Are you a "Noddy"

[Ron Clay]

Those of you who remember the specimen hunting days of the 60s will know that it was vital that you did not look or act like a Noddy. Catching fish was secondary of course. Do these values still apply today? How do you act, dress and what tackle must you avoid if you do not want to be classified as a Noddy?

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Ron, you have seen them, the latest rods, reels, pods, bivvies, alarms, baits, camo clothes etc. Right bloody noddys!!!

Makes me laugh really, there is me on my hands and knees with a 1950's split cane carp rod, a centrepin and a wee bit of quill for a float, knocking out 3 or 4 carp in an evening, being told "u won't catch there mate", or, "F~~k me mate, you really think you'll catch with your Grandads tackle"!

They go on about this rod cost X pounds and that reel cost Y pounds etc. Better not tell them my split cane is worth ?500 and the centrepin ?200...lol...oh..and the quill, 1 new penny!

Get yaself down onto the river Dee in Aberdeenshire...the real noddys are the Salmon guys with the Hardys rods and reels, neoprenes waders and the range rover on the bank. The gillie sets up the rod, chooses the fly, casts the rod, hooks the fish, plays it for a bit, then hands the rod to the "angler" to land it. They have no idea what fishing is all about, to them its a way of showing how much money they have.

ps. The real salmon anglers are the guys with the intimate knowledge of the river, they know where the salmon lie up in the summer, in a spate, in low water etc. They can winkle salmon out of the most difficult pools...these guys are true anglers.

 

[Ron Clay]

Sounds like you are dead right.

I've just aquired a Harrison Barbel Quiver special by the way. Lovely rod, looking forward to christening it this weekend

Does it make me a Noddy however

 

[Jon Moores]

Hit a bit of a nerve with you did that Rob

Must agree though. In general the ability of salmon anglers diminishes the higher the proce of the water. There are few branches of the sport where money buys 'success' as easily. Mind I would say that, I'm up your way for a fortnight soon fishing 'cheap' water

Jon

 

[john conway]

The noddy is the guy who doesn’t know what he’s doing and want’s to create the impression he does. Unfortunately this is a personality trait and exists in all sports. The other unfortunate thing is you sometime have to waste your time talking to them to find out they’re noddies. What’s even worse is occasionally they catch a fish, then they come and tell you what you are doing wrong!!!!!!!!

 

[Ron Clay]

They sound like typical politicians then.

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Jon, where are u fishing..i might be able to help.

 

[Chris Bishop]

Noddies came from the 70s. Coarse Fisherman even had articles on how to spot 'em, how to tell if you were one etc etc.

It was the little things that mattered back in the mid-70s, when punk burst onto the music scene and the new breed of specimen hunters arrived to rock the previously calm waters of the angling world.

Sure, the new breed of big fish anglers didn't have spiky hairdos, safety pins through their noses or think dancing meant jumping up and down on the spot spitting at each other all night.

But they were just as radical, in their own little way, as the punks.

They had their uniform for a start. It was Barbours and rolled-down waders all the way in those days. Wooly knitted hats were definitely a no-no.

Everything exposed (rods, rests etc etc etc) had to be matt black.

Reels were either Mitchell 410s or Abu Cardinals loaded up with Sylcast.

Whatever you stuck on your SS7s, it all had to be matched.

All the rods had to be set at the same height, angle etc and all your bobbins had to dangle at the same distance.

Image was a tricky thing in those days. There were no pods, rods were made of fibreglass and there was little in the way of purpose-made angling luggage etc.

If you decided carrying all your kit in one of those wicker baskets made you look like Big Ears's best mate, you got a rucksack from army surplus and a deckchair to sit on.

Some of my mates sprayed their deckchairs matt black. When it was hot, the paint sometimes wore off on their bums.

I could go on all day about those halcyon days.

 

[Ron Clay]

Those were the days I missed of course, having emigrated in 1967

 

[Jon Moores]

Rob

I'm fishing the Kirrie water on the South Esk. I've fished it each year since I was a student in Dundee, although not as prolific as some expensive waters, I know it a bit and love it so I keep going back.

Have you fished it?

Jon

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Jon, I know it well...used to fish the North Esk too. Both have been fishing well over the last few weeks...get up here quick...plenty of sea trout about!

 

[Jon Moores]

Rob

I'm up there in a weeks time. Do you fish the Kirrie water much? If so we may have met up there.

Where do you fish on the North Esk? I keep promising myself a spring trip (was going to do it this year then F&M struck)and it would be useful to have other options at that time of year.

 

[Peter Morton]

Rob,
Please do not confuse "noddies" with "tackle tarts" who are a totaly different breed.
Down here in the south east a noddy is a term of derision for a pleasure angler,but there again how would you define a "pleasure angler"??????

 

[Andrew Thomas]

Anyone who does not fish matches.[With a gallon of maggot and caster for the never-ending circular bombardment of the swim with feeders]

Nothing like a broad brush to tar folk with don't you think?!

 

[Peter Morton]

TOUCHE
Maggot and caster was last season,it's all pellet and paste now!!!!!!!!!

Have you tried a roller? it covers quicker........:>) (<:

 

[Ron Clay]

Me

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Noddies up here are the guys that turn up at the local Loch, armed with a 9 foot pier rog, large boat reel, 30 pound line, and a large single hook baited with ...wait for it...and its true...a kipper!

They proceed to thrash out the bait all of ten yards, and then catch a bloody twenty!!..then...smack it on the head and try and cook it on the bank!

 

[Rob Brownfield]

I have just been reminded of a funny incident when I became THE angler to sit next to on a water in Essex called the Warren.

It was very late 70's and the in rods to have were SS6a's from North Westen. A super fast taper, long range fibreglass rod. (I think it was them...long time ago to remember for sure?) I wanted these soooo badly that I saved and saved to buy the blanks to make up myself. When I had raised the ?50 for a pair of blanks (Yep..?50) i duely ordered them from The Tackle Box in Stanford le Hope and waited.

On the day of there arrival i rushed down to the shop to pick up my new babies. When the owner brought through the blanks, we realised that instead of SS6a's, they had sent AC2's, an 11 foot pound and a quarter Tench rod instead. Now, bearing in mind I was only young, I decided to get them instead...and besides, they were cheaper, at ?18 each. I went home and made them up with 9 Fuji rings, the ones with green centres, and black zip lock reel seats, and push bike type handles.

On my first trip, I set up the rods with...at the time...Abu's latest Cardinals, the original 755's and got out the spirit level to make sure the rods were perfectly parallel to the bank..lol. As I was sitting there, a guy came up to me for a chat. He saw the rods and nearly fainted. You see, compared to the SS6a, the AC2 was pencil thin. He thought I had a pair of matching Carbon rods...unheard of on this pit. Me being me I went along with this. Over the rest of the day I had a steady procession of anglers wanting to look at these new "carbon" rods....had me in stiches!

 

[Chris Bishop]

Just imagine if someone had come up to you then and told you all the guff people would be using now - carbon, braid, baitrunners, bait boats, fish finders etc etc.

I still flick through the old mags sometimes and the gear never ceases to amaze me. Yet people caught fish then.

 

[Rob Brownfield]

At that stage I was using Dacron hooklengths and paste baits. Sometimes peanuts bolt rigged on a size 4 Lion D'or hook (remember those anybody?)

Monkey climbers were all the rage then too...anyone see them on the bank these days?

I remember using black sylcast line...it was the in thing too.

In some ways I was using baitrunners as i would tighten up then slaken off the clutch.

Its true though, down my way you could spot a carp angler by his ex army tank suit, 50 inch brolly with bits of canvas sown on the edges...and the smell!..lol