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Old school angling pt2.
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billybaltic

Posts: 85

#465 1 Jun 2013 at 9.32pm

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#464 29 May 2013 at 11.07am

In reply to Post #463
There was another lake about eight miles from my home it was stuffed with fish, or that's what they told me i never took much notice when the old men talked about the water, until I went for a look it was quite big I saw one or two fish showing on the surface, i did not know the area very well SO I had a good look around I walked the woods and fields surrounding the lake and saw one or two places I could hide if necessary I had tried to get permission it was useless the owner only shouted at me if yer don't get off my property ill shoot you with a ball of your own muck what a charming man that really revved me up I was determined I would fish his lake

So a week latter saw me on my bike with the rod tied to the cross bar it took me a while to get there but I eventually arrived on hiding my bike I made for a big clump of rhododendron bushes I managed to get to the water edge it was clear of bushes for about three feet so if disturbed I would be able to vanish into the rhododendrons I really hoped that would not happen. I set up and out I cast I was using bread flake, for bait. Putting a piece of doe on the line between reel and butt ring for my indicator, I switched on my bike torch it glowed a nice red I strapped it to a bank stick it showed up my bobbin, well as I watched the doe bobbin, flew up and hit the rod butt I picked the rod up and struck I felt the resistance from a good fish, few minutes latter I had it on the bank it was a slab of bronze what a beauty I had no scales or camera as in those days we had no money to buy such things but it was a bream, my first big one I shook with excitement I slipped it back and cast out once more I had hardly sat down on my bag when the indicator shot up once more I was in once again god this was some sort of fishing it was identical to the first fish, followed by five more I was on a high I had forgot about the lake being private in my excitement, until I heard some talking I could smell pipe smoke was it the keepers, or some one like me poaching.

A big bream from years ago
I moved back to the bushes I broke my rod down and listened I heard the one say john there not around to night I heard the bark of a dog it sounded like an Alsatian the only way to get to me was through the bushes by now I was shaking with fear I did not like those big dogs but I need not worried they moved on I decided enough was enough
I was packing the rod up when I heard a shout it was further around the lake they were chasing some one I crawled under the bush I lay there until it quietened down I heard them pass me on there way back the shouting I had heard
was poachers and it sounded like they had caught two, I think the police were there as well i made my way to my bike, and was glad to be on my way home it was four thirty by the time I got to my bed those big bream had really wet my appetite it would not be long before I was back. well a bit more latter

Another from years ago

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#463 27 May 2013 at 11.40am

In reply to Post #462
Thanks paddy very much appreciated

carppad

Posts: 528

#462 27 May 2013 at 5.52am

In reply to Post #459
Hi Pete,
you really were a little bugger !!

i got into some scrapes when i was younger with poaching and scrumping.
Your escapades bring back some happy memories mate. keep the stories coming Pete.
Cheers,
Paddy.

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#461 23 May 2013 at 8.13pm

In reply to Post #460
Thanks appreciated

billybaltic

Posts: 85

#460 23 May 2013 at 4.20pm

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#459 23 May 2013 at 10.05am

In reply to Post #457
They used to say on our village you will get caught one day but I never did I fished Acton burnell when I was around twelve years old I would hide in the under growth if I heard any one about I would go with a lad called Robert wilocks we would cycle there and hide our bikes, we caught very little in those days a few roach it was a big shooting estate and it had two keepers one was Bert owlet, the other Peter Jackson, they were both old school keepers and very good at there job it was when I got to fifteen years old that I really fished it hard I would fish it at night and be away before any keepers were around I managed to catch some lovely Tench, and roach,

Couple of Tench from acton years ago

I eventually got to know the owner who gave me permission to fish both lakes, he gave me a card saying I could fish but not on shooting days I never once poached his pheasants although I had the opportunity you don't bite the hand that feeds you the owner took me under his wing and would come and talk with me when I was on the lakes. not so far away a few miles from Acton was another lake reputed to hold carp, I really tried to get permission but I was refused I was determined to fish this old lake it was in the grounds of a big black and white Tudor hall, it also had a keeper, not a very nice chap the lake was behind the hall so I had to be very careful I would go in the evening just before dark I ledgered using maggot and bread flake as bait I really caught some very nice carp, not huge around about five pounds the place was over run with Pheasants, I made my mind up I would have some of these I knocked around with a lad called billy he wanted to come with me he was a handy chap with his fists so I relented I never usually took any one I would only be responsible for myself and not others.

A carp from Acton years ago

Over the few weeks I fished the lake I got to know the lay of the land where to hide if chased I took my trusted gun and billy, held the lamp we would go fishing first then hide the rods then have a few pheasants, and such I suppose it had to come one dark night we had shot a few when we heard a shout it was the keeper, and the police, they must of realized some one was having the birds, away and were waiting follow me billy we ran across the big lawn behind the big house I hid my gun with rods under some rhododendron bushes over the field we went and up this big fir tree it was huge with plenty of cover. We watched as a Land Rover came up the field I could see the blue light it was the Sgt from our village with another constable, who I knew very well it was not long before they were joined by the keeper, and his under keeper, we have lost them he shouted I am going to check the road said the Sgt they wont be far away billy and i never got out of that tree for about two hours it eventually quietened down we picked up the gun and rods. We had half a dozen pheasants in the bag and made our way to our bikes we dare not use the roads so we made our way back over the fields most of the time pushing our bikes we arrived back home at three thirty in the morning are you coming again billy his reply was no way its to dangerous when i awoke in the morning mother said the police have been here i told them you were still in bed it was not the last time i fished that lake,. but that's another story. more latter

billybaltic

Posts: 85

#458 21 May 2013 at 9.29am

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#457 17 May 2013 at 4.28pm

In reply to Post #454
In those days I had continues hassle from the keepers and the police they knew I poached but never caught me I fished most lakes, with out permission the one lake, I poached was on quite a big estate I will not mention any names for I do not want to embarrass any one as some of the owners are still alive. I had caught some wonderful Tench from the water there was at least six keepers with one head keeper there were pheasants, where ever you looked I was really tempted to have a few birds, away but friends said keep away you will get caught.

It was all to much for me I was determined to have ago so one dark and windy night saw myself hiding my bike, beside the river severn in some thick under growth I forded the river and entered the estate it was around midnight I stopped and listened all was quite except for a dog, at the head keepers cottage, I skirted around the big hall and entered the woods my bike torch was strapped to the barrel of my rifle it was bodge job but it got me by I had used it many times before with success.

I could see the lights from the hall, in the distance up went the torch and gun, I could see the birds, roosting up above I squeezed the trigger and down he came a big cock bird, into the bag it went closely followed by another I moved further into the woods, I was averaging two from a tree they would not be missed, or so I thought I had shot around eight plumb birds, when I heard a shout we have got you stay where you are or we will let the dogs go no way how did they know I was there god did I run and dived into the big reed beds surrounding the lake and there I lay I could hardly breath I was so frightened I had poached the lake before but never the pheasants, I could still hear the dogs, and the keepers, shouting I thought they were moving away from where I was hiding I decided to make a run for it bag on my back gun in hand and way I went if I could make it to the river I would be okay I could still hear the dogs, I am sure they were on my scent past the hall I went and in to the river I plunged it was not that deep I managed to get across I hid my self in the under growth by my bike god I could do with a smoke but I knew it was curtains if I did

As I listened I heard the keepers shout from the other side tom his gone down beside the river into the far wood and away they went god was i pleased. I got my bike up the fields I walked before I got onto the main road I put my back to a tree and just sat there I was well away from the estate so i lit my pipe, I could not go home on the main road as I may get stopped by the police, it was around six miles from home and decided I would cross the fields it would take a bit longer but I knew i would be safe I arrived home at three am in the morning I hung the birds and the bag in the shed I really was clad to be home. The next days evening paper said poachers caught on such and such estate I will mention no names but I really wonder if they were after me or was it just coincidence that the dogs, were on my scent that I will never know I poached it many times after and I must say I was chased on a few occasions but always manged to get away. I will tell you more latter

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#456 14 May 2013 at 10.10pm

In reply to Post #455
Thanks again William it makes it all worth while

billybaltic

Posts: 85

#455 14 May 2013 at 7.04pm

In reply to Post #454

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#454 14 May 2013 at 11.58am

In reply to Post #451
As I walked across the field towards the river the wind roared it was a full moon and it cast shadows as the clouds scuttled across the sky, I reached the wicket gate that leads into the wood i disturbed a hare i watched as it ran across the field for a few seconds it startled me but I soon forgot and followed the path that led to the river, I was safe inside the wood I sat for a few minutes with my back to a big beech tree and just listened the wind roared in the tree tops I heard the bark of the keepers dogs in the distance old bell the keeper would be away to his bed I listened no breaking of twigs only the wind to keep me company tonight. I looked at my watch it was twelve thirty I slipped down the bank standing on firm gravel I cast the minnow and slowly wound it back the rod hooped over and I was in the first of many trout tonight I played the fish, to the side it was around the pound mark and beautiful with his spotted flanks the fish, was dispensed with and put into the bag no putting the fish back to night times were hard and they were needed at home for us and our neighbours.

I took a drink out of the bottle it was cold tea and it quenched my thirst, I sat for a minute listening to the sounds of the night a vixen, gave a sharp yap she was deep in the wood maybe calling her cubs, I heard the screech of the owl, in the tree tops. I cast the Minnow,out into the stream and I was soon in another for the bag it was only a pound but they were nice eating fish, my rod was a built cane spinning rod made by Hardy it handled these fish superbly and if chased it was not long to hide under the brambles it also made good worming rod I had about ten fish in the bag, As I made my way to the first water fall I knew there was a chance of a bigger fish spinning below the sill of the falls, I had not got long to wait the rod really bent into this fish, after a time I landed a lovely cock fish of two pounds, I managed another couple of fish when I heard a shout in the distance and the crying of dogs how do they know I am here, they could not or were they clutching at straws, I had plenty of time and ran across the top of the falls to the far side which belonged to the blind school I pushed my rod under a big chicken house that stood in the grounds and climbed the nearest big fir and that's where I stayed the wind ripped through the tree that I was hiding in causing it to sway to and fro.

As I watched I saw them coming through the wood I could smell pipe smoke, the police Sgt and a constable was there as well it was old landers who I heard say we have lost him tonight frank, are you going to check his home said old bell ,no point said the sgt how do you know he was here frank, he was seen crossing the field by my under keeper he gave you a ring at my house so old bell had got a phone that's how he gets in touch with the police so quickly. I found it quite hard to hear all the conversation because of the wind god I wish they would go it was three am in the morning and I needed my bed as they walked on down the river I climbed down and picked up my rod and made my way to the church where I had hid my bike I had caught thirteen fish I broke my rod down and tied it to the cross bar I could not cycle back on the road as the police were probably waiting so I made my way across the fields arriving home I put my bike over the style into our back garden putting my rod and bag into the shed I laid the fish out on a big meat dish they would be shared out tomorrow, the very next day we had a call from the sgt where is he beryl I could hear him from my bedroom ,still in bed she said but I was up as soon as he had gone you will get caught one day my mother said she did worry a bit but you know what I never did. more latter

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#453 12 May 2013 at 10.21pm

In reply to Post #452
Thanks William

billybaltic

Posts: 85

#452 12 May 2013 at 8.32pm

petethecrip

Posts: 2831

Honorary member

#451 11 May 2013 at 9.51am

In reply to Post #446
To my mothers disgust I always carried a ferret in my shirt I would take every opportunity to catch a couple for food as in those days times were hard in the early fifties before myxomatosis there were literally hundreds of rabbits it was nothing to go up the fields and catch two or three they were really sort after in those days it was the only meat we had. We had it in a pie roasted or a stew it kept us going. You really had to keep your eyes open as you were trespassing some of the estates had full time rabbit catchers the money made was pumped back into the estate the rabbits would be sent to Birmingham or London I used to see hundreds sent by train to these locations.

Well I was a bit of a jack the lad I learned at a very young age how to get a pheasant, or two I would watch the big shoots in the area I would hide and watch the gentlemen and ladies shoot, they would shoot hundreds any that came down in the under growth were I was hidden would be in my bag I used an old sack to carry the birds until I was given a post office bag I carried everything in that bag nets for rabbiting, fishing, tackle when in use. lets get back to the shoot I would laugh to myself when the gun shouted to the keeper bird, down he would not find it I had already had it some of my mates would say you are going to get caught one of these days luckily I never did but i had a few near misses one such estate was not far from my home I should have known better I went down in to the woods in broad daylight found the feed ride I caught the birds, quite easily with a fishing hook, tied to some line with a big sultana or current on the hook, suppose I got to greedy I had caught about six birds when I heard the keeper shout and he was not by himself god did I run have you tried running with a bag on your back full of birds, I climbed an old ivy tree and hid the bag amongst the ivy leaves then I was away there were open field surrounding the wood that I would have to cross. I was half way across the field when I heard stop or ill shoot and he did the pellets flew over my head I just made it to cover god I was frightened I lay there shaking come on out they were shouting more pellets ricochet off the trees above were I lay.

The feed ride

I really thought this was it I managed to crawl out and flew across the ditch that surrounded the wood there was an obsolete firing range not to far were I was I made it to there and dived under some old sand bags and covered myself completely I could just see out i watched as a blue and white police land rover, crossed the field funny they never came to look at the firing range I stayed there for four hours I collected my birds latter I made my way home changed I knew we would get a visit from the sgt, we did about an hour latter where have you been today young man here I said I could not help smiling he could not prove any thing but it was a bit near for comfort I made sure that would not happen again but of course it did which I will tell you about latter.

The beautiful cock bird


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