**** Walker

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Eddie Caldwell 2

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A fascinating insight into the life of a great angling hero. Ron shows the human side of a superb fisherman; sometimes it's difficult to imagine how a legend actually behaved and how he spoke.

Any more memories of the great man, Ron, or fromanybody else.
 
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john conway

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Nice one Ron, although I?ve often wondered if it?s worth going back to those childhood/young man fishing haunts?
One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the quality and variety of the articles and stories on this site.
Look forward to your next one Ron.
 
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Bully

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Oh how I agree with your sentiments on changing the river Ron. We had some lovely stretches on the middle Medway in the early seventies. Lots of meanders, deep glides, shallow "white water" etc etc.

Now there is a straight "canal". All in the interests of protecting a few fields and playing fields.

Criminal really.
 
Peter Jacobs

Peter Jacobs

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Ron,

What a lovely evocative article that gives an somewhat different insight to the late great **** Walker.

There is no real benefit on thinking back on what might have been, but I would have dearly loved to have met **** Walker.
 
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Baz

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This is the kind of article that makes F.M. priceless. Definately one for printing off and framing.
Well done Ron, many of us owe you a debt of gratitude.
 
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Bryan Baron 2

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More Ron please. These are the sort of articles that seperate this site from the others out there and keep it on top.
 
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John Hepworth

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Nice article Ron. Peter Stone wrote some lovely articles for the C.S.G. reminiscing about the days and times he spent with **** Walker, and the Taylors.

Hopefully some will be re printed, together with some from ****, and published in the New Specialist Angler magazine, celebrating 40 years of the setting up of the umbrella organisation for Specimen Groups, now the S.A.A.
The C.S.G. was indeed very fortunate to have had two of the very best anglers of the 20th Century as its President.

I had my P.B. chub from ****s old water, a lovely short fat fish of 6lb-01oz
 
GrahamM

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It looks like for all those who moan about Ron reminiscing about the old days, and especially about Walker, there are those of us who can't read enough about the old master.

I suppose you've got to be over a certain age to fully appreciate the enormous impact Walker had on the specialist angling scene. There was nobody like him then, nor will there ever be again.

Yes, more Ron please.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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I probably differ from the young people of today in that as a schoolboy I read all the old fishing books I could get my hands on.

JW Martin, William Bailey, GEM Skues, Col. Robert Venables, Henry Coxon, Robert Nobbes, even dear old Isaac.

All my angling lief I have loved reading about the history of the sport. No other sport in the whole world has such a rich literature.

I am therefore dismayed when young anglers state they have no interest in old books or finding out about how such things which we take for granted today came about. Tell a youngster today that the principles behind modern computers were known in the 1880s and he or she will not beleive you. Tell youngsters today that modern mathematics was developed to a high level in the 17th century and they will not believe you.

The basic priciples of angling have not changed, mainly because the fish have not changed. If you want to become a good river roach fisher for example, The basic principles you will learn by reading authors like "Faddist" who's books were written over 60 years ago will stand you in as good stead as reading Bob Nudd, if not better.

JW Martin knew as much as any modern angler, is not more, about the habits of, and how to catch barbel.

The only thing that has changed is the materials from which tackle is made.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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By the way, in another thread, we were asked about books on river fishing.

What I would recommend is that the person requesting such information get of two books, both written by **** Walker.

The first was "How Fish Feed".

The second: "Catching Fish".

In both volumes Walker discussed the actual species involved and how they obtain their food. This is something you do not find in many modern articles. Most of the time the author will detail a rig and even have a drawing of it without explaining the funamental reasons behind the rig. It's got so silly that what you see amongsy carp anglers especially is an overwhelming desire to dupicate the rig down to the last tiny minute little detail. If they can't get a size 12 swivel supplied by "XYZ" company they wring their hands in frustration.

I've seen this happen in tackle shops.

What young mdern anglers seem to want today is a complete kit to chuck out. No ways are they prepared to sit down and work it all out for themselves.

Instant success or nothing.
 
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Peter Knight

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Thanks I really enjoyed reading your post. While I was channel hopping last night I found Total Fishing on Sky with a piece about fishing the upper Ouse. Did you arrange that as a follow up to your article :)
 
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Peter Knight

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Ron,
Just reading your last post, I have to agree 100%.
Tackle improvements are a great help to all of us and proper use and presentation will also give the angler an advantage but these things alone will never compete with a thorough understanding of what is going on beneath the surface of the water.
 
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Fred Bonney

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Ron,excellent piece of writing and the follow up has also been great along with the thread on BV and RW.
If you ever want a trip to the Ouse,get to my place and I'll drive you down.
 
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jason fisher

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you finally got round to it then, keep up the good work, this is the start of ron's book by the way.
 
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Gary Knowles 2

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Thoroughly enjoyed the read Ron.

Like you I've had the pleasure of fishing 'two willows'. Not quite the same as meeting the man but it does have a strange feel when you position yourself in a swim that such greats have also graced.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

Guest
There have been some marvellous tackle improvements during the last 20 years. I think the most significant has been in hook manufacturer and design.

In the 60s Walker continually nagged the tackle trade to produce a decent hook. Anyone who has fished a lot during that period will know how bad some of the hooks were. Blunt as heck out of the packet an possessing enormous rank barbs. And the temper varied so much.

Walker once sent me a couple of hooks manufactured in the 1890s. They were far superior to the hooks of the 60s and 70s.

Young anglers will not appreciate that. 60s and 70s hooks were generally rubbish.

I think it was Peter Drennan who really sorted out the hook problem. He aquired a Japanese company who still produce some of the finest hooks in the world.

Kamasan.

In my opinion Peter Drennan should be given a knighthood. He was the first, I think, together with Partridge, who accepted the challenge of producing hooks as good as those produced in the Victorian period.

Whenever I buy fly hooks today I always insist on Kamasan!
 
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Blunderer

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Excellent article, Ron.
Something saddened me about it, though.
In the 60s you were given the key to the hut, there were beers left in it, money left in it, trust boxes etc.
In the 90s the bloody place was vandalised. Makes me sick.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

Guest
But in those days mate, people were a lot more civilised.

I know I will get a lot of flack from certain people on this website but one thing I can tell you is that this country is becoming more uncivilised by the month.

I know why and I am sure you know why, but because of PC we are not allowed to give the reasons for this.
 
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