Barrie Rickards - Sad news

[Michael Townsend 3]

Sad news, yet another of our angling giants passing away.

R.I.P Barrie and condolences to family and friends.

 

[Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)]

Very sad news.

Barrie was a complete gentleman, and an icon in the pike fishing world.

 

[Kevin Perkins]

When reading Barrie's books on pike fishing you felt you were being talked to rather than being talked at. Definitely a major influence on my fishing, as I'm sure he was for many others. It's often said, but this time it is true, his like will sadly not be seen again

 

[The bad one]

I write this in sadness and shock after turning the computer on.
My deepest condolences go out to his family and close friends.
Others have said of him he was a giant of angling and a very generous man.
All of that is very true!

I knew Barrie quite well from SAA meetings, always forthright with his views, but eminence skill and patience to find a way though a problem.

My endearing memory of him and the first lengthy conversation I had with him was not about fishing. but his other passion Geology.
It was at the last NASA one day conference and I was doing some cramming for Uni exams reading a weight book on Ecology. Barrie said to me "that looks quite heavy reading for light relief!"
We had a conversation about the theoretical side of it. When I said to him that part of the course also took in Physical Earth Systems and I'd been reading some of his papers on Geology his eyes lite up!
The conversation then turned to his subject and closed with him saying, "if there's something you don't fully understand about physical earth systems, don't hesitate to give me a ring and I'll explain them to you!"

Thank you Barrie my friend! I along with many others in the field of angling and geology will miss your help, advice and generosity of spirit!

 

[andy nellist]

In angling we are lucky in that we often get to meet our boyhood heros in the flesh. I met Barrie just the once but he was everything I had hoped he would be and more. Not only was he an inspirational angler and writer, but he made a lot of things happen in angling, and to top it off he was also a really great bloke.

 

[Garry Procter]

I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Barrie a couple of times, and he was always the gentleman. A true ambassador for, and defender of angling. A unique and irreplaceable blend of talents. His is a great loss to angling, and my heartfelt condolences go to his family.

 

[alan whittington]

Another angling legend passes,my deepest heartfelt condolences to friends and family,RIP Barrie.

 

[mikeshaw1979]

A Nubian sunset shared

RIP Barrie Rickards - Professor and gentleman.
We met only twice, but in Africa, a continent he returned to often, in pursuit of his beloved Nile Perch.

 

[Richard Farrow]

How sad that another great angling character is no longer with us. My sincere condolences to his family and close friends.

 

[Lee Swords]

Very sad news indeed, as everyone says another giant has fallen away.

I have a collection of his books which I rate very highly but unfortunatley I never met the man himself to get them signed.

My deepest sympathies go to the ones he leaves behind but I hope that at some point they are comforted by the support and well wishes offered from all of the angling community.

R.I.P

 

[Cliff Hatton]

Prof. Barrie Rickards.

I'd always wanted to meet Barrie and I eventually had a baptism of fire when I shared a weekend with him on the Medlar stand at the Carp Society's annual 'do' at Sandown Park a couple of years ago: what a pleasant man. A great loss.

Cliff Hatton.

 

[The Monk]

what very sad news indeed, I first met Barrie back in 1978 just after the PAC was formed and under Barries auspices I set up the first PAC branch here in Manchester, over the years I`ve met Barrie at various events and also had the privillege of sitting at various meetings with him, his significance to angling and the development of modern pike fishing is second to none, what a great loss to angling, my deeepest and most sincere condolenses to Barries family and friends, Barries death certainly brings an end to an era, what sad news indeed.

 

[Fred Bonney]

I knew from Graham on here, that Barrie had been unwell for sometime.

I shall miss his opinions and writings.

RIP Barrie.

 

[ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)]

Deepest sympathies to his family and friends ....

RIP Barrie

 

[Coxy]

Very sad news.

Barry was a true piking pioneer, his numerious articles on fenland pike fishing were a huge influence for me as a teenager.

Deepest condolences to family and friends.

 

[MarkTheSpark]

How very sad. Barrie does, however, leave a worthy legacy to his ability in the form of the many books to which he contributed and, his swansong, the long-overdue biography of Richard Walker.

 

[dezza]

How very sad. Barrie does, however, leave a worthy legacy to his ability in the form of the many books to which he contributed and, his swansong, the long-overdue biography of Richard Walker.

I know that Barrie was working on a biography of Ray Webb and a second edition of Walker's biography.

Colin?

 

[Ian Cloke]

Very sad news, my deepest sympathies and sincere condolences go out to his family and close friends.

 

[Colin Brett]

I know that Barrie was working on a biography of Ray Webb and a second edition of Walker's biography.

Colin?

Ron,
Alas, I doubt Barrie was granted enough time to even complete the research on these books, but I will ask Mandy.
I do know the update of "Fishing for Big Pike" is complete and with the printers. This will probably be published in the new year now.
The other book just completed is a book on Zander this has only just been submitted so there may be a delay on seeing this one in print soon.

I must admit to being amazed at how prolific Barrie was when it came to writing and it really was writing!! Longhand, all of it!!
I remember him telling me how he had used his time in hospital and when he was bed ridden at home to carry on with his projects. It couldn't have been easy as he was really very ill at times and extremely tired.
It just goes to show what a great loss he is.

Colin

 

[MarkTheSpark]

Am I right to presume he had cancer, Colin?