top blokes

hi all
just thinking out loud has any one out there been in the right place
at the right time an seen any of our famous anglers when you have been
out there doing your thing I bumped into ian heaps at a road show top man he is he can chat all day I also used to fish marsh pratleys home of the 30lb pound carp at orchid I only fished the lagoon for his bream/tench

When I first started fishing Furnace Mill was only the second commercial I ever went to , having watched a number of Matt Hayes DVDs I was amazed to meet him there which prompted this post on Gofishing.co.uk
Visit to Furnace Mill marred by idiot
Posted 06th April 2010 bennygesserit says:


Went to Furnace Mill today - only second Commercial I have been to.
Having caught a couple of decent carp I was walking up to the loo when I saw this guy unloading his gear "Does he think he's Matt Hayes?" but as I got closer I realised it was actually him , with Mick Brown and they even had the van with them!
Now I'm a massive fan of both of them partly cos they are both from the midlands and also cos we all started our fishing on the severn.So I went over to say hello.
Now in my head the exchange went something like this "Hi Matt, Mick I'm a huge fan and your videos have taught me a lot" but it actually went
"your'e Matt Hayes aren't you? "
"yes"
*I've just caught a carp"
"Well done mate"
"Your'e Mick Brown aren't you? "
"yes"
"My son calls me Sir M sometimes when we go fishing"
"Well I havn't got a monopoly on the name"
Now at this point I think they suspected I was challenged - but they were very friendly , especially given a 6 foot four gibbering maniac had interrupted them.
Managed to leave them alone the rest of the day but as I was leaving I thought I really need to get a photo, I walked past and Matt was fishing and Mick was eating a sandwich so I did'nt want to interrupt, but as I was packing my gear into the car I saw Mick coming out the Loo, I chased after him

"Mick Mick !"
"whats up mate " ( he looked a little suprised )
"can I have a photo?"
"No problem - you'll have to be quick Though mate I'm working"
hence the hasty photo below, seriously I never been star struck in my life but I think I was over excited cos of all the fish I was catching, but I did manage to make a complete t*at of myself.
Incidentally they were fly fishing for carp on one of the pools , presumably for a future article and I must say they were very pleasent and friendly but I do think they were looking around to see if my helper was there.

Many years ago I used to cross paths with Benny Ashurst on Leigh canal.
More up to date I was chatting with Hywel Morgan up on 'Esthwaite' when he was filming a Pike on the fly dvd. Both great guys and love having a chat.

I met Ivan Marks a couple of times; both times when he was fishing open matches on Stanborough lake.

The first time I was fishing behind him on the river, he fashioned a float from one of his floats and gave me a pint of his maggots so that I could catch some decent fish which were bubbling in the reeds behind him, and then the match organiser introduced a young lad to him and for the rest of the match he explained to the lad everything he was doing and why he was doing it.

The second time I met him after the end of another match and I was Carp fishing and he showed a lot of interest in the different gizmos in my tacklebox asking when and how they were used.

Ivan was a true gentleman and never got the hump when someone talked to him during a match, unlike a lot of matchmen, and he was always quite interested in learning from others if they had something to show him.

Keith

hi keith
funny you should mention stanbough lakes I walked the whole lake
yesterday with the wife an our grandson only 4 carpers on there the place has had a lot of work done to it all platform swims now first time I have been back in years never even took any bread for the ducks lol

---------- Post added at 08:47 ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 ----------

were is mick browns head lol

Some years ago when we went over to Lough Allen. We spyed Nev Fickling across the bay, him with a pair bins trained on us. I remember the day very well. Managed 23 fish that day between me an my buddy.
Later read a report about his trip over there, which apparently wasn't so productive, but he did give the "two young spunkers" some kudos in his article.
Still haven't met him though.

Fished Holgans Farm and spoken to Ian Heaps a few times, nice guy and always ready to give advice and assistance.

During the 1960,70,and 80's I spent most of my time in my home City of Nottingham, match fishing at Club and Open level. I was fortunate to rub shoulders with many well known anglers, Leigh Miners (Benny, Big Kevin & Ken Booth) The Likely Lads (no introductions needed) the Barnsley Blacks (Tommy Pickering, **** Clegg and the fantastic Dennis White) also on ocassion there would be the odd stray from The South, I recall Ray Mumford trying his luck on the River and of course always the ever present Trentmen Team. Great days and I was glad to be a small part of it. However not all were the gentile aristocratic anglers so far discribed, there were some rough diamonds walking the banks in those days, but to my mind the scene and the sport was all the better for it, there was always a good Craic at a match, both before and after. Nowadays it all seems a tad bland, or that may be me settling in to my dotage. Pete.

As teenagers we went to a tackle show in London which was a new concept at the time. (about 1963 I think). We sat down in the cafe for a cuppa and realised we were sitting at the table with Fred J Taylor.

Apparently, I met quite a few in the last year or two when I've been vaguely involved in some national carp matches. The problem was that I was completely ignorant of (and quite uninterested in) who most of them were.

I have bumped into a few at a trade show a few years back. A mate is in the tackle trade and invited me along. Even I can recognise Kevin Nash, especially when he's loitering around the Nash trade stand to give me a hint.

I met Matt Hayes many years ago on St. John's at Linear. He asked if he could fish into the area I was fishing. He reacted well enough when I said "no, but I'll be buggering off soon enough anyway, fill your boots then". I do hope he managed to get into the hordes of carp that were milling about, because I didn't get a bloody touch.

I was fishing the Thames at Windsor a few years ago when a camo-clad angler walked past behind me...He settled into a swim just downstream from me and proceeded to bag up on the pole. Roach after roach of considerable size and some huge perch too...
I got more and more wound up as I was doing exactly the same thing as him but I was blanking...
As he swung in another 2lb roach I lost it!
I marched down the bank to confront him...
Within seconds I was surrounded by men in combat gear pointing guns at me..
Luckily the angler recognised me and called his men orf.
It was of course my old mate Prince Charles practicing for a local open match the following Sunday...

Like Bracket I,ve bumped into many of the Trents well known match anglers along with many of the fenland aces on rivers like the Witham and Welland.
Once, on a Witham feeder drain I was sat watching two motionless pike drop off indicaters when up rocks a guy luring having just arrived in a four wheel drive minutes earlier, whack whack, two pike in minutes and he's away somewhere else--- it was our very own -- the one and only Derek Gibson.
Last year I had a trip Trentside on the tidal and was absorbed running a big balsa avon down a slightly coloured and debris littered swim when a voice behind me asked if I was having any luck (something I always can use a bit of).
Turning I saw two anglers who were about to look for a swim apiece but seeing my kit and car came over to have a chat.After a few minutes one ot them said that he knew me but for the life of me I didnt know him but asked him to let me think for a minute before hazarding a guess.
At this point the float dipped and I 'm into a barbel that went maybe 7 or eight pounds-- the two anglers seemed suitably impressed but I still couldnt figure out who they were so asked .Well, If the meeting had occurred back in the day I would have recognised one of them immedietely but time and tide changes so much!.
Anyway they were keen to start and I was off to fish a stillwater some miles back nearer home for the last few hours available to me.
I was just leaving when my man came over and asked me for my address as he said he had something he wanted to send me.
I was puzzled and intriqued at the same time but gave him the details he needed and then left.
A couple of weeks later a large parcel was delivered to my address and inside was a recantly published book written by the chap I met that day.
Its title---- "The history of carp fishing revisited" !!!
What a lovely gesture --- many many thanks---
Kevin Clifford .

As an NFA coach I've worked (I use the term loosely... more like occupied bank space) with a couple of "Celebs" Matt Hayes, Derek Ritchie & John Wilson to name a few... Matt and Derek are great blokes, (Derek is a nutter,) John Wilson I found quite a miserable old sod... (must've been an off day:wh) I've fished with a few names on the match circuit (Chris VanDervleit is the wifes cousins hubby) and I've had a bit of coaching from Chris and England international ****ie Carr who I would say is the nicest guy in the sport and still going strong...

flightliner said:

A couple of weeks later a large parcel was delivered to my address and inside was a recantly published book written by the chap I met that day.
Its title---- "The history of carp fishing revisited" !!!
What a lovely gesture --- many many thanks---
Kevin Clifford .

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What a lovely surprise.

I met Chris Yates briefly at a book signing and had a quick chat. Lovely guy. Just like I imagined him to be and exactly how he comes across on TV. Legend.

having fished the open match circuit for 30 years, I've known many of the bigger names and characters on the competitive side - and fished in the same team as a number of them as well. With very very few exceptions, they've been open and honest - willing to answer questions but also very keen to learn from you as well.
One fo the great things about our hobby is that the "stars" are mostly still very approachable.

The recent sad loss of Keith Speer prompted me to add his name to the list of famous anglers that I have been privileged to meet. He; like Ivan Marks; was also a true gentleman who would always be willing to help others and who's catches were truly phenomenal.

Keith

The late Terry Lampard was one of the most friendliest and knowledgeable anglers that I have ever met – I’ve also had the pleasure of fishing with many top blokes/anglers over the years, most of them ‘unknown’.......

barbelboi said:

The late Terry Lampard was one of the most friendliest and knowledgeable anglers that I have ever met – I’ve also had the pleasure of fishing with many top blokes/anglers over the years, most of them ‘unknown’.......

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and in some circumstances they come out of work based obscurity and show the semi pro "experts" how its done !!.

And sadly sometimes on meeting the ''said'' legendary angler the experience is anything but inspiring. I can vividly recall one or two such characters from the early sixties, who to put it mindly lacked good manners or modesty. Luckily they represent but a ''few'', but the impact they made on this young enthusiastic specimen hunter is never forgotten. Perhaps they were just having a bad day/days.

The trouble is when you're young you are inclined to view anyone who excels at a particular sport/hobby, be that snooker, football etc to be a great guy and a good bloke. It would be nice, but sometimes it's just not the case.

In short not all top blokes are of the ilk of ''Terry Lampard'', ''Ivan Marks'' or ''Tag Barnes'', to name but a few.

bracket said:

During the 1960,70,and 80's I spent most of my time in my home City of Nottingham, match fishing at Club and Open level. I was fortunate to rub shoulders with many well known anglers, Leigh Miners (Benny, Big Kevin & Ken Booth) The Likely Lads (no introductions needed) the Barnsley Blacks (Tommy Pickering, **** Clegg and the fantastic Dennis White) also on ocassion there would be the odd stray from The South, I recall Ray Mumford trying his luck on the River and of course always the ever present Trentmen Team. Great days and I was glad to be a small part of it. However not all were the gentile aristocratic anglers so far discribed, there were some rough diamonds walking the banks in those days, but to my mind the scene and the sport was all the better for it, there was always a good Craic at a match, both before and after. Nowadays it all seems a tad bland, or that may be me settling in to my dotage. Pete.

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I was about 14 or 15 and hadn't been fishing with much success when one day on the Fleets Dam, or Star Paper Mill Dam as it was back then, a young man of around 17 years old arrived on a scooter and he started talking to me. He offered to sort out my rig, showed me how to plumb the depth and tied one of his own hooks to nylon on. That day I caught more fish than I'd ever done before and learned a hell of a lot. The young man was Dennis White. A true gent then as he is now.