wrap your self in a blanket inside the sack a piece of canvas under neath and over the top of yourself not very comfortable but you managed to get a couple of hours. i don't think many anglers would do that today it was pure dedication. graham and myself had bream fever we could not leave it alone its a wander our wives did not divorce us as we would be out at every opportunity and had become quite well known for our big fish exploits but we did not have the time or opportunity to do what some anglers have done today and made a living out of it. the lack of money was another thing that held us back you needed money to travel fuel food tackle and such it all mounted up the wages in those days was not that much and when you had a wife and family to keep they came first. ill tell you a bit more latter
The desire to catch fish really used to over power me. i would go to work and all i could think about was fishing it was like a drug it consumed every waking hour if i was not fishing i was making tackle or planning our next session mainly after the big bream. i would normally fish a Friday till a Sunday but i have been known to go straight to work from a session i would be absolutely buggered tired out. Because in those days you did not sleep much you had to stay awake and watch your indicators which in the middle late sixties was a piece of bread squeezed on your line between reel and but ring the doe bobbin i made myself a light from a small battery with a red reflector that would just show any movement that the bobbin gave. on a windy night you could have a few problems the bobbin would rise because of the wind or under tow. but we managed and enjoyed our fishing. Before dick gave me some bite alarms the old herons the doe bobbin was the only method i used to use i did try silver paper. but prefer the bobbins we caught loads of big bream using this method big for those years 7- 8 pounds i also used it for the roach with a lot of success we mainly sat up in an old garden chair all night. some times in the day you may catch up with your sleep for a couple of hours we would take a hessian sack with us and a piece of canvas wrap your self in a blanket inside the sack a piece of canvas under neath and over the top of yourself not very comfortable but you managed to get a couple of hours. i don't think many anglers would do that today it was pure dedication. graham and myself had bream fever we could not leave it alone its a wander our wives did not divorce us as we would be out at every opportunity and had become quite well known for our big fish exploits but we did not have the time or opportunity to do what some anglers have done today and made a living out of it. the lack of money was another thing that held us back you needed money to travel fuel food tackle and such it all mounted up the wages in those days was not that much and when you had a wife and family to keep they came first. ill tell you a bit more latter
In reply to Post #671
We were barbel fishing yesterday that's my mate graham and myself. After the rain we have had i was expecting it to be still coloured but it has fined down very quick and is nearly as clear as last week. The only way you could get a bite was fish very small pellets and use light lines i mean around six pounds to eight pounds breaking strain. graham was set up very close to me so we could share the landing net the bank was very steep and owing to him having a long handle on his net we could easily land any fish hooked. We had hardly cast out when graham had a real savage take lifting the handle of the rod and nearly pulling it from the rest he picked the rod up no need to strike as it was hooked it was on but only for a second he felt the fish then nothing on winding in his hook had gone it had broke him or it was weak hook link on recasting he was in again but this was no barbel it was an eel of a couple of pound nice to see the salmon lads have been catching a few when they have been worming they say its the best they have seen for many years. Then it was my turn over the tip went and i was in i knew straight away it was not a big fish but it was most welcome on landing it was only between four and five pounds It was grays turn again and he landed another around the same size as the one i caught. A couple of anglers came and had a chat and were very quick to point out that we were the only ones catching on the Sydney avenue stretch and most had packed up and gone home this surprised me a little bit but that's fishing we never caught any big specimens but had a few more most around the five pounds mark and the eels they could not leave the pellets alone. there was a salmon fishermen above graham spinning the weir he caught a lovely perch it was in magnificent condition and weighed round three pounds plus i would have been proud to have caught it but he did not seem very impressed strange some people. It started to rain quite hard towards evening graham had left his umberella at home so we called it a day but at least we had caught and not blanked like a few others. wel thats it for now untill the next time
We were barbel fishing yesterday that's my mate graham and myself. After the rain we have had i was expecting it to be still coloured but it has fined down very quick and is nearly as clear as last week. The only way you could get a bite was fish very small pellets and use light lines i mean around six pounds to eight pounds breaking strain. graham was set up very close to me so we could share the landing net the bank was very steep and owing to him having a long handle on his net we could easily land any fish hooked. We had hardly cast out when graham had a real savage take lifting the handle of the rod and nearly pulling it from the rest he picked the rod up no need to strike as it was hooked it was on but only for a second he felt the fish then nothing on winding in his hook had gone it had broke him or it was weak hook link on recasting he was in again but this was no barbel it was an eel of a couple of pound nice to see the salmon lads have been catching a few when they have been worming they say its the best they have seen for many years. Then it was my turn over the tip went and i was in i knew straight away it was not a big fish but it was most welcome on landing it was only between four and five pounds It was grays turn again and he landed another around the same size as the one i caught. A couple of anglers came and had a chat and were very quick to point out that we were the only ones catching on the Sydney avenue stretch and most had packed up and gone home this surprised me a little bit but that's fishing we never caught any big specimens but had a few more most around the five pounds mark and the eels they could not leave the pellets alone. there was a salmon fishermen above graham spinning the weir he caught a lovely perch it was in magnificent condition and weighed round three pounds plus i would have been proud to have caught it but he did not seem very impressed strange some people. It started to rain quite hard towards evening graham had left his umberella at home so we called it a day but at least we had caught and not blanked like a few others. wel thats it for now untill the next time
In reply to Post #672
Its pouring down here rain at last it will do the lakes and rivers the world of good . but the river needs plenty of rain in mid wales for us to benefit. I used to love fishing the streams and brooks in this weather the rain would turn it on, it was like turning a tap on, i would free line a bunch of red worms and would catch some lovely fish from chub to gray ling brown trout i would also catch eels up to round three pounds they would really scrap on light tackle and it has been known for me to catch the odd salmon that had made its way up to spawn and that is not many years ago. One thing i will definitely will be doing this autumn and winter is fish dead baits for the pike on the shrews bury stretch of the severn we have caught some reasonable fish with this method, and float fished dead baits. You don't see the anglers doing it much today why i don't know as it can tremendous fun we have caught some very big specimens doing this. Talking about pike i used to poach a pool that was deep in the woods in south Shropshire SAM the old keeper took me there it was crammed full of roach and pike as soon as you had a roach on you would get a pike strike they were mostley jacks not much over eight pounds but just the right size to eat sam always took a few home to his dear wife to cook. Mum would clean the fish and soak it in salt for a few days to get the muddy taste out what else she put to it i don't know but you would never taste any thing muddy she would stuff it full of herbs from the garden tie it up with string and boil in a big pan on the old fire grate, it was absolutely wonderful we would have peas and potatoes with it and it kept us going for a couple of days as i said before nothing was wasted they were hard days but its part of my life i would not of missed. I really wandered how those fish got into that pool it was deep in the woods and i never saw many water birds on there i asked SAM but with all his knowledge he did not know all he would say they been always there, i will have to have a look if i can walk that far its doutfull at the moment but maybe latter on i would love to see that old pool again it holds many memories for me and my freindship with old sam the keeper well thats all for now a bit more latter
Its pouring down here rain at last it will do the lakes and rivers the world of good . but the river needs plenty of rain in mid wales for us to benefit. I used to love fishing the streams and brooks in this weather the rain would turn it on, it was like turning a tap on, i would free line a bunch of red worms and would catch some lovely fish from chub to gray ling brown trout i would also catch eels up to round three pounds they would really scrap on light tackle and it has been known for me to catch the odd salmon that had made its way up to spawn and that is not many years ago. One thing i will definitely will be doing this autumn and winter is fish dead baits for the pike on the shrews bury stretch of the severn we have caught some reasonable fish with this method, and float fished dead baits. You don't see the anglers doing it much today why i don't know as it can tremendous fun we have caught some very big specimens doing this. Talking about pike i used to poach a pool that was deep in the woods in south Shropshire SAM the old keeper took me there it was crammed full of roach and pike as soon as you had a roach on you would get a pike strike they were mostley jacks not much over eight pounds but just the right size to eat sam always took a few home to his dear wife to cook. Mum would clean the fish and soak it in salt for a few days to get the muddy taste out what else she put to it i don't know but you would never taste any thing muddy she would stuff it full of herbs from the garden tie it up with string and boil in a big pan on the old fire grate, it was absolutely wonderful we would have peas and potatoes with it and it kept us going for a couple of days as i said before nothing was wasted they were hard days but its part of my life i would not of missed. I really wandered how those fish got into that pool it was deep in the woods and i never saw many water birds on there i asked SAM but with all his knowledge he did not know all he would say they been always there, i will have to have a look if i can walk that far its doutfull at the moment but maybe latter on i would love to see that old pool again it holds many memories for me and my freindship with old sam the keeper well thats all for now a bit more latter
In reply to Post #673
We wont be doing much fishing this week both of us came back from fishing for the barbel last week and we both fell ill graham has been to the docs but is still not very good i feel really under the weather having a job walking around and feel really sick at times must be our age you certainly don't seem to recover as fast as when you were younger man. tried to tie a few rigs but even that is taking some doing i feel really tired and worn out. SO i will have to try and write some more about my fishing from years ago as you all are well aware i did my fair share of poaching fishing and shooting. i used to fish a little lake up in the hill country of Shropshire i was told it was full of carp at the time was fishing with a chap called George Kimberly and we decided we would have a go at fishing it but it was about three miles from the main road a long way to walk i well remember collapsing on the bank the first time i fished it we were completely knackered it was a route march through ferns and bra con some as high as your head. It was a most beautiful lake with a cottage sitting in a wood at the one end it was covered in lilies We started fishing with worm but we could only catch tench not big little tench about a pound they were all stunted it was full of them you could have a fish a cast. we had taken some luncheon meet and using big pieces on our hooks no hair rigs in those days we started to catch a few carp they were all Wilde's torpedo shaped but did they scrap we had them to six pounds plus thinking back we ended the day with about seven they were all muscle beautiful fish. We were determined to fish the lake again but how it was a real long way to walk. so i went and had a word with the farmers trying to find who owned the water. we eventually tracked the farmer down who was not to pleased we had fished it without his permission but we ended up having permission to fish and the use of his tractor and trailer to take our fishing gear down to the lake funny it was the start of a wonderful friendship which has lasted all these years more about the lake a bit latter on
We wont be doing much fishing this week both of us came back from fishing for the barbel last week and we both fell ill graham has been to the docs but is still not very good i feel really under the weather having a job walking around and feel really sick at times must be our age you certainly don't seem to recover as fast as when you were younger man. tried to tie a few rigs but even that is taking some doing i feel really tired and worn out. SO i will have to try and write some more about my fishing from years ago as you all are well aware i did my fair share of poaching fishing and shooting. i used to fish a little lake up in the hill country of Shropshire i was told it was full of carp at the time was fishing with a chap called George Kimberly and we decided we would have a go at fishing it but it was about three miles from the main road a long way to walk i well remember collapsing on the bank the first time i fished it we were completely knackered it was a route march through ferns and bra con some as high as your head. It was a most beautiful lake with a cottage sitting in a wood at the one end it was covered in lilies We started fishing with worm but we could only catch tench not big little tench about a pound they were all stunted it was full of them you could have a fish a cast. we had taken some luncheon meet and using big pieces on our hooks no hair rigs in those days we started to catch a few carp they were all Wilde's torpedo shaped but did they scrap we had them to six pounds plus thinking back we ended the day with about seven they were all muscle beautiful fish. We were determined to fish the lake again but how it was a real long way to walk. so i went and had a word with the farmers trying to find who owned the water. we eventually tracked the farmer down who was not to pleased we had fished it without his permission but we ended up having permission to fish and the use of his tractor and trailer to take our fishing gear down to the lake funny it was the start of a wonderful friendship which has lasted all these years more about the lake a bit latter on
In reply to Post #674
Get well soon Pete
.
Get well soon Pete
.
In reply to Post #675
Get well soon Pete
thanks m8 dont know what we caught just can not get right must be some sort of virus shivering most of the time. thanks again
Get well soon Pete
thanks m8 dont know what we caught just can not get right must be some sort of virus shivering most of the time. thanks again
In reply to Post #674
We eventually started to night fish this old lake in the hills. the farmer was so good and would take my friends and myself down on the tractor and trailer picking us up about three days later it was an idyllic lake it had trees all around exept for the one end which was the dam end that's where we all fished. You could be there for days and would not see anyone and it was all ours i offered to pay for the privilege to fish there but the farmer would not exept anything the only thing i did give him was a bit of money for the fuel he used taking us down to the lake. i don't think it had been fished that much but one day we rolled up and there was a strange looking old man fishing there he had a beard down to his waist and when i talked to him he had a broad Shropshire accent and took a bit of understanding but i managed to get some information he was fishing for the big cats, that lived in the pool. Over the years i had never seen a cat in the water and having a chat with the farmer he said he had never heard of one being caught let alone see one i asked him who the old chap was he did not know he said he just turned up to fish. then he would vanish and would not be seen again for months. How he walked the distance to the road i don't know or where he lived strange as he must of been in his eights in all the years i fished the place i only saw the old gentleman twice and when i asked him where he was from all he would say was over yonder. well we had some great times at that old lake and caught some great fish all wild carp but as i said we had them to six pounds plus we caught most on hair rigged luncheon meat, and they would nearly pull the rods from the rests vicious takes and they really would fight i think the best night we had was fourteen fish, and most were all around the same size. the old lake is still there and it still holds the wildes i have not fished it for a few years owing to my health. i have never told others where it is as there are not many lakes that hold true wild carp and i dont think the farmer wants any one down there disturbing his piece and quite a bit more latter
We eventually started to night fish this old lake in the hills. the farmer was so good and would take my friends and myself down on the tractor and trailer picking us up about three days later it was an idyllic lake it had trees all around exept for the one end which was the dam end that's where we all fished. You could be there for days and would not see anyone and it was all ours i offered to pay for the privilege to fish there but the farmer would not exept anything the only thing i did give him was a bit of money for the fuel he used taking us down to the lake. i don't think it had been fished that much but one day we rolled up and there was a strange looking old man fishing there he had a beard down to his waist and when i talked to him he had a broad Shropshire accent and took a bit of understanding but i managed to get some information he was fishing for the big cats, that lived in the pool. Over the years i had never seen a cat in the water and having a chat with the farmer he said he had never heard of one being caught let alone see one i asked him who the old chap was he did not know he said he just turned up to fish. then he would vanish and would not be seen again for months. How he walked the distance to the road i don't know or where he lived strange as he must of been in his eights in all the years i fished the place i only saw the old gentleman twice and when i asked him where he was from all he would say was over yonder. well we had some great times at that old lake and caught some great fish all wild carp but as i said we had them to six pounds plus we caught most on hair rigged luncheon meat, and they would nearly pull the rods from the rests vicious takes and they really would fight i think the best night we had was fourteen fish, and most were all around the same size. the old lake is still there and it still holds the wildes i have not fished it for a few years owing to my health. i have never told others where it is as there are not many lakes that hold true wild carp and i dont think the farmer wants any one down there disturbing his piece and quite a bit more latter
In reply to Post #677
I always remember another session we had on that old hill lake. graham myself and another friend called Bernard had been fishing it for a week it was very misty at night and the temperature had dropped considerably it had been very hot in the days we had been there. and we had caught a few good fish. When out of the blue four people turned up to fish the lake i thought they had only come for the day and asked if they had got permission the said they were friends of the owner the one gentleman said he ran the local garage which the farmer used. they were very ill equipped rods reels line no chairs to sit on not even a pullover with them or coat if it got cold and believe me it could get cold up there. well evening came and we thought they surly must go before long or they would get lost in the dark but no they proceeded to light a fire they had bags of pork chops lamb chops sausage all sorts and the proceeded to barbecue or should i say burn it on the fire and they said they were staying the night and would keep the fire burning to keep warm. we retired to our bivvies about midnight and managed to catch a few fish despite the noise they were making. i was awoken about three in the morning by some one shaking me awake and giving me a cup of tea it was one of the ladies that had come with her husband the one that owned the garage she was absolutely shivering as i said she had no coat she was only dressed in a skirt and blouse can i get into your sleeping bag please im freezing what do you do she slept in my bivie till about ten in the morning i had some coats with me and managed to cover myself with these and slept on the floor next to the bed chair nothing happened honestly. when i got up the other lady was in grahams bivie fast a sleep. The two blokes were absolutly shivering and i thought bloody idiots putting there selves, and ladys throught all that. but it did happen why they never brought proper clothes with them i will never know . the said garage owner and his wife now live on my village and i quite often remind her of the night she spent in my bed and we have had a few laughts about it. i thought it may give you a laught more to come latter
I always remember another session we had on that old hill lake. graham myself and another friend called Bernard had been fishing it for a week it was very misty at night and the temperature had dropped considerably it had been very hot in the days we had been there. and we had caught a few good fish. When out of the blue four people turned up to fish the lake i thought they had only come for the day and asked if they had got permission the said they were friends of the owner the one gentleman said he ran the local garage which the farmer used. they were very ill equipped rods reels line no chairs to sit on not even a pullover with them or coat if it got cold and believe me it could get cold up there. well evening came and we thought they surly must go before long or they would get lost in the dark but no they proceeded to light a fire they had bags of pork chops lamb chops sausage all sorts and the proceeded to barbecue or should i say burn it on the fire and they said they were staying the night and would keep the fire burning to keep warm. we retired to our bivvies about midnight and managed to catch a few fish despite the noise they were making. i was awoken about three in the morning by some one shaking me awake and giving me a cup of tea it was one of the ladies that had come with her husband the one that owned the garage she was absolutely shivering as i said she had no coat she was only dressed in a skirt and blouse can i get into your sleeping bag please im freezing what do you do she slept in my bivie till about ten in the morning i had some coats with me and managed to cover myself with these and slept on the floor next to the bed chair nothing happened honestly. when i got up the other lady was in grahams bivie fast a sleep. The two blokes were absolutly shivering and i thought bloody idiots putting there selves, and ladys throught all that. but it did happen why they never brought proper clothes with them i will never know . the said garage owner and his wife now live on my village and i quite often remind her of the night she spent in my bed and we have had a few laughts about it. i thought it may give you a laught more to come latter
In reply to Post #678
I suppose it is now nearly 50 years ago when i first met my mate graham we have fished and shot together all those years some times legal and some times not. we have fished the lakes and streams all over Shropshire from catching the brown trout to the carp. Some of the lakes we fished we had no permission . But one we did get permission to fish was Acton burnell of the big carp fame. i had quite a good relation ship with the keepers at the time and they introduced me to the owner who gave myself and graham a ticket to fish the place anytime we wanted the keeper at the time was a man called Bert owlet and his under keeper was peter Jackson, Bert was one of the old school keepers and really new his job i did poach the estate once long before i got to know the said gentleman. The fishing was great it was full of prime roach and the tench fishing was some of the best we have ever had you would regularly catch tench to 6 pounds which were big fish for those years we would float fish with porcupine quills size twelve hooks four pounds line loaded to our Mitchell reels and would use bread flake tipped with maggot it was not unusual to catch as many as twenty in a session the roach were beautiful deep belled fish and most were over a pound with some going two pounds plus but it was all free you would have the two lakes to your selves and it was very rare to see any one all the time you was there. There was the carp as well but at the time no one Knew how many were in the lakes as at that time not many anglers seriously fished for them. i asked the keeper and was told they had been hooked by the few who had permission but had been lost as the tackle they were using was not strong enough. So graham and i decided we would set our stall out and have a go there was no hair rig then bait straight on the hook we used worm bread maggot even great black slugs and i think it took us around three years to catch our first carp from there a common of twelve pounds but we were over the moon. i don't think there was a huge stock of carp in the place but at least we had done what we set out to do and i think it was the first carp ever caught from Acton that would be in the middle sixties well ill tell you a bit more about the burnell latter
I suppose it is now nearly 50 years ago when i first met my mate graham we have fished and shot together all those years some times legal and some times not. we have fished the lakes and streams all over Shropshire from catching the brown trout to the carp. Some of the lakes we fished we had no permission . But one we did get permission to fish was Acton burnell of the big carp fame. i had quite a good relation ship with the keepers at the time and they introduced me to the owner who gave myself and graham a ticket to fish the place anytime we wanted the keeper at the time was a man called Bert owlet and his under keeper was peter Jackson, Bert was one of the old school keepers and really new his job i did poach the estate once long before i got to know the said gentleman. The fishing was great it was full of prime roach and the tench fishing was some of the best we have ever had you would regularly catch tench to 6 pounds which were big fish for those years we would float fish with porcupine quills size twelve hooks four pounds line loaded to our Mitchell reels and would use bread flake tipped with maggot it was not unusual to catch as many as twenty in a session the roach were beautiful deep belled fish and most were over a pound with some going two pounds plus but it was all free you would have the two lakes to your selves and it was very rare to see any one all the time you was there. There was the carp as well but at the time no one Knew how many were in the lakes as at that time not many anglers seriously fished for them. i asked the keeper and was told they had been hooked by the few who had permission but had been lost as the tackle they were using was not strong enough. So graham and i decided we would set our stall out and have a go there was no hair rig then bait straight on the hook we used worm bread maggot even great black slugs and i think it took us around three years to catch our first carp from there a common of twelve pounds but we were over the moon. i don't think there was a huge stock of carp in the place but at least we had done what we set out to do and i think it was the first carp ever caught from Acton that would be in the middle sixties well ill tell you a bit more about the burnell latter
In reply to Post #679
What wonderful memories i do have. Tim walker rang me the other day and we were discussing poaching and fishing and he mentioned his father Dick got done for poaching for shooting a pheasant with a rifle cant believe that our dick did a bit of poaching. In all the years that i poached the streams and woods i never did get caught once more luck than judgment or was it because i knew the lay of the land i like to think it was the latter. The keepers when i was young were a very different breed than they are today and would not hesitate to put a shot over your head which actually happened to me which i have already stated earlier in my stories. the police were as bad and if you had been caught you would have been given a good hiding or worse. But i loved the chase i liked the idea of out witting the keepers it was like a drug to me i just had to be out and about it was a freedom that you seldom get today i got to know the wild life there ways and the different tracks they made. I would seldom be without a ferret down my shirt or in my coat pocket and a few purse nets. and would always take the opportunity to catch a couple of rabbits for our dinner or to make a shilling or two as times were very hard I was chased on many occasion i have had the dogs chase me but have always managed to get away by hiding up a tree or lying in a ditch some times full of water its been a very exiting life and if given the chance would do it all over again. i always respected the water baliff and the keeper and if i had poached thier estate fishing or taking a pheasent or two i would always leave them a brace or a couple of fish as a way of saying thank you . I loved the countrty side and all that was in it i, loved the freedom. the animals foxes badgers they have all been part of my life . Its been a good life and i have met many freinds along the way. so ill continue a bit latter
What wonderful memories i do have. Tim walker rang me the other day and we were discussing poaching and fishing and he mentioned his father Dick got done for poaching for shooting a pheasant with a rifle cant believe that our dick did a bit of poaching. In all the years that i poached the streams and woods i never did get caught once more luck than judgment or was it because i knew the lay of the land i like to think it was the latter. The keepers when i was young were a very different breed than they are today and would not hesitate to put a shot over your head which actually happened to me which i have already stated earlier in my stories. the police were as bad and if you had been caught you would have been given a good hiding or worse. But i loved the chase i liked the idea of out witting the keepers it was like a drug to me i just had to be out and about it was a freedom that you seldom get today i got to know the wild life there ways and the different tracks they made. I would seldom be without a ferret down my shirt or in my coat pocket and a few purse nets. and would always take the opportunity to catch a couple of rabbits for our dinner or to make a shilling or two as times were very hard I was chased on many occasion i have had the dogs chase me but have always managed to get away by hiding up a tree or lying in a ditch some times full of water its been a very exiting life and if given the chance would do it all over again. i always respected the water baliff and the keeper and if i had poached thier estate fishing or taking a pheasent or two i would always leave them a brace or a couple of fish as a way of saying thank you . I loved the countrty side and all that was in it i, loved the freedom. the animals foxes badgers they have all been part of my life . Its been a good life and i have met many freinds along the way. so ill continue a bit latter
In reply to Post #680
Ive not posted for a while in here Pete,but continue to enjoy youre trips down memory lane
.How near are you to getting a book together?.
Ive not posted for a while in here Pete,but continue to enjoy youre trips down memory lane
.How near are you to getting a book together?.