Urban Gems

[FishingMagic]

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Urban Gems

 

[Paul Boote]

Excellent stuff, binka. The very first magazine article that I wrote, in my early twenties back in the 1970s, for the old Angling Magazine, was titled "Hidden Gold" and detailed my own rediscovery of a stickleback and manky dace water of childhood just as yours did, about how trotted and hooked chub played a "perverse game of hoop-la" through the many dumped tyres in the stream. Still have photos of a very hairy young me sat in some comfort on a dumped sofa in a gravelly shallow trotting a float down into the weeded deeper water below.

Nice roach, by the way.

 

[chub_on_the_block]

Nice idea for an article and well done with those Roach. Despite being silted and overgrown there must be something right with that water to hold such nice fish.

Most childhood haunts i had like that in London have had the fishing banned by local residents groups or the land turned into new executive housing.

 

[beerweasel]

Nice article Binka, those Roach are are far more worthy a quarry than those over caught commie fish.

 

[tiinker]

The magic of memories. The two fisheries that attracted me in my formative years were both private and strictly members only. The stories of the giant fish they held were common locally and in the case of one very true as it was one of the early carp waters that by 1953 had produced 13 of the 36 registered 20+ carp caught in the uk. The lake was at the bottom of my fathers garden and one of the bailiffs lived next door. Locally it was known as the police pit as a far few members were police officers from the police station across the road from what was the main entrance to the fishery in those days. There were a few bailiffs Mr. Reg phillpot was the head bailiff and a giant of a man at least 6 foot 6 inches and easy to spot a mile off then there was Mr. Charlie Mansfield my next door neighbour. Then there was Pop if he caught you unlike the others who might give you a slap around the ear he would give you several in all not a place to get caught at any age. I never did and became a member at the age of twenty and along with some of the other poachers have served as bailiff , and Fishery manager ect. In the year they let us in only because they needed the money to fight the new landlord it cost us twenty pounds each joining fee and five guineas membership. The president got up at the new members meeting to welcome the new members to the society with the comment that the poaching problem has at last been solved because all the main offenders are now members and god help anyone who tries to poach the lake from now on. The other fishery was the Hooks Hall Sydicate . This was two very shallow pits on the land called the Rom / Chase used by a riding stables rented from the council by the Garret family. There were only about a dozen members and it was not night fished the carp ran to low doubles very big fish to us with plenty of smaller fish we would fish of a night but no more than two you had to be very quiet again if you got caught you got a good hiding usually from the sons of Mr. Garret . More than once I can remember irate fathers going to the stables to give the sons a taste of there own medicine. Today these pits are part of a country park and not fished unless things have changed in the last year.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

A very nice article Binka which took me back to some of my childhood haunts as well.

One of these days I'll get the time to drive around and revisit those myself.

 

[MarkTheSpark]

Great read, Stephen. It occurred to me some time back that I have rarely if ever seen a cormorant in the town waters near me; they are just so wary of humans.

So I suspect the fish will be rather safer than in the more quiet stretches. You've inspired me to test the theory....

 

[nicepix]

Great article

Before I came out to France I did little else but fish these urban waters. Many of them have never seen an angler at all, other maybe forgotten about fifty years ago.

One of my favourite places was a tiny stream that runs right at the side of the M1 where there is a small weir. I used a five foot whip bought from the Poundshop, seven foot length of line, strike indicator and a small pheasant tail nymph and often had a dozen trout out in half an hour. It was strange how the first few were always the smallest and the last few the largest.

My first fish on the fly using a proper fly rod were roach taken on a hare's ear nymph on the River Dearne in an area I've never seen fished. And where the river has been by-passed by flood works in the 70's there is a 100 yd stretch that has two double horseshoe bends. In that semi cut off part of the river you can catch dace, chub, perch and roach on small flies never knowing what species will take your fly next.

 

[barbelboi]

A most enjoyable article Binka, hopefully more to follow..........

 

[richiekelly]

Smashing article binka, reminded me of some places I fished and had some great adventures when I was a kid, sadly most now filled in.

 

[binka]

Thanks for the kind comments fellas and pleased it evoked some good memories :w

 

[Tee-Cee]

Very nice article and serves as a reminder of times past, but not forgotten....A beautifully clear pic of the roach added that extra bit of magic!

Hope we see more of this from you over time.......................

 

[Philip]

Thanks Binka, as well as the enjoyable content...really well written and easy to read as well.

 

[mick b]

When you landed them they were "Perfect scale beauties", yes some pretty fish indeed.

But why oh why put them through the keepnet procedure when you were not in a competitive situation?
You cannot tell me that some where not damaged by being humped together like that?

Dare say Ive stepped on more than a few toes, but I can see no reason for the use of a keepnet in pleasure angling.

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

but I can see no reason for the use of a keepnet in pleasure angling.

Perhaps because it adds to his pleasure.

If you really care about the fish then stop hooking them and simply go fish spotting - the fish will be totally unharmed.

 

[binka]

When you landed them they were "Perfect scale beauties", yes some pretty fish indeed.

But why oh why put them through the keepnet procedure when you were not in a competitive situation?
You cannot tell me that some where not damaged by being humped together like that?

Dare say Ive stepped on more than a few toes, but I can see no reason for the use of a keepnet in pleasure angling.

Fair enough point Mick.

I do enjoy using a keepnet when fishing for silvers and it's about the only time I do use one nowadays.

If used sensibly eg. placing the fish in it and not throwing them along with swimming the fish down the net upon their return and not holding them for longer than five hours then I really don't have an issue with it and all of the fish were returned completely unharmed and none the worse for wear.

I personally find it very satisfying to see what I have amassed for my graft at the end of a session when targeting the small stuff and will continue to use one subject to the use of common sense.

Ps... It was "scale perfect beauties"

 

[daji]

A fantastic article! i often notice small urban waters, overlooked by others and like to imagine that perhaps it could hold a surprise fish or two. They are generally spots you would never expect to see an angler. Maybe one day i'll have the guts to give them a go and ignore all the 'look at that lunatic' gawping

 

[learning to fish]

really nice read and nice catch, hope to read more from you.

Steve

 

[sam vimes]

Good stuff, Binka. Not a million miles away from my current fishing activities. The difference being that my childhood, and nearest, haunts aren't remotely urban. This year I've not driven more than five miles for any of my fishing, I have to go further to get a pint of maggots. There's a hell of a lot of satisfaction to be gained by making the very best of whatever is on your doorstep rather than traveling to distant venues. This approach won't see me troubling the angling glitterati, press or record books, but it can be damned good fun. If I'm honest, it's taken a few too many years, and far too much money, to come to this realisation.

 

[Tee-Cee]

'never trouble the record books' ...........Maybe Walker said similar when he first saw Redmire eh?

Never too late Sam.......and what's the old saying..'never say never' isn't it..