The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Will do

Shaun Harrison wrote:Thanks Dave, it must be elsewhere as well as I don't recall reading 'Come Fishing With Me'.

Is also in Kevin Maddocks' Beekay Guide to Catfish book Shaun.

The photo was taken at the famous Snowberry Lake. Once the haunt of Walker and the Taylors. I believe Dick actually gave the lake it's name and was responsible for stocking it with Leney strain carp. Not sure how the cats got there but I'm guessing they would've been 'moved' from nearby Woburn or Tiddenfoot.
The lake is just a couple of miles from me and I have been on the (now closed) waiting list for about six years.

Would that be the Snowberry that Brian and Julie fish - can't bring their second name to mind?

The picture has obviously been used a bit as it's one of the older books I have seen it in.

Hi All,

Peter Stone was all that you've said and more. It's been my privilege to have spent many happy hours in his company, both on the bank, at his home and elsewhere.

The picture below was taken after a tench fishing session, and shows Peter Stone flanked by myself and Peter Drennan. 'Stoney' never lost his sense of humour right to the last. Peter Drennan recounted this at 'Stoney's' memorial service:

In hospital for the final time, 'Stoney's' arms a mass of bruises from previous attempts, a nurse was again trying unsuccessfully to take a blood sample. "There you are," Pete said in his soft Oxfordshire brogue, "haven't I told you before, you just can't get blood out of a Stone!"

Make the most of your friends, dear reader, for it just may be later than you think.

Besties,

Len.

A lovely picture and words there Len.

Thanks, Mark,

Not only didn't anyone have a bad word for 'Stoney', he, himself, didn't have bad word for anybody.

He is still sorely missed.

Besties,

Len.

"There you are," Pete said in his soft Oxfordshire brogue, "haven't I told you before, you just can't get blood out of a Stone!"

I love that.

My Grandfather in his last moments after a lifetime of being incredibly fit but sadly dragged down by a stroke laid in bed paralysed down one side.

The nurse came in and he asked...

"How long am I going to be like this"?

To which the nurse replied...

"Well Mr Harrison, Rome wasn't built in a day you know".

My Grandfather immediately replied...

"I know, I wasn't on that job".

They were amongst his final words and words fitting of him. Humour is such a wonderful thing to be able to retain through thick and thin.

Great to hear your stories of Peter, my all time top angler, from the first book that was more than a general 'how to' back in the late 70's peter inspired my angling and like so many true gentlemen i've never heard anything bad about him either. i start every season with a rod once owned by him for tench and bream in the ways i learned from his books, i may have learned new tricks and methods but the 16'th belongs to that way of angling.

On the subject of death bead anecdotes, my grandfather was in hospital after suffering a heart attack on holiday in lanzarote then being flown home, My father, his son in law, told him that looking at all those topless women gave him the heart attack, his reply was "There weren't many there this time" and winked. as i approach 50 i can see more of my grandad in me, and that's nice, as he too had not a bad word for or from anyone, like Peter

I remember sitting in Peter's front room at his home in Oxfordshire with a good friend of mine Bill Philips, the RMC canal carp record holder for decades, Bill had an amazing collection of stuffed fish and I had arranged to meet "Stoney" to see if we could purchase a fish from him, I was also after a Kingfisher in a glass dome at the time.
Stoney was a frequent visitor to my local tackle shop and many was the time him and "heavy" (John Everard) came in for a cup of tea and a good old chat, this one day I got talking with him about a 6lb 10oz chub I had caught on a floating bait whilst out carp fishing, he took a big interest at the time in the fish and where it came from and I had no problem letting him in on the whereabouts of the fish, which he seemed to appreciate, I just looked at him and said "we Stoney's need to stick together right?" then explained to him my surname was the same as his, a true gent in every aspect and one I will miss.

Later after his death I spoke with "Heavy" about some of his days he spent fishing with him and he told me the one thing which gets him most is missing the man himself (naturally) but another thing that sticks with him is after all the years they fished together "Heavy" never had anything with his signature on, I guess when your both top anglers like that you would never get around to doing such but the guy was generally peeved about it.

Interesting that in the first picture, of Peter seated, his Mitchell is positioned well back from the top of the handle of what appears to be a glass rod?