The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

lovely Photo's chaps. I love the old pic's of our learned friends .

Wonderful images!

Hello S K and All,

Your recent post got me checking-out a few things which, in turn, confirmed my memory ain't so hot nowadays!

But let's start at the beginning:

Yes, Bill's capture of the '38', on 11th October 1973, was the last time before Chris Yates caught it for the second time. And, yes, Chris Yates' first capture was around one month earlier. For my diary reminds me, " 16th September 1973. Met Chris Yates at the gate, who told me he had caught the '38' from the Dam on float gear." In fact of course, the '38' was caught no less than three times in 1973.

Full list of it's captures:

1. 40lb 8oz. Eddie Price. Stile. 1959
2. 38lb 8oz. Roger Bowskill. Dam. 1966
3. 38lb 1oz. Tom Mintram. Keffords. 1970
4. 40lb 0oz. John MacLeod. Keffords. 1972
5. 40lb 3oz. Jack Hilton. (near) Dam. 1972
6. 38lb 8oz. Bob Jones. Shallows. 1973
7. 38lb 0oz. Chris Yates. Dam. 1973
8. 38lb 2oz. Bill Quinlan. Willow. 1973
9. 51lb 8oz. Chris Yates. Shallows. 1980

Regarding the leather in my previous post, and my memory check!

Having checked other pictures in my Redmire album, I am not at all sure this picture is indeed the 'Split-Lateral', nor, I am almost certain, is it 'Long Barbules'. (The 'Split-Lateral' and 'Long Barbules' are two different individuals.) Furthermore, a picture of Bill's 24-7 appears on page 190 of 'Redmire Pool', and if it isn't the identical picture as that posted, it's almost identical!

Sorry everyone, I'll endeavour to be more careful in future.

Besties,

Len.

Hi All,

On safer ground now!



Here's part of Bill's contribution to the first catch of tench we shared fishing from the end of the point at North Troy (Long Life.)

The successful bait being swimfeedered maggots, and bite detection via swingtips.

Besties,

Len.

That is a lovely picture Len, is it true that tench were Bill's favourite fish even above the carp?

Hello Mark,

Absolutely correct; Bill's first love was always tench, and this fact was mentioned in my Twenty Question Interview.

Bill repeatedly told me at the time, the summers we shared at Long Life, were his happiest. (Makes me very proud to have been part of it, but it couldn't have happened without Mike Wilson suggesting that it might be worth investigating Long Life's carp potential!

Besties,

Len.

Len Arbery wrote:Hello Mark,

Absolutely correct; Bill's first love was always tench, and this fact was mentioned in my Twenty Question Interview.

Bill repeatedly told me at the time, the summers we shared at Long Life, were his happiest. (Makes me very proud to have been part of it, but it couldn't have happened without Mike Wilson suggesting that it might be worth investigating Long Life's carp potential!

Besties,

Len.

I knew I had read it somewhere Len, so our Mr Wilson lit the spark so to speak.

Hi Len

My Compliments of the season for June and yourself.

Long Life
I looked at it and only ever carp fished it once for one small fish around 19lbs on my first ever session with Dave Watson, but as we all know the tench were something else. Remember at the time a 7lb fish was a biggie an eight was enormous and a 9 was a monster……and we all had fish within that range. You need a good double these days to even hit the press.

I remember one day after a disastrous time with Mitchell 300's. I never liked them because the line would slip off the [non] roller into the corner of the bail arm and when applying real pressure [on big carp] it would score up the line. I had a new pair, only ever used a few times, and the gearing jammed when playing a big eight. Bill was with me at the time [drinking my tea I think] so he, with the help of Geoff Seamer and Ron Chant [taking photos] helped me hand line the fish in. Got pics of it somewhere. Both 300's may be found somewhere off the left hand side of the arm at maximum throwing distance! Used my 55's after that.

Keep the pics coming…love them

Mike

[Mark, all the tench in the drop box are from Long Life if you want to put one up]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for the Seasonal Greetings, and you mentioning June gave me the opportunity to post the following picture:



I'd forgotten my cameras (yet again!) and June, together with our son, Tony, brought them out to the lake, enabling this brace-of-sixes shot to be taken, 6-1 and 6-3, in July 1979; therefore just pre-Long Life.

When fishing Long Life, on Saturday evenings June would often turn-up with fish & chips for the Herts-Chiltern lads; Bill, Bob Buteux, Alec Lewis, Peter Frost and, of course, me. (Told you I was lucky!) They truly were great, great days.

I take this opportunity, Mike, to wish you and yours, A Very Happy and Healthy New Year.

Besties,

Len.

PS. Whatsa 'Drop box', and how do you use it? L.

Hiya Len

At our age we have to relay on the computer experts like Mark to sort out the drop box. Mark [bless him] very kindly scanned my non carp 2 1/4" trannies and put them in a 'drop box' that both he and I could see. He can pick out any picture he needs to put on this forum and doesn't need permission from me. He has a free hand to pick at anytime. You've probably seen most as I used the bulk in my non carp slide shows /talks in the '80s.

Your mention of Pete Frost reminds me when we fished together for about a month on 'South Troy' [the other side of the Colne 'brook'] for the big bream we had seen. At the time I hadn't had one over 10lbs but these were big [at the time]. We fished very hard having dozens of liners which of course we couldn't hit. Eventually in desperation I float fished with the float touching the bank with about a 10 foot drop so something like 2 to 3 foot of line lay on the bottom and then started catching them. Went to 12lbs or so. When things were bad we even swapped swims to see if Pete could hit what ,at the time, I couldn't.

Take care

Mike