Angling Problems

[Rod]

I never met Mr Walker, but as a kid I used to spend hours watching Clarissa, in the aquarium of the London zoo, I was totally fascinated by her, and whenever I see a photo of her, I remember what it was like to see her swimming around, almost as if she was in the wild. In later life I did lots of work in the Kodak factory, but never heard anything about an angling club, shame that, as I was often invited to other companies fishing days out.

[Mike Wilson]

Hi Mark99

You are correct. The 'old' Kodak lake was opposite mine [Savay- I was Hon Sec ] and when Kodak let it go it reverted back to Boyers who owned the mineral rights [gravel].
I fished it early '70s' as my late father was works manager at Kodak and got me permission. Had only one carp [around 27lbs] but, what was so good, were the superb rudd. Indeed the prize for the best rudd caught in 1951 was awarded to Mrs Kirby, my good friend Tony's wife. Somewhere I have the original stocking details of the lake. Whilst I can't find it at the moment somewhere on this site is a copy of the Daily Mirror prize awards with Dick being awarded a prize for his big Arlesey perch, under rudd you will see Mrs Kirby.
I also seem to remember [although at my age I might be mistaken] Kodak also rented a stretch of the River Colne above Swan Road in West Drayton. Sadly polluted early 70's when the Maple Cross sewerage farm overflowed.
John Stent, whilst a manager of Wm Boyers, stocked Harefield with carp, I think, from Rodney Meadow. The water later becoming quite famous. I ceased 'real' carp fishing in 1981 after catching all the carp I wanted after Dick said to me " Mike, how many more do you want to catch?" I've concentrated since then on the rivers looking for a 3lb roach and 8lb chub. Got very close but no cigar yet.

Thank you for your interest

Mike

[Mark99]

Mike,

Thanks very useful info. As a kid growing up in that area in the early 70's, one was very aware if you got a job at Kodak, there was a fishing lake/club.

The Maple Cross section of canal threw up some decent specimens during a recent electro-fish survey - worrying lack of small silvers however. IIRC chub to around 7lb found which accords with a chap who lure fishes there for predators who showed me a picture of a chub a fraction under 7lb he caught on a lure. Quite a few carp and some big bream (> 12lb). As someone who travels up that canal a lot (we moor a <traditional of course> narrowboat above Black Jacks Lock on a Colne offshoot) the lack of fisherman is apparent.

I did notice some decent tench come into the (lots of starwort) moorings this spring.

Re pits in that area - the little pit run by Harrow AS (opposite side of canal behind the marina) has a stash of old boats in it sunk by BWB (during the 60/70's) and some of the narrowboat historians are quite excited by them, there was talk about lifting some of them and restoration. That body of water was, I think, known as Harefield Flash.