The Silt - Walter Letters
Exciting news just released is the discovery of hitherto unknown correspondence between one of angling's greatest names, Rick Walter, and a northern member of his band of young contemporaries, Don Silt. Sadly at the moment we only have copies of Don's letters, but even so they provide a fascinating insight into the developing 'master and pupil' relationship between the experienced angling authority and his eager, willing young student.
May20th 1964
Dear Mr. Walter,
Had a go at the postman chappie today as once again I still haven't received your 'Thank you' note for your weeks' trout fishing I paid for at Avington. I am also eagerly awaiting your report on how the trip went, particularly as you did say that late April/early May might still be a bit cold, and that I might have to stump up for you to go on a few more expeditions, just to see if a pattern emerges. Really exciting stuff, could be on the brink of a breakthrough, best to carry on the research, as you say. And, of course I fully understand that you have to go on these trips on your own so you can give the matter your utmost concentration, don't want some young pup at your side asking lots of stupid questions.
Yours etc,
Don Silt
May 30th
Dear Mr. Walter
Still no news on further Avington trips, but I am saving up hard and will send money soonest. I think I should report the postman for hoarding letters, as still nothing arrived from yourself, very suspicious. Anyway, good news! Spoke to that nice Mr Treble, the bailiff at Tring Reservoirs, and he tells me I can come down and do the pre-baiting for you. I can have the boat for three days (at a very special rate) so I can start putting out the two hundredweight of breadcrumbs you said we would need for a proper bream session on the opening day of the season. Best news of all is that the breadcrumbs were free!
Had to get a bakers round to pay for the Avington trips, and not only do I get free use of shop bike, but I can keep all the crumbs left over in the bottom of the basket every day. With the amount of cobbled streets we have up here, that shakes the loaves up good and proper. Trouble is that the white and brown crumbs get all mixed up, so I have spent my evenings sorting them out into separate bags, I'm sure that is the right thing to do.
Anyway, I've booked three weeks unpaid holiday, because I've worked out it will take me five days to ride the shop bike down to Tring, loaded up with all that groundbait in the basket and not too many punctures, I hope! Three days doing the pre-baiting, a day's fishing with you. By the way, Mr Treble wrote to me and said that he agrees with you that for Health and Safety reasons it is OK for me to row you around in the boat, but not to have my own rod, in case of accidents, I fully understand, you don't want some clumsy oaf like me taking your eye out. He also very kindly said I could sleep under the upturned boat whilst I am down here, no charge, leaving you that room at the cosy little pub in the village. And after all the excitement, I've got a full five days to cycle home, although without all that groundbait in the front basket, I should fly back!
Yours etc,
Don Silt
June 6th
Dear Mr. Walter
At last, a letter from you! No mention of Avington or Tring, but instead a reply to my earlier interest in me possibly writing a book. You will recall I got very brave one day and wrote to you saying that it seems as if all those chaps you call friends, such as Jed Naylor and Jed Muller, get asked to by you to write about their favourite species of fish, why couldn't an ambitious upstart youngster like me be set a similar task?
I have to say that I am really pleased that you have agreed to ask me to write about something that will be exciting, certainly challenging and that has really opened my eyes, because I was completely unaware of the apparent amount of interest that you say is out there for a work detailing all the aspects of 'Halibut Fishing in the Outer Hebrides'.
I fully appreciate that you cannot offer any sort of support to me in this venture as I have to go it alone and find out things for myself. And more than that I appreciate it when you say that whilst I am away in the Outer Hebrides for months at a time doing research, you don't want me to worry about not writing to you as I will be too busy taking notes, etc. Thanks for being so understanding.
Yours etc
Don Silt
PS Looking forward to seeing you at Tring in a few days, tried to call you to confirm but the number you gave me seems to be out of order, never mind, roll on the 16th!
Graham Whatmore
