David Rogers 3
Well-known member
I know that boiled baits were being used by French and Dutch anglers in the mid-nineteenth century and that Chinese anglers were probably using something similar centuries before that, but Fred Wilton is often credited with pioneering their use in the UK in the early 1970s.
I've just finished skim-reading the last year of publication of "Fishing" magazine, which was 1969. On page 31 of the December issue, there is a letter from a reader called A. R. Johnston, from London, SE13 (Lewisham area) headed "Bream-proof carp bait" which exactly describes the preparation and use of what we'd now call boilies.
Does anyone know who this angler was? The name doesn't ring any bells with me, but I bet he never foresaw his idea developing into such an industry!
I've just finished skim-reading the last year of publication of "Fishing" magazine, which was 1969. On page 31 of the December issue, there is a letter from a reader called A. R. Johnston, from London, SE13 (Lewisham area) headed "Bream-proof carp bait" which exactly describes the preparation and use of what we'd now call boilies.
Does anyone know who this angler was? The name doesn't ring any bells with me, but I bet he never foresaw his idea developing into such an industry!