The Infamous 'Match' vs 'Specimen' Contests

[Mark Wintle]

I think fifty odd years ago it was relevant even if it was really a publicity stunt - Walker wrote the letter himself! The idea was for Walker to fish against the 1953 National champion - N Hazelford but ended up against the captain of the winning team. Today it is pretty pointless, and any one off two peg event between equally competent anglers depends more on the luck of the draw than anything else. In 1953 although there were a handful of big fish anglers the vast majority of anglers fished for roach and had no idea about heavy gear at all, so if nothing else it opened a few closed minds.

 

[Graham Marsden (ACA)]

It was no more and no less a publicity stunt. Coarse Fisherman set up a Specimen Hunters Vs Match Anglers contest some years ago. They don't prove anything one way or the other.

The main thing is not to take such things too seriously, not by those taking part or those looking on,and then they can be good fun.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay AMIMechE (SA) MIFE (SA) (ACA)]

Years ago I was talking with Eric Hodson and Ken Sutton at a tackle show in Sheffield. The subject of the Walker Sails match came up.

Ken Sutton admitted that the match was his idea as he was trying to find ways of boosting the circulation of the Angling Times. As Graham says it was purely a stunt, yet it did succeed in getting a lot of people talking.

What surprised Ken was that Walker was able to carry out Ken's instructions on how each leg of the match should go. He told Walker that he must lose the first leg by a large margin. That would get them all saying that Sails would paralize Walker before the end. The next legWalker must win, but only by a small margin; then they wouldn't be too sure.During the final leg Walker must catch a big fish. Win or lose it didn't matter.

Walker was of course able to carry out Sutton's explicite instructions to the letter.

 

[Fred Bonney]

That doesn't sound like the Walker I've read about?

Taking instructions to sell a few papers, but not taking a fee for designing tackle!!!!!!!

 

[Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)]

Evan, you are of course right with your 'apples/ aardvarks' comparison.

As I said earlier in the thread...

My interest is more in the 'spirit' of the events rather than what theymay or may not prove (and let's face it two contests do not make a hypothesis!).

But I do agree with Graham that,

The main thing is not to take such things too seriously, not by those taking part or those looking on,and then they can be good fun.

Anyway, the point of the thread was not about seeking a re-run (although it would be a laugh, albeit proving nothing), but just to get some background info on the original contests. Thanks to all who have helped out

 

[honslow]

Latest match was Keith Arthur versus Martin Bowler at Gold Valley. Keith won (sorry Martin - we'll make sure the next one's on a river!).

 

[Evan NotMightyAtAll]

As long as the spirit of it is taken for what it is, a piece of entertainment and fun, fine. What I was really getting at / poking with a long stick is the bunch of the humourless who genuinely take this sort of cod comparisonseriously on either side.

Generally ending uppolluting this sort of forum and others with endless long winded and eventually viciously personal posts attacking each other.... when neither discipline is 'better' or more difficult than the other, just different. And long may it remain so, its the differences that make the um.... stuck for a word here.... um.... difference ? A wee bit tautologous but you know what I mean.

 

[EC]

"A wee bit tautologous but you know what I mean. "

Course we do Evan!

*heads for google*

Edit:comes back all smug

For those too proud to admit it.

Tautolothingeeo

 

[Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)]

Fair play Evan, and well said!

Match and specimen are certainly disparate disciplines but they do share a curious symbiosis that is often evinced through such competitive non sequiturs /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

 

[Graham Marsden (ACA)]

Some would say that's noobastical ****y, but I'd tend to disagree.

 

[Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)]

Graham,

I'm anispeptic, frasmotic, even compunctuous if Ihave causedany pericombobulation. I can only offer you my most enthusiastic contrafribularities if this is the case.

Sorry mate... couldn't resist /forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif

Teecee,

Thanks for your kind research, I forgot to say earlier.

I have just ordered my copy ofWalker's biography and can't wait to find out more about the man.