October Angling Star

[Ron Clay]

Read about the evolution of the "Fishing Magic Concept" rod, soon to be available now that field trials have commenced.

Also, Jim MacDonald reckons that a specimen fish must only be weighed as a specimen when it is "clean" ie free of spawn and that carp have become easier to catch than gudgeon!

There are many other interesting articles in this month's issue. All for the princely sum of 90p

 

[Bob Watson]

Got the star today Ron. A great read, what happened to 65p, does this mean Graham will stop buying it? ;-)
Enjoyed your last word.
Also tend to agree with Jim.

 

[Dave Barringham]

Despite the 'massive' price hike (almost 50%!), it's still the best value read around. It makes "Midland Angler" look expensive! Proper writers, too. I particularly enjoy Jim Mac's articles.

 

[Birds Nest]

Thats quite a price increase, how did that happen Mr Clay?

 

[Terry Comerford]

I put it back on the shelf when I saw the extortinate price rise.
How can any publication justifiy such an increase?

 

[Ron Clay]

Sheffield Newspapers have been purchased by a new group. It was inevitable that the price would rise.

 

[The Monk]

Oh and heres me thinking they'de decided to pay you a proper wage Ron?

 

[Ron Clay]

The reason I was given for the price rise is that for years now it was too low. Compared to Midland Angler at ?1.50 it's still cheap.

I purchased my copy the other day and the bar code in the shop printed out 65p by the way.

That will please all the tight fisted Lancs and Yorkys.

 

[The Monk]

Actually Ron it is an excellent all round paper, so is New Specialist Angler by the way, come on get your subs paid mate!

 

[Sascha Welsch]

Never heard of it Monk. Who publishes etc? Any good?

 

[The Monk]

Shame on you Sascha, its published by the Specialist Anglers Alliance (SAA), formerly NASA come and join us mate, check out the SAA web page!

 

[The Monk]

Can one of you guys do that fancy thing that will put sascha onto the SAA website?

 

[Bob Watson]

How long has the star been going Ron?
AND how long have you been writing in angling publications?

 

[The Monk]

He wont answer you until he's in work in the morning Bob, but I've got features he wrote in the Angling Times in the sixties, centre spreads, Rons been writing for years both in the UK and abroad, he use to be one of my childhood heros actually, I also have a few of his writings from South African when he wrote for the Southern transvaal papers and he mentioned in numerous books, a living legend really, what he hasn't done yet though is write the book which he owes to the Angling World! Come on mate, the clock is ticking on?

 

[Carp Angler]

SAA
Although it was inop when I tried it.

 

[Bob Watson]

Monk, I was hoping Ron was gonna answer first with a reply of 30 odd years or the like. My reply was gonna be; "Haven't you got the hang of it yet?" Check out his broad shoulder rating!!! ;-)
On a more serious note, I remember being a lurker (Grahams words I think) on this site and coming across the name Ron Clay. I knew the name, from where I don't know, definitely a weekly or monthly then I got a publication of angling star and it clicked,(in)famous angling columnist.
The book sounds a great idea, over to you Ron.

 

[The Monk]

Many thanks Rik, I knew I could rely on you mate!

Ron has been mistaken for Ray Clay, although Ron's been about a lot longer I think. Ray was the guy who took the big carp from Billing Aquadome in the sixties!

Ron does'nt think he's a legend, and laffs when I call him that, but he certainly is'nt any ordinary angler, and I've met a few!

 

[GrahamM]

Ron is one of angling's 'characters'. He's got vast experience, he learned his craft in what I regard as the best angling era, he provokes debate (often by deliberately setting himself up as a target), and doesn't shy away from saying sorry when he gets it wrong.

And he's a damn good angler who can afford to be all those things without hypocrisy.

 

[GrahamM]

Oh, and he's a lot older and therefore much more experienced than me.

 

[Ron Clay]

I had my first angling article publish in my school magazine ca 1957.

The next one was in the Midland Angler ca 1962.

After that I wrote regularly for Angling Telegraph, Angling Times, Angler's Mail, Creel, Fishing, Angling and a few others.

In South Africa I did stuff for SA Farmers Weekly, Tight Lines and Hengel/Angling over a period of 27 years. I also had stuff on SA angling published in Coarse Angler UK and Field & Stream - USA.

Ray Clay did indeed catch a 42lb carp from Billing Aquadrome. He was a distant relative according to my late wife. Ray was a member of The Northants Specimen Group. He died about 10 years ago.