In reply to Post #714
Its monsoon time here its bucketed down for nearly two days the river will run brown and wash the soil; from the river banks i was fishing the other day and watched a pair of mink going back and forward to a hole in an old wall the other side the river which i suppose they will abandon as it will be flooded out. one positive thing i saw was a pair of water voles it as nice watching these shy creatures which were quite common when i was a youngster but alas are now in decline due to the mink and habitat. The wild life is certainly not in an abundance like it was when i was a youngster on a summers day i could go out and catch slow worms, grass snakes even adders not that i condone any one catching the latter. The old hedge hog around here seems to have gone into decline why i don't know i used to see them most days and evenings around my garden but in the last few months they have vanished a few years ago we had a couple of albinos pure white lovely looking animals. i have still got the badger visiting digging holes here and there looking for the worms the vixen has long gone and took her cubs down the fields maybe to the woods she will be back at some stage I was very pleased to see a wood pecker feeding on the nuts i had hung in the garden, i am also being visited by a big flock of long tailed tits which is a lot earlier than normal so i do hope that is not an indication of severe weather in the future as there should still be lots of natural food still about for them to eat.
Friends of mine where called to a farm the other day the farmer was having real problems with foxes and he had lost a number geese and hens to this crafty marauding animal although i love him and he is close to my heart you have to have some sort of control so they surrounded the maze field next to the farm and with a number of beaters they pushed it though they shot six foxes from that field and the next field produced a further four no wander the farmer was having trouble although i did not see the foxes i suspect it may have been two litters from this years breeding its a shame they do so much damage i would not like to see them all killed as the country side would be in a sad state without them. i love to see this old fellow of the woods on a winters day in all his rustic colour his been here for generations and has more right to be there than most of us and its only natural for him to take a chicken or two but on occasions they can and will desimate a farm and thats when you need control well a bit more latter
Its monsoon time here its bucketed down for nearly two days the river will run brown and wash the soil; from the river banks i was fishing the other day and watched a pair of mink going back and forward to a hole in an old wall the other side the river which i suppose they will abandon as it will be flooded out. one positive thing i saw was a pair of water voles it as nice watching these shy creatures which were quite common when i was a youngster but alas are now in decline due to the mink and habitat. The wild life is certainly not in an abundance like it was when i was a youngster on a summers day i could go out and catch slow worms, grass snakes even adders not that i condone any one catching the latter. The old hedge hog around here seems to have gone into decline why i don't know i used to see them most days and evenings around my garden but in the last few months they have vanished a few years ago we had a couple of albinos pure white lovely looking animals. i have still got the badger visiting digging holes here and there looking for the worms the vixen has long gone and took her cubs down the fields maybe to the woods she will be back at some stage I was very pleased to see a wood pecker feeding on the nuts i had hung in the garden, i am also being visited by a big flock of long tailed tits which is a lot earlier than normal so i do hope that is not an indication of severe weather in the future as there should still be lots of natural food still about for them to eat.
Friends of mine where called to a farm the other day the farmer was having real problems with foxes and he had lost a number geese and hens to this crafty marauding animal although i love him and he is close to my heart you have to have some sort of control so they surrounded the maze field next to the farm and with a number of beaters they pushed it though they shot six foxes from that field and the next field produced a further four no wander the farmer was having trouble although i did not see the foxes i suspect it may have been two litters from this years breeding its a shame they do so much damage i would not like to see them all killed as the country side would be in a sad state without them. i love to see this old fellow of the woods on a winters day in all his rustic colour his been here for generations and has more right to be there than most of us and its only natural for him to take a chicken or two but on occasions they can and will desimate a farm and thats when you need control well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #715
When i first fished lordys pool for carp it was well before the hair rig had been invented. It was chocked full off weed he said fish it when you want but how i had no idea how to start it was about five acres eight feet at its deepest and held some fantastic fish that had lived in this old estate lake for generations. so myself and a friend made up a rake an d literally dragged the weed out it was very hard work and we would go, home totally exhausted.
i would go up in the evenings and clear another swim i think in all it took us about a month to clear four swims to fish we had seen some real nice mirrors and a few commons on most visits it also held some enormous chub and a few tench but the latter seemed on the small side. this all happened about a month before the season started which was june the 16th the one thing i could not do was night fish this pretty lake as it was heavily keeper and lordy did not want anyone on the estate after dark he had in the past had problems with poachers not me i must say. we started a baiting policy with bread crumbs layers mash mixed in with maggots by the gallon. I had the carp rods dick had given me and coupled with Mitchell 300 and twelve pounds line i felt i could cope with anything the lake threw at me i suppose the year was about 1973 or there abouts. so full of excitement we started our first session red worm on one rod and paste on the other both rods placed on the old heron alarms i was trembling with anticipation. And before i knew it i had my first take a wonderful marked mirror of 19 pounds i was over the moon it did weed me once but i managed to force it out into the open water. The next fish broke me no way could i move him from his sanctuary under that weed which he had forced himself into So i put the rod down hoping he would move no way so i had to pull for a break, you could not wade as it was dangerous and the bottom was very silty in places. my mate caught another fish of thirteen pounds and caught two chub one six and one seven plus big fish for that time in angling history. we did not want publicity we kept it very quite we did not want to lose this great water lordy had let us fish as yet we had it all to our selves but it was not to last. more latter
When i first fished lordys pool for carp it was well before the hair rig had been invented. It was chocked full off weed he said fish it when you want but how i had no idea how to start it was about five acres eight feet at its deepest and held some fantastic fish that had lived in this old estate lake for generations. so myself and a friend made up a rake an d literally dragged the weed out it was very hard work and we would go, home totally exhausted.
i would go up in the evenings and clear another swim i think in all it took us about a month to clear four swims to fish we had seen some real nice mirrors and a few commons on most visits it also held some enormous chub and a few tench but the latter seemed on the small side. this all happened about a month before the season started which was june the 16th the one thing i could not do was night fish this pretty lake as it was heavily keeper and lordy did not want anyone on the estate after dark he had in the past had problems with poachers not me i must say. we started a baiting policy with bread crumbs layers mash mixed in with maggots by the gallon. I had the carp rods dick had given me and coupled with Mitchell 300 and twelve pounds line i felt i could cope with anything the lake threw at me i suppose the year was about 1973 or there abouts. so full of excitement we started our first session red worm on one rod and paste on the other both rods placed on the old heron alarms i was trembling with anticipation. And before i knew it i had my first take a wonderful marked mirror of 19 pounds i was over the moon it did weed me once but i managed to force it out into the open water. The next fish broke me no way could i move him from his sanctuary under that weed which he had forced himself into So i put the rod down hoping he would move no way so i had to pull for a break, you could not wade as it was dangerous and the bottom was very silty in places. my mate caught another fish of thirteen pounds and caught two chub one six and one seven plus big fish for that time in angling history. we did not want publicity we kept it very quite we did not want to lose this great water lordy had let us fish as yet we had it all to our selves but it was not to last. more latter
In reply to Post #716
Looking back over the years i have been very lucky to have met so many friends some have have now passed on others like myself are still here and it is always nice to meet up with them and have a good chin wag about things that have happened now and in the past. last night i watched a program about Gypsy weddings great program and it really made me smile i seriously have known a few gypsies through my life time some real old characters the Shropshire clans the locks, the stevens, the prices the smiths, i could go on and on but one thing that unites them all was there love of the open air and the country side and its wild life. when i was a young lad they would come around selling there lace and pegs and even carpets some were mysterious in there ways and would frighten us youngsters, but most where very clean and honest and had a great knowledge about nature.
One gypsy i had know for years taught me how to tickle the brown trout he would get into the brook up to his knees slide his hand under the roots or stones under the river side and with one quick movement the fish would be on the bank he would also bake the old hedge hog in clay. The first time i ate that i was nearly sick he told me it was chicken it was not till after i had eaten it did he tell me it was hedge hog he had so much knowledge about horses in fact he was an horse whisperer he could talk to those horses in there language and calm them down how i don't know but he could he could also heal he was a marvelous man but alas now long gone and has took his knowledge with him these were the true romany gypsys that have roamed this county for generations i like to think there ghosts still exsist but alas they are no more
Old Mrs lock used to make me smile she lived by my old mother in law and would walk past the house with a line of dogs and cats following her she always had a clay pipe in her mouth she lived to way over a hundred i can just remember her husband his name was fiddler lock and he would tour the pubs especially at Christmas and play his fiddle but he failed to return home one night and they found him dead in the snow on the longmynd some weeks latter. i always remember the funeral of mrs lock it was spectecular they came from all over britain to honour one of the last true gypsys of shropshire there were caravans and horses made of flowers on her grave. She was buried with old fiddler it happened, and i was there watching from afar hundreds attended that funeral. the days of living in a caravan have now gone and most of the older generation have passed on. The younger ones now live in houses And Only a few carry on the tradition it will be a sad day when it ends Well a bit more latter
Looking back over the years i have been very lucky to have met so many friends some have have now passed on others like myself are still here and it is always nice to meet up with them and have a good chin wag about things that have happened now and in the past. last night i watched a program about Gypsy weddings great program and it really made me smile i seriously have known a few gypsies through my life time some real old characters the Shropshire clans the locks, the stevens, the prices the smiths, i could go on and on but one thing that unites them all was there love of the open air and the country side and its wild life. when i was a young lad they would come around selling there lace and pegs and even carpets some were mysterious in there ways and would frighten us youngsters, but most where very clean and honest and had a great knowledge about nature.
One gypsy i had know for years taught me how to tickle the brown trout he would get into the brook up to his knees slide his hand under the roots or stones under the river side and with one quick movement the fish would be on the bank he would also bake the old hedge hog in clay. The first time i ate that i was nearly sick he told me it was chicken it was not till after i had eaten it did he tell me it was hedge hog he had so much knowledge about horses in fact he was an horse whisperer he could talk to those horses in there language and calm them down how i don't know but he could he could also heal he was a marvelous man but alas now long gone and has took his knowledge with him these were the true romany gypsys that have roamed this county for generations i like to think there ghosts still exsist but alas they are no more
Old Mrs lock used to make me smile she lived by my old mother in law and would walk past the house with a line of dogs and cats following her she always had a clay pipe in her mouth she lived to way over a hundred i can just remember her husband his name was fiddler lock and he would tour the pubs especially at Christmas and play his fiddle but he failed to return home one night and they found him dead in the snow on the longmynd some weeks latter. i always remember the funeral of mrs lock it was spectecular they came from all over britain to honour one of the last true gypsys of shropshire there were caravans and horses made of flowers on her grave. She was buried with old fiddler it happened, and i was there watching from afar hundreds attended that funeral. the days of living in a caravan have now gone and most of the older generation have passed on. The younger ones now live in houses And Only a few carry on the tradition it will be a sad day when it ends Well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #717
great reading pete. from a man with wealth of knowladge. {spelling}
great reading pete. from a man with wealth of knowladge. {spelling}
In reply to Post #717
Life was so much fun when when i was a lad the world was our oyster no computers all we had were our bikes if you were lucky . fishing tackle was a bonus an air rifle you were in heaven but one thing you did have was freedom you could go out in the morning and not return home till evening but your parents would know you were safe. off you would go with a bottle of pop and maybe a few sandwiches we would Travis the woods and the fields lie down in the long grass and listen Th the call of the curlew the peewit or the sky lark they were wonderful days carefree you would collect the birds eggs get a thorn from a tree or a pin out of mums sowing box and make a hole in the both ends and blow out the yolk it would be then added to your collection. So much to do never a boring moment you would build your camp down in the woods by the running stream collect the moorhens eggs a boil them in an old tin on the fire nick the potatoes out of the fields and bake them on the open camp, fire we were never bored always so much to do.
We would fish for the old brown trout with rods made of bamboo thick silk line and little red worms collected from the farmers muck Heep and we caught we learned quickly we watched and caught the rabbits which inhabited every field and ditch we had cricket football really to much to mention we swam in the river not a care in the world we would fight and box but still remain friends. we would buy a sweets gob stoppers were a penny each great big things that made your cheeks bulge aniseed balls by the quarter. we would watch the shire horses pulling the binder which cut the corn and the farmer shooting the rabbits as the bolted to get out of the way of the impending danger i was only a lad of eight or nine but they were the days of my youth. School i did not like and at every opportunity i would play truant i would rather spend my days in the woods or fishing for the willy trout and that is what i did until i got caught and had the stick an old bamboo thing that was split at one end i had three on each hand, it would pinch as it came down on your hand
We would collect the eggs from arround the farm yard and take them home to mother. Take a few potatoes from the farmers fields collect the mushrooms and the blackberries the hazel nuts as well there was always so much to do . more latter
Life was so much fun when when i was a lad the world was our oyster no computers all we had were our bikes if you were lucky . fishing tackle was a bonus an air rifle you were in heaven but one thing you did have was freedom you could go out in the morning and not return home till evening but your parents would know you were safe. off you would go with a bottle of pop and maybe a few sandwiches we would Travis the woods and the fields lie down in the long grass and listen Th the call of the curlew the peewit or the sky lark they were wonderful days carefree you would collect the birds eggs get a thorn from a tree or a pin out of mums sowing box and make a hole in the both ends and blow out the yolk it would be then added to your collection. So much to do never a boring moment you would build your camp down in the woods by the running stream collect the moorhens eggs a boil them in an old tin on the fire nick the potatoes out of the fields and bake them on the open camp, fire we were never bored always so much to do.
We would fish for the old brown trout with rods made of bamboo thick silk line and little red worms collected from the farmers muck Heep and we caught we learned quickly we watched and caught the rabbits which inhabited every field and ditch we had cricket football really to much to mention we swam in the river not a care in the world we would fight and box but still remain friends. we would buy a sweets gob stoppers were a penny each great big things that made your cheeks bulge aniseed balls by the quarter. we would watch the shire horses pulling the binder which cut the corn and the farmer shooting the rabbits as the bolted to get out of the way of the impending danger i was only a lad of eight or nine but they were the days of my youth. School i did not like and at every opportunity i would play truant i would rather spend my days in the woods or fishing for the willy trout and that is what i did until i got caught and had the stick an old bamboo thing that was split at one end i had three on each hand, it would pinch as it came down on your hand
We would collect the eggs from arround the farm yard and take them home to mother. Take a few potatoes from the farmers fields collect the mushrooms and the blackberries the hazel nuts as well there was always so much to do . more latter
In reply to Post #719
What a disaster we have been barbel fishing the last two days the river is running bank height but we braved the conditions and in the process losing a few feeders and it does not matter how experienced you are things do go wrong my poor old mate graham was sitting next to me and trying to tie a rig when his rod doubled over and that was that away the rod sailed into the depths of the river it really pissed him off no way could i get to it before it vanished the thing was the rod was brand new i said to him after you only have to take your eyes off it and in a second it has gone lesson learned . but i really felt sorry for him he may get it back some angler may catch it at some stage one rod was realed in on Monday night and it looked brand new so things do happen so we are keeping our fingers crossed he is not without another rod i had a pair of drennan specialists which i do not use so i have fixed him up with one for his future use.
Today has gone a bit better but the river has started to rise once again we did manage a few good chub and the biggest barbel fell to myself at eight pounds plus a very deep belled fish . The biggest so far this season from the avenue is eleven pounds twelve oz there has also been a couple of ten pound plus fish caught by another friend i really am beginning to wander what is wrong going back three years with these sort of conditions you could almost guarantee fish i have absolutely slaughtered it in these conditions catching anything up to thirty plus fish those days seem to have gone maybe they are wising up a bit more latter
What a disaster we have been barbel fishing the last two days the river is running bank height but we braved the conditions and in the process losing a few feeders and it does not matter how experienced you are things do go wrong my poor old mate graham was sitting next to me and trying to tie a rig when his rod doubled over and that was that away the rod sailed into the depths of the river it really pissed him off no way could i get to it before it vanished the thing was the rod was brand new i said to him after you only have to take your eyes off it and in a second it has gone lesson learned . but i really felt sorry for him he may get it back some angler may catch it at some stage one rod was realed in on Monday night and it looked brand new so things do happen so we are keeping our fingers crossed he is not without another rod i had a pair of drennan specialists which i do not use so i have fixed him up with one for his future use.
Today has gone a bit better but the river has started to rise once again we did manage a few good chub and the biggest barbel fell to myself at eight pounds plus a very deep belled fish . The biggest so far this season from the avenue is eleven pounds twelve oz there has also been a couple of ten pound plus fish caught by another friend i really am beginning to wander what is wrong going back three years with these sort of conditions you could almost guarantee fish i have absolutely slaughtered it in these conditions catching anything up to thirty plus fish those days seem to have gone maybe they are wising up a bit more latter
In reply to Post #720
Huge skeins of geese are now arriving in my home counties Canada's and grey lag with the occasional little snow goose flying with them. i love to watch the geese especially on a winters evening as long as theres a full moon they will fly all night i would love to be out with graham and a couple of pals huddled up behind the hedge or sitting in a dry ditch waiting for them to come into rest on the old quarry pool i loved the frost glistening on the fields and the moon casting shadows as the clouds scudded across the sky the first honk you would hear far off and you knew it would not be long before they were heading your way we were there to shoot or harvest what we could the farmers had been complaining about the mess and damage the birds had been making
They would come in there hundreds and we would wait full of anticipation shaking with excitement the first skein would come low over the hedge we would take two or three from that skein, skein, after skein, would pass over us that night, but we would only shoot a dozen or so between us we would let the rest go to rest on the old quarry pool like there ancestors had for generations we took what we wanted enough to share with our friends and neighbours and left them in piece for another day but this was a necessity we shot to eat . Things have not changed and we will be out once again god willing and stand or sit behind that hedge as we have done so many times my sight is not what it was my arms and legs are stiff but to be out on a moonlight night watching for the first skein to appear still gives me a thrill its in my blood its what my forefathers have done for generations and now i pass my knowledge on to the younger generation it will never be for them like it was for me we shot to survive and as i have said before nothing was waisted.
We are from a different generation a dying breed and the generation now does not need to poach or catch the willy trout to survive the world has changed so much and life really flies by its 60 years since i met old SAM who past his knowledge onto me i was a mere lad of eight or nine i have my grandson when he is at home from fighting far away to pass my knowledge to. i have loved the nature fishing shooting but there are not many left who have lived my way of life. we are a dying breed and the younger generation do not show the interest or the know how to carry on this old age profession sadly it will slip away like so many things do today more latter
Huge skeins of geese are now arriving in my home counties Canada's and grey lag with the occasional little snow goose flying with them. i love to watch the geese especially on a winters evening as long as theres a full moon they will fly all night i would love to be out with graham and a couple of pals huddled up behind the hedge or sitting in a dry ditch waiting for them to come into rest on the old quarry pool i loved the frost glistening on the fields and the moon casting shadows as the clouds scudded across the sky the first honk you would hear far off and you knew it would not be long before they were heading your way we were there to shoot or harvest what we could the farmers had been complaining about the mess and damage the birds had been making
They would come in there hundreds and we would wait full of anticipation shaking with excitement the first skein would come low over the hedge we would take two or three from that skein, skein, after skein, would pass over us that night, but we would only shoot a dozen or so between us we would let the rest go to rest on the old quarry pool like there ancestors had for generations we took what we wanted enough to share with our friends and neighbours and left them in piece for another day but this was a necessity we shot to eat . Things have not changed and we will be out once again god willing and stand or sit behind that hedge as we have done so many times my sight is not what it was my arms and legs are stiff but to be out on a moonlight night watching for the first skein to appear still gives me a thrill its in my blood its what my forefathers have done for generations and now i pass my knowledge on to the younger generation it will never be for them like it was for me we shot to survive and as i have said before nothing was waisted.
We are from a different generation a dying breed and the generation now does not need to poach or catch the willy trout to survive the world has changed so much and life really flies by its 60 years since i met old SAM who past his knowledge onto me i was a mere lad of eight or nine i have my grandson when he is at home from fighting far away to pass my knowledge to. i have loved the nature fishing shooting but there are not many left who have lived my way of life. we are a dying breed and the younger generation do not show the interest or the know how to carry on this old age profession sadly it will slip away like so many things do today more latter
In reply to Post #721
The leaves are now turning there autumn colours. At this time of year i would start to poach a few pheasants i would love to be down the woods and listen to the night life the vixen would really put the fear of god up you she would now be prowling and would at times let out a scream that would make your blood curdle she was starting to look for a mate i have seen very young cubs as early as the end of february.
we would also start to long net the rabbits i always liked a windy night as it would hide our presence i used a 100 yard net and we would run it at the side of a wood or a railway embankment if we had permission i would some times run it out in the day time we used hazel sticks to attach the net to and if set in the day would keep the net of the ground so the rabbits would be able to pass under neath to go into the fields to feed on getting there in the night we would drop the net and two or more of my mates would walk a couple of fields towards the net i would stand at one end of the net and graham the other you could feel the rabbits hitting the net and they would get tangled up and it was a matter of dispersing them as quickly as possible we could catch on a good night maybe sixty or seventy which made us quite good money. when poaching on some of the big estates you would run the net out in the dark get the job done and be away as quick as you could and off to your next destination . we always tried to leave no mess as the keepers would soon put the word out that we were around but we never touched that estate again for a few months just in case the keepers were waiting for us. one thing i have had in the net on a few occasions was a badger he would absolutely rip it a part and that finished the night as you had to take it home and repair the holes that the badger had made or it may cost you a new net which was an expensive job
This was all part of my life i loved every minute of it there is nothing like being out at night with the rifle and lamp shooting the rabbits some nights you would shoot so many you could not carry them i would gut them and hang them on a fence and collect them latter in the night it was nothing to shoot fifty or so in a few hours and we made good money selling them to the locals and at the market we could get as much as fifteen shillings each i had one dealer who would take as many as you could get he sent most to france although he would only give you around ten bob a rabbit it was a quick turn around but saved us taking them to Bridgnorth market well thats a bit more about my life as a poacher it was years ago but this is how we lived. more latter
The leaves are now turning there autumn colours. At this time of year i would start to poach a few pheasants i would love to be down the woods and listen to the night life the vixen would really put the fear of god up you she would now be prowling and would at times let out a scream that would make your blood curdle she was starting to look for a mate i have seen very young cubs as early as the end of february.
we would also start to long net the rabbits i always liked a windy night as it would hide our presence i used a 100 yard net and we would run it at the side of a wood or a railway embankment if we had permission i would some times run it out in the day time we used hazel sticks to attach the net to and if set in the day would keep the net of the ground so the rabbits would be able to pass under neath to go into the fields to feed on getting there in the night we would drop the net and two or more of my mates would walk a couple of fields towards the net i would stand at one end of the net and graham the other you could feel the rabbits hitting the net and they would get tangled up and it was a matter of dispersing them as quickly as possible we could catch on a good night maybe sixty or seventy which made us quite good money. when poaching on some of the big estates you would run the net out in the dark get the job done and be away as quick as you could and off to your next destination . we always tried to leave no mess as the keepers would soon put the word out that we were around but we never touched that estate again for a few months just in case the keepers were waiting for us. one thing i have had in the net on a few occasions was a badger he would absolutely rip it a part and that finished the night as you had to take it home and repair the holes that the badger had made or it may cost you a new net which was an expensive job
This was all part of my life i loved every minute of it there is nothing like being out at night with the rifle and lamp shooting the rabbits some nights you would shoot so many you could not carry them i would gut them and hang them on a fence and collect them latter in the night it was nothing to shoot fifty or so in a few hours and we made good money selling them to the locals and at the market we could get as much as fifteen shillings each i had one dealer who would take as many as you could get he sent most to france although he would only give you around ten bob a rabbit it was a quick turn around but saved us taking them to Bridgnorth market well thats a bit more about my life as a poacher it was years ago but this is how we lived. more latter
In reply to Post #722
When i think back and the things i used to get up to i cringe and really wander how i did not get caught but luck was on my side i like to think it was because i knew the woods hedge rows and ditches better than most and even at night i could easily get lost if i had been chased and it did happen on more than one occasion. i loved to fish bomere which was strictly private and would creep around right under old Gerry the keepers nose and spin for the pike i always used a big old kidney spoon with a Tasle of red wool tied to the end of the trebles this accounted for a number of good fish but you were always on the look out for the police and keepers .
I would also poach the park at Condover the keepers name was frank bell i would walk the woods. i always carried a four ten shot gun that folded up and i would carry it under my coat it was very handy and accounted for a good money rabbits and pheasants and if chased i could always hide it under some brambles or push it in a hedge row and pick it up latter i had many clashes with old bell he would get the police involved and they even called at my home to see my mum and ask where i was but she never once let on, i think it really got up old sgt landers nose he knew it was me but could never prove it.
i loved the chase it was all part of the fun but make no mistake if i had been caught i would have been in serous trouble as poaching in those days was absolutely frowned on and most ended in court or even worse the estates reared thousands of birds for the gentry to shoot, a mixture of pheasants and partridge and they were protected well by the keeper and his under keepers most liked a drink and i would wait until they went to the pub that was the time to poach a few of his precious birds and i did but i never got to confident and only took what we needed and you could always make a bob or two selling them to the locals as time were hard and every penny counted. well a bit more latter
When i think back and the things i used to get up to i cringe and really wander how i did not get caught but luck was on my side i like to think it was because i knew the woods hedge rows and ditches better than most and even at night i could easily get lost if i had been chased and it did happen on more than one occasion. i loved to fish bomere which was strictly private and would creep around right under old Gerry the keepers nose and spin for the pike i always used a big old kidney spoon with a Tasle of red wool tied to the end of the trebles this accounted for a number of good fish but you were always on the look out for the police and keepers .
I would also poach the park at Condover the keepers name was frank bell i would walk the woods. i always carried a four ten shot gun that folded up and i would carry it under my coat it was very handy and accounted for a good money rabbits and pheasants and if chased i could always hide it under some brambles or push it in a hedge row and pick it up latter i had many clashes with old bell he would get the police involved and they even called at my home to see my mum and ask where i was but she never once let on, i think it really got up old sgt landers nose he knew it was me but could never prove it.
i loved the chase it was all part of the fun but make no mistake if i had been caught i would have been in serous trouble as poaching in those days was absolutely frowned on and most ended in court or even worse the estates reared thousands of birds for the gentry to shoot, a mixture of pheasants and partridge and they were protected well by the keeper and his under keepers most liked a drink and i would wait until they went to the pub that was the time to poach a few of his precious birds and i did but i never got to confident and only took what we needed and you could always make a bob or two selling them to the locals as time were hard and every penny counted. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #723
How things have changed all we had in my youth were books and an old radio and that was ran from a battery. i think we had our first tele for the coronation 1953 and we had all the people living in the terrace watching it the house was packed. we had only just had the electricity installed until then it was oil lamps and the cooking was done on an old cooking range fired by coal and it was the only heating we had. before electricity we did have gas my job was to light the mantels at night it was better than oil and a lot cleaner
now we have computers i find them a bit hard but i get by i have learned myself but there is still a lot more to learn i still dont know how to put up photos and such but i must learn as i have to send photos to jay when he publishes his new book as some of my stories will be appearing in it i have also got to send the script to our ken for him to piece together i should have learned more at school all those years ago instead of playing truant and going fishing but i will get by i am sure and with a bit of help from ken and xpat Steve and jay and few more it may just happen.
We will be going after the barbel again tomorrow we should now start to catch the better fish as they pile the weight on to keep them going over the winter i have got some winterized oil to mix with the pellets i have got sardine and mackerel we have had success in the past using these oils i do hope i can fish thought the winter but with my problems we will have to see i visited the hospital yesterday and saw a specialist at the pain clinic who says she is going to send me to wolverhampton hospital to have the nerves tested in my legs as she thinks they may be damaged i have a bone scan on Friday to see how much my hips are damaged so i really hope i can carry on fishing through the winter the specialist has told me to carry on while i can who wants old age it gets to my old mate graham as well but its a wonderful life. One i have lived to the full its been a happy life i really would like to have a second bite of the cherry but that's not an option so we carry on day to day and live the life we love shooting fishing and nature and with a bit of luck and god willing it will continue for some time in the foreseeable future. well a little more latter
How things have changed all we had in my youth were books and an old radio and that was ran from a battery. i think we had our first tele for the coronation 1953 and we had all the people living in the terrace watching it the house was packed. we had only just had the electricity installed until then it was oil lamps and the cooking was done on an old cooking range fired by coal and it was the only heating we had. before electricity we did have gas my job was to light the mantels at night it was better than oil and a lot cleaner
now we have computers i find them a bit hard but i get by i have learned myself but there is still a lot more to learn i still dont know how to put up photos and such but i must learn as i have to send photos to jay when he publishes his new book as some of my stories will be appearing in it i have also got to send the script to our ken for him to piece together i should have learned more at school all those years ago instead of playing truant and going fishing but i will get by i am sure and with a bit of help from ken and xpat Steve and jay and few more it may just happen.
We will be going after the barbel again tomorrow we should now start to catch the better fish as they pile the weight on to keep them going over the winter i have got some winterized oil to mix with the pellets i have got sardine and mackerel we have had success in the past using these oils i do hope i can fish thought the winter but with my problems we will have to see i visited the hospital yesterday and saw a specialist at the pain clinic who says she is going to send me to wolverhampton hospital to have the nerves tested in my legs as she thinks they may be damaged i have a bone scan on Friday to see how much my hips are damaged so i really hope i can carry on fishing through the winter the specialist has told me to carry on while i can who wants old age it gets to my old mate graham as well but its a wonderful life. One i have lived to the full its been a happy life i really would like to have a second bite of the cherry but that's not an option so we carry on day to day and live the life we love shooting fishing and nature and with a bit of luck and god willing it will continue for some time in the foreseeable future. well a little more latter
In reply to Post #724
With a bit of luck ill be off down the woods on sat looking for the dormouse and his nest a wonderful little fellow who should soon be curled up in his nest fast asleep and will stay that way all of the winter. years ago they were kept as pets English nature now put boxes for them to hibernate in you can pick them up and handle them and they still sleep on i think nature is so wonderful. the hedge hog will also start to hibernate and sleep the winter through. but i love the woods at this time of the year the different colours as the leaves die and if you sit down in some quite spot beneath the tall trees you may see the nut hatch or the wood pecker or hear the latter banging away as he tries to get at the insects.
I watch the bird life long tailed tits who live in great flocks funny little birds hanging up side down to collect the insects they find. the sparrow hawk as he skims across the ride deep in the woods looking for a meal the tawny owl who sits up in a tree oblivious to us watching far below and the buzzard who glides on the thermal far above giving the occasional mew. You may even see the wood cock but most arrive at night from over the waters far away for this is the time of year they arrive on our shores.
Some times you may catch the sight of the fox in his rustic colours although he can do a bit of damage he is a majestic animal and blends in well with the autumn colours some times i would squeak like a rabbit in distress he would stop and listen before coming my way i have called him from quite some distance and have had him a matter of feet away before he relized i was there
the woods are now full of decay as the leaves fall from the trees and it wont be long before the canopy has gone for another season the fungus that grows on the rotting trees that have fallen down still grows. the great flocks of pigeon that come into roast at night the hunter will soon be after them with his gun the rabbits scuttle throught the under growth its been a good breeding year and soon the man will be out with his ferrets once again.. well more latter
With a bit of luck ill be off down the woods on sat looking for the dormouse and his nest a wonderful little fellow who should soon be curled up in his nest fast asleep and will stay that way all of the winter. years ago they were kept as pets English nature now put boxes for them to hibernate in you can pick them up and handle them and they still sleep on i think nature is so wonderful. the hedge hog will also start to hibernate and sleep the winter through. but i love the woods at this time of the year the different colours as the leaves die and if you sit down in some quite spot beneath the tall trees you may see the nut hatch or the wood pecker or hear the latter banging away as he tries to get at the insects.
I watch the bird life long tailed tits who live in great flocks funny little birds hanging up side down to collect the insects they find. the sparrow hawk as he skims across the ride deep in the woods looking for a meal the tawny owl who sits up in a tree oblivious to us watching far below and the buzzard who glides on the thermal far above giving the occasional mew. You may even see the wood cock but most arrive at night from over the waters far away for this is the time of year they arrive on our shores.
Some times you may catch the sight of the fox in his rustic colours although he can do a bit of damage he is a majestic animal and blends in well with the autumn colours some times i would squeak like a rabbit in distress he would stop and listen before coming my way i have called him from quite some distance and have had him a matter of feet away before he relized i was there
the woods are now full of decay as the leaves fall from the trees and it wont be long before the canopy has gone for another season the fungus that grows on the rotting trees that have fallen down still grows. the great flocks of pigeon that come into roast at night the hunter will soon be after them with his gun the rabbits scuttle throught the under growth its been a good breeding year and soon the man will be out with his ferrets once again.. well more latter
In reply to Post #725
We have been down the woods looking for the door mouse but we were out of luck as yet we have not found any its rather worrying as we usually find a couple they are now becoming quite rare but i will keep looking over the coming weeks.
we went fishing for the barbel on thurs not good it was quite a cold breeze and failed to catch any barbel talking to the bailiff he is quite concerned as this year and last has not proved very fruitful the barbel were missing in early summer and none were seen on the shallows where they have spawned for years. it is very worrying as i could catch as many as twenty fish in an evening but those days seem to have gone you are lucky if you catch two in a session we did catch some good chub up to five pounds plus i just hope the barbel have not had some disease it could be they are wising up to the halibut pellets like they did with meat a few years ago it was virtually impossible to catch any on the meat but where have they gone when spawning we will have to wait and see.
we will be out again on Tuesday and maybe thurs as well. what we did see on thurs were numerous goo sanders and mergansers not good as they are depleting the fish stocks you never saw these birds years ago the goo sander really wants controlling and you can apply for a licence to shoot them there has been as many as thirty in one spot on our local waters and they really want dealing with as more and more will arrive over winter the cormorants are not doing much harm at the moment they seem to have disappeared where to i dont know.
I had the long tailed tits on the bird table today and as i put more feed out they fed right next to me great tits as well and did not appear to be frightened about me one bit we have the wood pecker visiting as well and numerous finches the next door neighbour was complaining about the badgers digging holes in her garden i told her they do it when worming she is not impressed one bit i said you will just have to put up with it for now as they will stop coming when it gets colder but i love to see them and they have been part of my life for many years. well a bit more latter
We have been down the woods looking for the door mouse but we were out of luck as yet we have not found any its rather worrying as we usually find a couple they are now becoming quite rare but i will keep looking over the coming weeks.
we went fishing for the barbel on thurs not good it was quite a cold breeze and failed to catch any barbel talking to the bailiff he is quite concerned as this year and last has not proved very fruitful the barbel were missing in early summer and none were seen on the shallows where they have spawned for years. it is very worrying as i could catch as many as twenty fish in an evening but those days seem to have gone you are lucky if you catch two in a session we did catch some good chub up to five pounds plus i just hope the barbel have not had some disease it could be they are wising up to the halibut pellets like they did with meat a few years ago it was virtually impossible to catch any on the meat but where have they gone when spawning we will have to wait and see.
we will be out again on Tuesday and maybe thurs as well. what we did see on thurs were numerous goo sanders and mergansers not good as they are depleting the fish stocks you never saw these birds years ago the goo sander really wants controlling and you can apply for a licence to shoot them there has been as many as thirty in one spot on our local waters and they really want dealing with as more and more will arrive over winter the cormorants are not doing much harm at the moment they seem to have disappeared where to i dont know.
I had the long tailed tits on the bird table today and as i put more feed out they fed right next to me great tits as well and did not appear to be frightened about me one bit we have the wood pecker visiting as well and numerous finches the next door neighbour was complaining about the badgers digging holes in her garden i told her they do it when worming she is not impressed one bit i said you will just have to put up with it for now as they will stop coming when it gets colder but i love to see them and they have been part of my life for many years. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #726
I suppose its about fifty five years since i used to guest or poach a lake in south Shropshire it is now owned by Birmingham angling association i would be around thirteen years old and would bike to this lake which was about eight miles from my house it was full of tench and a sprinkling of carp and some really nice roach i would hide my bike in the undergrowth and slip onto the estate over the road side fence. i would mostly float fish this lake and i caught some very good tench not huge three or four pounds but to my mate ray and myself they were absolutely huge we caught them mostly on maggot which we collected from the abattoir but bread was another good bait.
The problem was it was a big shooting estate and was heavily keeper ed we were there one day and they started to shoot the duck. There was literally hundreds of duck on the place mostly mallard there was about fifteen guns and at least twenty or more beaters and keepers Ray and myself were petrified we would be caught we lay down in the bushes beside the lake and there we stayed we watched as duck after duck came tumbling out of the sky we were intrigued by there shooting they were all toffs and you could hear them shout to the keepers duck down and most sounded like they had a plum in there mouths really posh they also shot any pheasants that came out of cover beside the lake. Ray and i watched like eagles and any that fell behind where we were hid we picked up and put them over the hedge where we had hid our bikes, and prayed the dogs would not pick our scent up.
We got away with this many times and always managed to get away with half a dozen mallard, and the odd pheasant, we got stopped going home one night by one of the local farmers who wanted to know where we had got the pheasants and duck from as some were hanging from the handle bars on our bikes. i told him we had been given them for helping the keepers to beat the estate up the road he believed us and we were on our way home i don't think he thought two young lads like us could really poach and steal from the estate but that's how we lived the year was 1955 and food was still scarce so the odd bird was always welcome by mum and dad and the neighbors it was a change from rabbit. well more about my adventures latter
I suppose its about fifty five years since i used to guest or poach a lake in south Shropshire it is now owned by Birmingham angling association i would be around thirteen years old and would bike to this lake which was about eight miles from my house it was full of tench and a sprinkling of carp and some really nice roach i would hide my bike in the undergrowth and slip onto the estate over the road side fence. i would mostly float fish this lake and i caught some very good tench not huge three or four pounds but to my mate ray and myself they were absolutely huge we caught them mostly on maggot which we collected from the abattoir but bread was another good bait.
The problem was it was a big shooting estate and was heavily keeper ed we were there one day and they started to shoot the duck. There was literally hundreds of duck on the place mostly mallard there was about fifteen guns and at least twenty or more beaters and keepers Ray and myself were petrified we would be caught we lay down in the bushes beside the lake and there we stayed we watched as duck after duck came tumbling out of the sky we were intrigued by there shooting they were all toffs and you could hear them shout to the keepers duck down and most sounded like they had a plum in there mouths really posh they also shot any pheasants that came out of cover beside the lake. Ray and i watched like eagles and any that fell behind where we were hid we picked up and put them over the hedge where we had hid our bikes, and prayed the dogs would not pick our scent up.
We got away with this many times and always managed to get away with half a dozen mallard, and the odd pheasant, we got stopped going home one night by one of the local farmers who wanted to know where we had got the pheasants and duck from as some were hanging from the handle bars on our bikes. i told him we had been given them for helping the keepers to beat the estate up the road he believed us and we were on our way home i don't think he thought two young lads like us could really poach and steal from the estate but that's how we lived the year was 1955 and food was still scarce so the odd bird was always welcome by mum and dad and the neighbors it was a change from rabbit. well more about my adventures latter
In reply to Post #727
Old SAM my friend the keeper was always interested in what we got up to. and when i told him about the estate lake we were fishing and the duck we had had he was none to pleased as he knew the estate and the keepers they were a close knit community and helped one another out especially on shoot days. yum goner get catch ed one day young'un he would say in his broad Shropshire language but i was lucky we never did get caught i used to laugh at him some times as he was partial to a bit of poaching him self especially the brown trout.
some times he would take me with him he would put night lines down using worms for bait or a dead minnow he would catch a dozen or so i could not believe what he did as he was keeper its the perks of the trade he would say and who's gonna catch me he would say im keeper here and he was right he would also have the odd rabbit and pheasant and would give me a couple to take home with me. i suppose it was SAM who learned me the art of poaching he would take me down the woods and learn me the different signs to look out for the fox, badger, rat, stoat, he would also shoot the rooks and take home for his wife to make rook pie i never really fancied that and he would say y dont know what yer missing they would only use the breast and put potatoes and vegetables in and put a great big crust on top which had been baked in the oven i never did once try it i just did not fancy it.
He would also put eel traps down i did like eel ls and his wife would skin them then batter and fry i would sit in there house eating battered eel and potatoes with butter on with great big slabs of bread and home made butter she would make the butter her self with milk from the farm she would send me up to the farm ,for the milk and i would carry it back in a big old tin jug at times it would still be warm and i would take a sip or two she also made her own bread it was delicious and always had the crust with plenty of butter on it they were great days i would roam where i wanted far and wide and i learned so much about nature and the country side from old sam alas these old timers have now all gone and have taken there knowledge with them but i have happy memories of dear old sam and his wife that will remain with me forever. more to follow latter
Old SAM my friend the keeper was always interested in what we got up to. and when i told him about the estate lake we were fishing and the duck we had had he was none to pleased as he knew the estate and the keepers they were a close knit community and helped one another out especially on shoot days. yum goner get catch ed one day young'un he would say in his broad Shropshire language but i was lucky we never did get caught i used to laugh at him some times as he was partial to a bit of poaching him self especially the brown trout.
some times he would take me with him he would put night lines down using worms for bait or a dead minnow he would catch a dozen or so i could not believe what he did as he was keeper its the perks of the trade he would say and who's gonna catch me he would say im keeper here and he was right he would also have the odd rabbit and pheasant and would give me a couple to take home with me. i suppose it was SAM who learned me the art of poaching he would take me down the woods and learn me the different signs to look out for the fox, badger, rat, stoat, he would also shoot the rooks and take home for his wife to make rook pie i never really fancied that and he would say y dont know what yer missing they would only use the breast and put potatoes and vegetables in and put a great big crust on top which had been baked in the oven i never did once try it i just did not fancy it.
He would also put eel traps down i did like eel ls and his wife would skin them then batter and fry i would sit in there house eating battered eel and potatoes with butter on with great big slabs of bread and home made butter she would make the butter her self with milk from the farm she would send me up to the farm ,for the milk and i would carry it back in a big old tin jug at times it would still be warm and i would take a sip or two she also made her own bread it was delicious and always had the crust with plenty of butter on it they were great days i would roam where i wanted far and wide and i learned so much about nature and the country side from old sam alas these old timers have now all gone and have taken there knowledge with them but i have happy memories of dear old sam and his wife that will remain with me forever. more to follow latter
In reply to Post #728
Graham and myself went barbel fishing yesterday we did not get a bite for at least five hours and i did not expect it when it came i said to gray it was only a little fish but i soon changed my mind as it powered up stream i could do nothing with it for at least five minutes i just had to let the fish have his head, after a while i did get some sort of control but worse was to come he then decided to head down stream after about ten minutes i got to within a few yards from the bank then it happened the line got cut off on the sharp rocks which adorn that part of the severn which is just below the weir pool in shrewsbury i was really a bit fed up as it was a very big fish indeed and was probably an upper double well it does happen.
The next cast produced a nice chub and that was that it started to rain it was coming down like stair rods because we were fishing on concrete we could not get our umbrellas up so we decided to call it a day but we will be back on Thursday and give it another go, one interesting thing we learned from the bailiff who is a good friend. was on Sunday another angler hooked grahams rod the one he lost the other week as i mentioned it was pulled in by a barbel he had the line and with the help- of my bailiff friend managed to pull it to the surface on the far side of the river but it got stuck and the line broke, but at least we know approx where it is and will take some strong line and an old sea rod and try and cast over it on thurs and drag it in we may be lucky we will have to see.
i am going to try using 10ml or 12ml bolies as i tried the small halibut pellet and had no success i really do wander if they are wising up as when i changed to bolies yesterday i had an instant take a friend is going to send me some free bait to try some that he has made which he has had quite some success using i am quite looking forward to using it but i dont think it will arrive in time for tomorrow so i will stick with the 10 mill halibut boilies for now but look forward to using the new bait next week well thats all for now more latter
Graham and myself went barbel fishing yesterday we did not get a bite for at least five hours and i did not expect it when it came i said to gray it was only a little fish but i soon changed my mind as it powered up stream i could do nothing with it for at least five minutes i just had to let the fish have his head, after a while i did get some sort of control but worse was to come he then decided to head down stream after about ten minutes i got to within a few yards from the bank then it happened the line got cut off on the sharp rocks which adorn that part of the severn which is just below the weir pool in shrewsbury i was really a bit fed up as it was a very big fish indeed and was probably an upper double well it does happen.
The next cast produced a nice chub and that was that it started to rain it was coming down like stair rods because we were fishing on concrete we could not get our umbrellas up so we decided to call it a day but we will be back on Thursday and give it another go, one interesting thing we learned from the bailiff who is a good friend. was on Sunday another angler hooked grahams rod the one he lost the other week as i mentioned it was pulled in by a barbel he had the line and with the help- of my bailiff friend managed to pull it to the surface on the far side of the river but it got stuck and the line broke, but at least we know approx where it is and will take some strong line and an old sea rod and try and cast over it on thurs and drag it in we may be lucky we will have to see.
i am going to try using 10ml or 12ml bolies as i tried the small halibut pellet and had no success i really do wander if they are wising up as when i changed to bolies yesterday i had an instant take a friend is going to send me some free bait to try some that he has made which he has had quite some success using i am quite looking forward to using it but i dont think it will arrive in time for tomorrow so i will stick with the 10 mill halibut boilies for now but look forward to using the new bait next week well thats all for now more latter