The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Despite being Cockney's from South London my Brother and I were very lucky in that our parents were keen to improve their lot, to the extent my Dad held down 3 jobs and my Mum 2. This enabled them to purchase the cheapest car on the market, a Renault Dauphine.

Every weekend we travelled somewhere in the car, often camping in reliable weather.

A regular venue was a day trip to Laleham on the Thames, just above Chertsey.

One day we catapulted a mixy rabbit, put it out of its misery. We tied it - or Brother did, he was lighter than me - into an overhanging bush in our favourite swim.

We nagged to return to Laleham and two weeks later we did. Our favourite swim was empty and a regular drop of maggots from the rotten rabbit had kept fish interested.

First trot down Brother hauled out a huge dace. I told him it was enormous and worth getting a picture and a witness and putting in for an AT prize rod.

He said " Nah Bruv - I'm gonna get a bigger one"

Of course he did'nt!

We were not allowed a smelly keep net in the car so we had to return it quickly.

I checked carefully for the deep forked tailfin, concave anal fin and upturned mouth. I estimated it at about a pound.

Pretty sure it was a genuine dace.

IIRC the record at the time was 1lb 2 oz

Very colourful story.

JW

I know that stretch of the Thames well.

National Trust do/did the day tickets - I worked (volunteered) for them there for a year.

No day tickets when we were kids - it is below the London Stone at Staines, so free fishing on the towpath side of the river AFAIK.

Unless things have changed significantly in the last 60 years....................

Not Runnymede area then. Lower down towards Chertsey Bridge, Littleton Lane and the CSAS gravel pit and the 'new M3' road bridge? And yes they have changed considerably. Fished there since the '60s on & off when I cycled from Twickenham as a teenager.

That is roughly where a flood relief channel to prevent London flooding is proposed and likely to be commenced in the next few years if fully approved.

The record from the 30s until 1968 was 1-8-5; not sure when the 1-4-4 record came in.

Wiki and old dace records.

Dace (Leuciscus leuciscus) 1 lb 4 oz 2 dr Jack L Gasson 1960 Little Ouse near Thetford Norfolk 42 years
1 lb 8 oz 5 dr * R.W.Humphrey 1932 Hampshire Avon, Dorset 28 years
1 lb 6 oz 8 dr S.Corley 1910 River Gade, Watford Hertfordshire 22 years
1 lb 6 oz (equalled) Mr. Hullet 1907 Millstream, Sopley, Christchurch Dorset 3 years
1 lb 6 oz R.Robinson 1905 River Beane, Hertford Hertfordshire 5 years
1 lb 4 oz A.R.Matthews 1899 River Beane Hertfordshire 6 years
1 lb 3 oz 8 dr E. Steinhart 1889 River Beane Hertfordshire 10 years

The record Ctte have thrown out or refused or a claim has not been made of many many fish!

Add: - The last date shows how long that record stood for.

My memory of the records was not very accurate.....................

It's a nice boyhood story of a big dace either way Rotrax