A letter from Dick Walker to Mike Wilson

[Weyfarer]

I am surprised to see Colin Harms mentioned in the letter - I would have thought Walker had better powers of judgement. Before he got involved with his Damerham lakes fishery, Harms was resident in Guildford and a member of the Godalming Angling Society. He was a bit of a prat to put it mildly, famously misidentifying a common carp as a crucian and writing an article in Creel (under the nom de plume of Colin Blake) about how he hooked and lost a burbot in the river Wey.

As a young angler I took great pride in my first home-made rod constructed from a JB Walkers kit. Harms had a waggle with it (he ran a course I attended for beginner anglers) and said I'd be better off chucking it in a bin.

Sorry to go off at a tangent Mike but whenever I see that man's name I blow a fuse.

[Mike Wilson]

Know how you feel Wayfarer. There are a few 'well known' anglers that, shall we say, exagerate their catches and prowess. Some are very well known indeed. Some are dreadfull plagiarists and lift whole sections from books as their own work. Those who have a well stocked library may know who I'm talking about. They only cheat themselves for an ephemeral ego trip. I'll have nothing to do with them even though I've met some of them. I remember once at Dick's house when a well known carp angler in the early 70's asked Dick for a reference as he was appearing in court. Dick had never met him and refused.
I think [from memory] the judge sent him 'down'.
We all have made mistakes in our lives and have to live with it. I think to learn from them makes us better people. The higher one sits on the pedestal the easier it is to be knocked down.

Mike