Farliesbirthday

[Gary Bills]

Gentlemen,
I've posted a great deal on this site already; so I thought it would be manners to say hello. I hope I haven't posted too much: this forum fascinates me, and as a pro-journo I wanted to help to get it going, as it were. I live in Herefordshire: not too far from Redmire, which I am yet to fish. I adore carp fishing, but I've also had my fascinations with pike and tench, and Severn and Teme barbel on the side. I've dabbled in fishing journalism. My first article was in 1989, in Coarse Angler, and I recently had an article in Waterlog. But I haven't written many fishing articles. The romantic in me has led me into poetry, and I've published two full collections and I've given professional readings in this country, Italy and Germany. My dream is to write a half-decent fishing book, but I'm not rushing things!
I welcome this forum, because I think that angling may be losing its soul elsewhere.

GB (aka Farliesbirthday)

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Great to have you onboard and thanks for the splendid introduction.

I too enjoy writing the odd article, it gives so much pleasure reading back through your own work, so I know the buzz you get.

:hat:

[Mark]

Welcome to the forum FB, it's nice to know were doing something right.

I have had this forum in my head for about two years now and about three weeks ago SK and I put them into action. And FB, you post as much as you like chap :thumb:

[Gary Bills]

Many thanks - I'm really enjoying the forum.

[St.John]

Welcome fellow herefordshireian!! Glad that you like this place as much as me!! It's getting really good, and rolling along nicely. Are you a river angler as well, or just carp?

[St.John]

And you're right about its soul. It's getting trampled.

Fish for fish, not weights.

[Gary Bills]

Greeting St John!
I have a fished a river only once in ten years, - the Wye, and caught a 3lb chub on meat. That's a shocking admission, given the Wye's on our doorstep! I decided to concentrate on carp (again) three years ago, when I lost my job and had a spell unemployed. Before then, I chased pike for several years, including trips to Ireland, and I also went for estate lake tench, in my fashion. You must know Dudmaston Hall? The big lake tench aren't so big these days, I understand, but I managed to catch it at the close of a golden era when six pounders were not so remarkable. That's still a big tench to me, mind you! With carp, I'm happy to catch doubles, though I like carp of any size, so long as the condition's OK. I like carp to look traditional - the Leney shape if possible. I've never caught a a humpty-backed thing, thank goodness...

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[St.John]

Sounds good. I've had a parallel existence to you. Always fished rivers, and the first still water I cast into was redmire, three years ago! I've had a right struggle finding a good, quiet carp pond around these here parts. I love carp fishing, but really dislike the majority of day ticket ponds! I don't know dudmarston hall... Which bits that in? St.

[Gary Bills]

Dear St John,
"Dudmaston" is a water leased from the National Trust by the Kinver Freeliners' Angling Association. They have a web site...I used to be a committee member, back in the Nineties. If you like tench, and I suspect you do, and you dislike day ticket waters, as I also suspect you do, it might be the spot for you. These days, it is possible to get 5lb tench from there, but six and seven pounders are increasingly rare. But it's still a magical water! I say "water"... there's the Big Pool, - tench and pike, mainly, with rumours - only rumours so far - of big uncaught carp! The Big Pool is 18 acres, if my memory serves me correctly. Then there is the 3 acre Brim Pool, - my sources inform me that the carp are now close to thirty there, and a few come out each season...and there are decent doubles in the little Seggy Pool. The Seggy used to be a nice traditional tench lake, but the carp took over... The estate is in Shropshire, near Bridgnorth, and there's a big waiting list. I'd be interested myself once more, but I don't drive, and so I am limited to lifts and local ponds: and it's not cheap. Still, Dudmaston is worth it.

[DontKnowMuch]

Welcome farliesbirthday (excellent nom de plume) :thumb:

You once asked on another forum if a photograph I'd put up was at Woldale, you were right