Let's see who remembers

[The Monk]

Eric once told me his reason for leaving the BCSG, but I'll not repeat it here.


Yes I know Ron, the carp world got away with murder in the earlier days and caused much division within the sport, things only really began to change when Old Tim got involved and the Carp Society was launched (ca 1981), I think fred J would have been the last memebr to join the CCC cirvca 1958 but by this time the group was all but finished and lived on in the minds of its followers. The National Carp Club, Alan Otters organisation formed about 1966 and this was followed by the Winter Carp Group, the rest as they say is history

 

[STEVE POPE]

Hi Mr. Monk!

Interesting you mentioned Dave Steuart, he was one of those who back in the days of the green Anglers Mail was a huge influence on many barbel fishers.

We still see quite a bit of him these days, infact John Found( BS Vice Chairman)has struck up a great friendship with Dave in recent years and spends quite a bit of time with Dave and Kay.
Still a great character, he is always to be seen at the BS conference and it always makes me smile when people come up and ask who he is!
I usually say that he was the Matt Hayes of his day and Dave doesn't seem to mind!

Exceptional thread this one, only trouble, it brings home how much older we are all getting!

Peter Wheat has also been mentioned and he's another BS man and he'll be coming along to our meeting on thursday, and like Dave he is always worth listening to.

 

[MarkTheSpark]

Percy Anderson of Cambridge. He did a great deal for the young anglers of the area and was a big mate of **** Walker

Quite true. When the Kingfisher Guild (AT's junior club) went to Denmark for a jolly once, on the way back the ferry stopped for a while to await the bigwigs of DFDS, who boarded from a fast launch.

That evening, at dinner, they had a special area roped off for them, and were dining. Percy ordered a bottle of champers and six glasses, then had them sent to their table with the compliments of Percy Anderson.

When the waiter presented it and pointed Percy out, they all stood up to toast him. Percy stood up to toast them back, and announced in a loud voice.

"You're welcome. Now get that down your neck, get back on that bridge and STEER THIS SHIP..."

 

[NomadPaul]

I have vague recollections of reading Chris Binyon when i was a nipper . Can't remember the magazine ( Coarse Fisherman ? ) but i do remember that there was a monthly series called ' Up for T'cup' which was a comical look at matchfishing . Its this magazine ( my dad's ) that got me really interested in fishing. One weird thing i remember is the end of one particular story ending with the phrase...WHALE OIL BEEF OCT !!!!

 

[ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)]

I didn't know Peter Wheat was still alive ....


The Peter Wheat Avonmaster -- built on a green blank was a 'must have' rod in those days

 

[The Monk]

Hi Steve,

long time no see mate, sorry i missed your Oldham visit, maybe next time. yes Dave goes back to the days when i first took an interest in carp, very few carp books were available in those days and Dave produced one called catch more carp in the angling times mini series, I knew about Daves exploits with barbel through his writings in Specialist Angling world and I have a few articles with Dave and Kay, Dave seemed to disappear for a while, nice to know hes still hard at it, unfortunately I have never met him. Peter Wheat too another great angler, I have a few of Peters books, I`m pleased to hear they are both Barbel Society members, they both certainly make a significant contribution to the promotion of the sport. Keep up the good work Steve!

 

[The Monk]

Paul, it was David Halls Coarse Fisherman, I think they also changed the name to Course Fishing at one point, I still have all the original copies from thre 70s. Chris Binyon and the Lucio Specimen Group I think they were later called the Coventry Circus Specimen Group (not to be confused with Tony Miles Coventry Group)?, am excellent writer who did get a bit of stick from time to time

 

[Murray Rogers]

Fred Buller.

He gave up shooting last year, but still gets out for the Trout locally.
He must have so much left to tell and yet he has written so much about most aspects of the country sports. I have a few books of his, and they are way ahead of most things you buy today, the guy was well ahead of his time.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

And his books on pike fishing are regarded as classics.

 

[Colin Brett]

I often walk passed Percy Anderson's grave in Cambridge and have a quiet word.
He was a big influence on young anglers in the Cambridge area.
My late friend Tim Cole often helped out at Percy's summer holiday kids days on the Cam.
Both larger than life characters!

I often had the pleasure of trout fishing with Alan Brown at Grafham. It was always that, a pleasure!

I believe Chris Binyon is no longer with us.

Barrie Rickards tells me he still gets a christmas card from Laurie Manns.

Hugh Reynolds is still fishing and working[?] He is also chairman of Waterbeach AC www.waterbeachac.co.uk

Didn't Cyril Inwood die of Weil's disease?
Sad loss as I believe he was something else as a game angler.

Terry Thomas? Chris Tarrant had a lot of time for him and they were both heavily involved in the wheely-boat scheme.

Wasn't Dan Leary a bailiff in Norfolk and caught a 39lb pike from Lyng?

There are probably loads of others out there that are truly great and competent anglers but who choose not to have the publicity.

Colin

 

[MarkTheSpark]

There are a few I admired who didn't really get the recognition they deserved. Locally, Peterborough produced a world champion, Robin Harris. Whatever happened to Robin?

My old editor, Allan Haines, was truly gifted on his home waters; I watched him fish log-range waggler on the Nene for chub once, and was stunned at his ability.

Bob Reynolds, he of Wagstaffe and Reynolds fame, was doubtless a good angler but had a sinister streak, I understand. I sat with him at a Northampton Specimen Group stag do once, and suddenly realised I was the only person talking to him.

But here was a man who pioneered carp fishing.

 

[David Rogers 3]

I think it was Chris Binyon who suggested that Wagstaffe & Reynolds were a bit "dodgy", in the sense that they never seemed to be in gainful employment but always could get hold of the latest gear. I don't recall them offering to sue, so perhaps it was true...

Anybody remember another Wagstaffe colleague, the Canadian Mike Prorok? He collaborated with Wagstaffe on several articles that helped to popularise summer lure fishing for pike.

Allan Haines also edited "Today's Runner" after leaving AT, and was a pretty successful runner himself at club level.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

One of the most sensational pike and perch fishers in British angling history is Derek Gibson of Sheffield.

He was a true pioneer in using lures for pike. His list of big lure caught pike and perch is truly astounding.

I first met Derek way back in 1964. He spent most of his time in those days fishing Dam Flask near Sheffield and no-one has ever come near him regarding big pike taken there. Derek used to make all his own lures, including spinnerbaits and a crank bait called the DG Sniper.

I have one of the reels he owned, a Shimano Bantam baitcaster and whenever I pick it up, I wonder how many times the drag has been set against yet another 25lb plus pike,

And if you ever read this Derek, your reel has been used to catch many double figure pike since, including a 23 pounder and a 10 1/4 lb zander too.

 

[The Monk]

I spoke to Fred Wagstaffe about ten years ago he was moving house at the time and was involved with the local PAC branch, Fred certainly made his mark on carp angling

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

I have enjoyed this thread although most of the names I recall only from the early days of my angling career when some of these characters were nearing the end of theirs.

I do not want to divert the thread but I was pondering how many of todays prominent anglers will be remembered with such affection in years to come.A lot of the reason why these anglers were remembered seems to be that they were pioneers in many ways.There seems little to pioneer these days.Prominence comes from applying the latest well publicised methods to equally well pulicised circuit waters and getting your name in the papers.Nothing wrong with that of course, but what sort of legacy will they leave?

 

[The Monk]

I wounder how many from here will leave a legacy, Ron and Graham will of course and the more prolific writers who appear in both the press and publications, also those who sit on National committees.

 

[Fred Blake]

John Wilson will be remembered in years to come for two reasons; by proving that angling can be TV-friendly and for demonstrating that simple tackle and tactics work, in complete contrast to most contemporary angling programmes, which are full of product placement and appear to be geared more towards getting the unthinking viewer out into the tackle shops than onto the bankside.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

I think mate that many of the great anglers of yesteryear have been forgotten. Both myself and my friend Chevin have met anglers in England who have not heard of the likes of **** Walker or Billy Lane. I once met a guy who thought that Isaak Walton once won the National Championship twice.

Barrie Rickards was right when he once stated that although our sport has an incredible history and rich literature, ony a very tiny proportion of anglers actually read about it.

 

[The Monk]

once met a guy who thought that Isaak Walton once won the National Championship twice.


did he come second then???








haha

 

[STEVE POPE]

My belief is that it is the responsibility, duty even of the generation that is currently in the public eye and has a degree of influence, to make sure that those who are unaware of Angling?s rich history are made aware!

That is why this type of thread is so useful.

History is being made all the time and you would certainly get a different perspective from most younger anglers, as Ron said I doubt if many of them would have heard of **** Walker but they would know who has had the biggest carp from the latest fashionable lake. It?s a different world today.

With regards to leaving a legacy I think these days its far more about what you do and give, than what you catch.

For my own part I?m extremely proud to be associated with an organisation that has provided a permanent memorial to one of my own angling heroes, Peter Stone.

If the relationship between Angling and the Internet continues to grow, I wonder if this medium will create its own ? hero? in years to come, the first Internet legend!