FWK Wallis in famous anglers

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St.John
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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by St.John »

The Sweetcorn Kid wrote:We have a veritable pro in our midst!!!! :hat:
No, not really. Enthusiast maybe.
"Be patient and calm-for no man can catch fish in anger."

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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by GloucesterOldSpot »

st.john wrote:Les bamford and i just measured out some of my wallis casts in the field above redmire. I was using a allcocks match aerial, my 12 foot wye barbel rod, a half oz bomb and 12lb gold label pro clear(too heavy really but its for using on the teme). I consistently managed 50 yards, the longest being 56. I know I could get about another ten yards with the right setup (vintage tackle still!) I'm sure that with a rod built for the contest, the zepher reel and light line wallis managed 70 yards. I'm sure of it. I'd love to say I'd prove it, but I really doubt it....!
That's pretty impressive, but I stick by my original assessment. A half ounce bomb is a lot more weight than Wallis allegedly used.

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St.John
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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

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gloucesteroldspot wrote:
st.john wrote:Les bamford and i just measured out some of my wallis casts in the field above redmire. I was using a allcocks match aerial, my 12 foot wye barbel rod, a half oz bomb and 12lb gold label pro clear(too heavy really but its for using on the teme). I consistently managed 50 yards, the longest being 56. I know I could get about another ten yards with the right setup (vintage tackle still!) I'm sure that with a rod built for the contest, the zepher reel and light line wallis managed 70 yards. I'm sure of it. I'd love to say I'd prove it, but I really doubt it....!
That's pretty impressive, but I stick by my original assessment. A half ounce bomb is a lot more weight than Wallis allegedly used.
Yeah it is. I'm going to give it a go with the wizard and lighter line. I know I can match the distance I got with the bomb with a 5bb crowquill and the wizard on a good day, buy that's pretty much at the limit and the weight is still quite a bit heavier than what wallis used. I'm going to get out with the wizard and have some tries. I recon he did it!!! Also he had no float to hinder the aero-dynamics.... I belive it's possible, but I doubt i'll get near... We'll see.
"Be patient and calm-for no man can catch fish in anger."

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Gary Bills
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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by Gary Bills »

Very impressive research, St John, and all the best..
I know where people are coming from when they doubt the Wallis statistics, - however, just because my best sprint time for the 100m dash was around 12.5 seconds (years ago!), it doesn't mean that I now doubt the achievement of Usain Bolt!
Wallis was probably the best angler of his age, and that was the level of his ability.

Ron Clay

Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by Ron Clay »

There is an excellent article in number 63 of Classic Angling on the life and times of FWK Wallis by John Essex

Apparently he died in poverty when his lace business went pear shaped. His skill with a centre-pin reel was legendary, but I do think that some of the distances he could cast were a tad OTT.

He was the son of a farmer who built up two lace factories in the Nottingham area.

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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

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I still need to perfect his cast, a project for this season I think.
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KevClifford
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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by KevClifford »

Not sure the poverty bit is accurate. I think that story originated from Dick Walker (or was passed on by Walker because he wrote that in a letter to me in the 60s/70s). But John Norman often met Wallis in FWK's last years and interviewed him for a book he intended writing titled Men of the Trent (they lived not far from each other). Some of the intended book appeared in articles in the Midland Angler magazine (including a piece about Wallis). Jean Norman (John's widow) told me Wallis was very well off living in a big house not long before he died.

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The Sweetcorn Kid
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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by The Sweetcorn Kid »

Thanks for the info Kev.....
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Len Arbery
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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by Len Arbery »

Hello All,

Just for the record should you be interested: F.W.K. Wallis' Christian names:

Frederick William Knowles.

Len.

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Re: fwk wallis in famous anglers

Post by Wallys-Cast »

Len Arbery wrote:Hello All,

Just for the record should you be interested: F.W.K. Wallis' Christian names:

Frederick William Knowles.

Len.

Just shows how times have changed, if he was around today it would be known as the Freddy Flick. :Chuckle:

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