Ray Mumford, pioneer Angling Hacker

You know me, one to make tenuous but, to some, infuriating connections between the most unlikely things...

However....

Here is Ray, Dedicated Jacket-'n'-Tied Follower of Fashion and a True King of Fishers, back in the 1960s - KING FISHER - British Path�

And here are a couple of lads hacking the Fast Food "Experience" (and lovin' it, and bein' asked to leave):

Fast food hacking – why I won't be ordering a McEverything Burger | Life and style | theguardian.com

And here am I, about to get in the neck (I have form, you see, having long talked about the Burgerization of Angling), but still Lovin' The Real Thing (not out a well-branded can or ex-Cartel and up one's nose, either)...

"K-e-e-e-e-e-p on hackin'!"

And I thought my misses had a complicated mind. Good luck to you Paul.

Have no fear, John. Just see me when I get REALLY complicated. A few more posts like this from me and we'll see the Howlers reappearing!

OK I give up what's the connection?

Liked the background music in the first link though...

Very disappointed to see Ray biting shot onto the line (pre-soft shot?) and what ever happened to Vern?

Collar and tie?

Noop... it's got to be something to do with Kingston?

Nah. Some people have style, style-free others just want the fish or the burger.

Filit O' fish? King(ston) wearing collar and tie?

Anyway I'm more interested in that rod Ray has, its exactly like the one bought for me by my dad C. 1972 (4 years after that film was made)
Its 12ft glass (mustard with crimson whipping) and has a "W" on the butt if anyone can identify it?

Great video! I had all that gear - 13ft mustardy glass rod, Delmatic reel, knotty, yellow keep net that needed hitting with a hammer to 'tenderise' the mesh, wooden float boxes and a wicker basket. Don't think I ever went fishing in my Sunday best though.

Lovely reminder of fishing's BC years (before carbon)

The Barnes Wallis approach to putting the fish into the chickenwire keepnet was amusing, it's a wonder we have any fish left.

Nice clip though, it brought back a few memories.

Ray Roberts said:

The Barnes Wallis approach to putting the fish into the chickenwire keepnet was amusing, it's a wonder we have any fish left.

Nice clip though, it brought back a few memories.

Click to expand...

From sitting on a wicker basket to something that looks like a NASA lunar-landing module - progress???

jacksharp said:

From sitting on a wicker basket to something that looks like a NASA lunar-landing module - progress???

Click to expand...

At least anglers are not clogging up the doctors waiting room with chronic wicker bum anymore.

Mr Cholmondeley Warner's Guide to Freshwater Angling....love it


In about 20 years, it'll be "Charlie says (maiowwwww) when unhooking perch, be sure not to catch your finger on the gill spines......"


Public Information Films - weren't they fun??

Ray Roberts said:

At least anglers are not clogging up the doctors waiting room with chronic wicker bum anymore.

Click to expand...

Ar$e like a waffle syndrome - remember it well!

dorsetandchub: "Public Information Films - weren't they fun??"


Another one from British Pathe News, from 1926, and one of the loveliest little films about fishing ever made, to my mind.

THE GENTLE ART - British Path�

My Ma, the daughter of a great Trent fisher, just two or three years after the film was shot was taken by her Dad for her first similar days out with the family, Ma's older sisters with stylish bobbed hair giving the eye to any likely passing lad, the few that were remaining after the slaughter of the trenches a few years earlier.

Never met that Grandad, died before I was born, but family legend has it that he was expelled from a Northern boarding school close to the Trent for refusing to attend to his lessons, just, as Ma often said to me, "Going fishing and reading Mark Twain, Jack London and Edgar Wallace.".

Seems that it's hereditary.

Blimey Mr. Boote - you've caused me to visit the FM archives and resurrect this....

"As I outlined elsewhere on the forum, Ray Mumford is personally responsible for the PoshPaul nickname. He always wore a collar and tie when fishing in winter, he swore it was the most effective way of keeping your neck warm. It is very efficient. I moved up North, joined a local club, first winter match I arrive suitbly dapper in collar and tie. Its been PoshPaul ever since.

I also recollect that Ray Mumford survived a direct hit from a lightening bolt returning from his peg to the meeting point on the Medway at Teston. He was holding his umbrella as it was nissaning it down. Zap! One slightly shaken angler - who put his survival down to his real rubber wellies. I suspect that the lightening bolt came off worst! Ray had a prickly reputation but was extremely dedicated and innovative, used a pole long before many others. Away from his 110% concentration on the bank he was a real gent. We young 'uns who went to watch knew to keep low and say nothing if we were watching Ray but afterwards he answered any questions."

I am deeply saddened about Ray's passing - I missed the coverage at the start of this year. He, ****ie Carr and Jimmy Randall are much to "blame" for early addiction to angling (coming from a non-angling background)...and as I hurtle towards retirement (or try to hurtle)...you realise that your heroes and idols are not eternal.