Here's a subject that should raise debate...

[dezza]

Who's the greatest female angler of all time?

I'll mention a few names that come to my mind:

1: Georgina Ballantyne, the daughter of a Scottish gillie who caught the record salmon, never likely to be beaten.

2: May Berth-Jones, a pioneer amongst the carp angling elite of the 50s, and wife of Gerry Berth-Jones, a great friend of **** Walker.

3: Patricia Marston-Walker, the second wife of **** Walker and descendant of Robert Bright Marston who founded the Fishing Gazette. **** and herself spent many happy hours fishing together.

4: Gloria Heathingstowe-Basset, a lady I taught to fly fish back in the early 80s. She was a cracking and very aristocratic bird who used to phone me 3 times a week! Her enthusiasm knew no bounds

5: Last but not least - Kay Steuart, the late wife of that great all-round angler - Dave Steuart. She has been described as THE greatest female angler in history.

But let's have your thoughts?

 

[river_banksy]

sandra scotthorns worth a mention but as far as greatest i dont really know any more.

 

[dezza]

Sandra is certainly worth one, I mean a mention of course!

 

[Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)]

Dame Juliana Berners (Her name was changed by Wynkyn de Worde to "Dame Julyans Bernes").
Nun and auther of "Treatyse of fysshynge wyth an Angle". She was also into hunting and hawking and also wrote "Boke of St Albans" which did not contain Treatyse of fysshynge.

Wonder if she sang?

 

[chav professor]

WOMEN? FISHING???? PROPOSTEROUS!!!!!!!:j

I suppose if they are properly trained to keep quiet and not disturb the fish, they could tag along.......

 

[Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)]

just who are you going to turn to when you need a hand carting your gear, making the tea or coffee and passing the sandwiches?

 

[Bob Roberts]

But do they understand the off-topic rule? :wh

 

[geoffmaynard]

5: Last but not least - Kay Steuart, the late wife of that great all-round angler - Dave Steuart. She has been described as THE greatest female angler in history.

Kay gets my vote every time. A wonderful sweet kind funny darling. A huge loss to the world when she went.

 

[dezza]

But you have forgotten the obvious one.

That feisty lady called Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon who married Bertie to become Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. She was the antithesis of poor, frail, shy, stammering Bertie. She not only loved salmon fishing, and was good at it, she also coarse fished a number of estate lakes near to some of England's stately homes.

She was born somewhere near Hitchin in Hertfordshire and became a close friend of Elsie May Walker nee Cooper!...........

Richard Walker's mother!

I have a few delightful stories concerning both ladies, but I don't think you would be interested in hearing them.

 

[904_cannon]

My mates wife, 40+ years on and she's still turning his casters for the weekend matches.

 

[dezza]

Kay gets my vote every time. A wonderful sweet kind funny darling. A huge loss to the world when she went.

Wye Angling Publications have produced "From Minnows to Marlin" a new book written by Dave Steuart which is available from Welcome to Fishing Booksender

The book costs £35.00 and describes Dave and Kay Steuart's fishing lives. I will be getting a copy.

 

[Alan Tyler]

I don't recall Dame Juliana having much nice to say about hunting and hawking; the intro to the Treatise was a fairly humorous comparison between angling and the other sports - plus fowling - in which angling was demonstated to be easily the best - Izaak W. was to use the template again some 180 years later.

 

[dezza]

Walton was a plagierist and a miserable old sourpuss!!

 

[Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)]

You could say the Dame/Nun kicked it all off, a woman not a fella!
These church types have far too much tiime on their hands.

 

[Alan Tyler]

Plagiarist? "Compleat" is full of quotes, but he gives credit for them, doesn't he? And what makes him a miserable sourpuss? Anyone who lived through the ghastly times he saw, yet still entitle one of his chapters "Of nothing, or of nothing worth" must surely have had a jovial streak to rival that of Santa!
Many people think of it as an angling textbook, but in his forword, he makes it clear that the book is intended to be read, and to provoke friendly discussion, on a wet evening when you can't fish.
Read it again with your Jolly head on...

 

[dezza]

Walton copied so much from previous writers.

He was a miserable old sourpuss because he preferred to share a bed with honest Coriden the shepherd, rather than comely Maudlin the milkmaid.

I'll bet he had to put an enormous amount of lavender on the bed to disguise the stench of Coriden, who probably dressed all the time in his lambing gown!

 

[Alan Tyler]

Or maybe he was too much of a gent to give a frank description of Maudlin...

 

[Alan Tyler]

But back on topic, Britain's biggest fly-caught salmon was taken by a Mrs. Morrison; a 61lb fish from the Deveron (1924?). The fly-guys would know more about her "form"; I seem to recall a feature in "Salmon and Trout" years ago.

 

[dezza]

Georgina Ballantine caught the biggest rod caught salmon of course - 64 lbs

It's a shame but the huge Atlantic salmon of years gone by are now no more.

 

[irfonminnow]

My wife - the only person I know to have fairly caught a Bullhead on the fly (from the Dove if anyone is interested).