Watching The Greats...

Neil Maidment · Jul 7, 2006

The current "who invented the waggler" thread is great reading and got me thinking.

Have you watched a "great angler" in action? Who was it? Did they merit the reputation or did they disappoint?

For my part, back in 1970 or 1971 I sat behind a guy, along with a few others, on what was probably The Huntspill Championship. He ended up with over 35lb of bream in the net using the swingtip and finished 3rd (I think). He was very good, very talkative and very funny. The few turned into a crowd of 20 or 30 and it wasn't until I had been there for about 3 hours that somebody said "This Ivan guy IS as good as they say".

It was Ivan Marks and I hadn't a clue. This was when I thought I knew everything and anybody!

Beecy · Jul 7, 2006

I'll copy what i put on the waggler thread Neil....

First time I ever sat and watched a top angler fish the waggler on a river was Tom Pickering at shelford on the trent, poetry in motion. The way he would cast, sink the line,fire out a pouchfull bang on the spot then pick the rod back up all in one fluid action taking only about 2 seconds.

I have also watched most of the other great Barnsley Blacks in action, Dennis White & Keith Hobson being the pick of them for me. Its just the way they make everything look so easy and comfortable that impresses on you, what ever method it is they are so smooth and polished.

I also once had the pleasure(?) of being pegged in between Jan porter and Jes king on the trent, i must have looked like I was watching a tennis match as i watched them swing in fish after fish whilst my float refused to go under!

I just wish i could have seen guys like Dave Thomas, John Dean & Pete Warren in action on the stick.

EC · Jul 7, 2006

Stuart Conroy

Neil Maidment · Jul 7, 2006

I saw John Dean on The Road Stretch at Burton Joyce fishing the stick, you're right, they do make it look easy.

More's the pity I didn't watch for too long as we were supposed to be practising for a National.

I should have just stayed and watched, I'd have learnt more.

On the subject of pegging... (not quite in the same league as Porter & co [was he all in red?]... but at a local level in Christchurch in late 60's, (still a junior) I fished one of my first senior club matches on the Dorset Stour. Upstream was Dob Chislett, downstream was Jack Colegate (the locals will know them....

DC - 19lb+ JC - 18lb+ Me - 3oz !!!

Richard Farrow · Jul 7, 2006

****ie Carr on the R Lea, pole fishing at Waltham Abbey.

Wolfman Woody · Jul 7, 2006

Frank Guttfield. Betcha don't remember him!

I have to net his piggin' fish now!

Mark Wintle · Jul 7, 2006

Neil, it would be a long list...

Take your pick!
Marks, Dean, Thomas, Ashurst (both), Lane, Toulson, Palmer, White, Pickering, Downes, Scotthorne, Giles, Smith, Mumford, Nudd, Heaps, Haskins, Hubert, Columbo, Bassi, Hobson, Canty, Allerton, Barlow, Swinscoe, Whittle, Gardner, plus so many I can't remember any more.

Been pegged next to Arthur (beat on Medley), Milsom (one all on Longleat), Porter (thrashed on Bristol Avon), Chris Love (he beat me).

I've met Guttfield.

With some of the above my fishing advanced years in an afternoon. Very rarely disappointed.

Neil Maidment · Jul 7, 2006

But Mark, you've forgotten the creme de la creme......

...remember Neil H., Dave H., Nigel L., Terry B., Les M.

Seriously, that's quite a list. I was pegged next to Ray Mumford on a Thames Championship, we both blanked. Also next to Topper Haskins on the Bristol Avon (thrashed me but gave me a couple of his floats).

Merv Harrison · Jul 7, 2006

Mark W, is that Steve Canty, (Tetleys etc), fished alongside him a few times, especially in Ireland, he left me standing, two to three fish for one of mine, wonderful to watch, after a while you become mesmerised by how easy it is for them.

He was the angler I was going to nominate, but thought no-one would have known him !!!.

Wolfman Woody · Jul 7, 2006

Oh Wintle, you name dropper, you.

Ray Mumford always used to turn up at our open match selling his hand made floats. Last time I spoke to him he lost his rag over the closed season debate.

Mark Wintle · Jul 8, 2006

Merv,

It is one and the same Steve Canty; can't remember whether he fished for Goole or Rotherham. I watched him several times at the John Smiths at Evesham. A great angler, good to watch, good to talk to.

Woody,

The reason the list is a long one is that in my match fanatic days we (including Neil) used to travel vast distances to watch the stars. In Dorset we simply didn't see top match anglers, or only very rarely. Matches I watched include the '77 Gladding match at Newark, at least 8 div one nationals, 2 world championships, the John Smiths matches many times, winter league semis and finals, and the Supercups at Holme Pierrepoint. I also fished winter leagues, superleagues, opens, nationals inc div 1 so sooner or later you get to see a whole generation of legends including many French, Belgian, and Italian stars. The list is barely 10% complete.

Ray Mumford was invited to fish some opens that I ran in the early 80s on some Dorset ponds that were full of tiny roach and rudd. After a bit of persuading Ray came down. On his first match, never having seen the water, he caught 920 roach in 5 hours, breaking the match record. The swim was 15" deep. I watched him and learnt a lot about catching at speed.

Peter Jacobs · Jul 8, 2006

Well, lets see:

Watched: White, Pickering, Downes, Scotthorne, Nudd, Gardner, Saunders, Marks, Carr, Marlowe, Mumford, Swinscoe plus a bunch I can't recall off the top of my head.

Fished with, or against: Gardner, Porter, Columbo, Desque, Trabucco, J-J Chaumet, Vincent, Lubbers, Walle, Skudal and many, many more.

Got 'thrashed' off the next peg to Desque once and only narrowly beaten on a different occasion. Never came close to Gardner but I beat Jan Porter from 2 pgs away in a match in Norway, amd I beat Milo by about 350g off the next peg in the Scandinavian Masters.

The one thing you notice when watching or fishing against all of these "greats" is the amount of preparation and planning they put into their fishing. Watching Desque mixing his groundbaits is an education, believe me!
Watching any of them prepare their hook baits is also a real eye opener.

Did they merit their reputations? You bet they did, in my opinion anyway.

b.t.w. I am also continually 'beaten of the next peg' by that Wintle bloke, but one of these day Mark, one of these days ;-)

Sean Meeghan · Jul 8, 2006

Benny Ashurst, Billy Makin Snr, Joe Lee and, in a Leeds and Liverpool Canal Championship match of all places, I had Dave Thomas on the next peg!

Sean Meeghan · Jul 8, 2006

Benny and Billy were always unfailingly helpful and happy to chat and show us the ropes. Joe Lee was a master on the waters of the North West. Dave Thomas was a really nice bloke, caught more than he did though! Having said that I don't think canals were really his element. Pre pole days as well!

Graham Whatmore · Jul 8, 2006

I sat behind John Sherwood when he won the John Smith's at Evesham off the culvert peg in a flooded river catching dace with a stick float. He was an absolute master of the stick float and there weren't many that were better, he had such control and as with all masters of the float he made it look simple. I had the good fortune to watch him on a few occasions and enjoyed every minute of it, I also had the misfortune to fish against him on more than one accasion too but I was part of the pools fodder.

Ken Giles, Ivan Marks and Dave Harrell, pure poetry using a waggler mid river or further and the accuracy of their feeding had to be seen to be believed and again made to look so easy.

Kevin Ashurst was no slouch either using waggler or stick and was probably one of the best all round float anglers in the country in his time.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member) · Jul 8, 2006

I have fished with and watched some brilliant anglers in my life. Many of whom you will never have heard of.

I once watched Billy Lane charm out a catch of bream from the Witham with a dirty great float whilst all the others in the match were struggling for bits.

I fished with the likes of Tag Barnes, **** Walker, Peter Stone, John Everard, Barry Horwood, **** Clegg, Ray Webb, Steve Crawshaw, Sean Meeghan, Graham Marsden, Eddie Bibby, Barrie Rickards and a whole host of others I have forgotten. I spent 3 weeks with Jim Gibbinson fishing in SA.

Better stop now or I will get accused of name dropping again.

)

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member) · Jul 8, 2006

And I have also fished with a few other brilliant anglers of today.

Notably:

Bob Roberts, Adam Roberts, Matt Brown, Andy Renton and a guy many of you will not have heard of at all: Noel Rafferty.

Noel is probably the single most enthusiastic all round angler I have met in recent years. His match record is of the top order and he has caught a lot of big fish. He has just taken to fly fishing and make no mistake, he is better than some who have been at it for 40 years.

Watch out for the name Noel Rafferty in fly fishing circles in the future.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member) · Jul 8, 2006

And one day you might be able to beat me Peter.

Well I suppose you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and let's face it, we can't all be Ron Clays can we?

)

Sean Meeghan · Jul 8, 2006

Wow Ron I'm going to cut that out and send it to my mum!

Peter Jacobs · Jul 8, 2006

"we can't all be Ron Clays can we?"

Not if we would have to wear a hat like yours Ron ;-)

As to beating you?

BRING IT ON my friend, bring it on and while you are about it, bring that Woody chap with you.

PS - also had the privillege of watching Dean-ie (half man half fish) twice.

Watching The Greats...

Moderator

Active member

EC

Guest

Moderator

Senior Member

Wolfman Woody

Guest

Well-known member

Moderator

Senior Member

Wolfman Woody

Guest

Well-known member

Moderator

Sean Meeghan

Guest

Sean Meeghan

Guest

Senior Member

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest

Sean Meeghan

Guest

Moderator