A very interesting day yesterday

A fone call late friday had me up with the lark yesterday to join two friends on the long trip down to March in cambridgeshire to attend the annual Zander anglers meeting where Nev Fickling gave those attending a talk on "fifty years of Zander angling".
It was something of a whos who in the meeting room where the speaker kept calling out the odd "name" to give their own personal accounts of their experiances during those early days right up to the presant day.
From the Zanders introduction, eventual spread around the country , the controversial 1980s cull, accounts/pictures/attitudes prevailing at the time up to those of today.
All totally absorbing stuff married to seeing some past aquintances made it a day well worth the long drive from south Yorkshire.
Anyone who has never attended one of these kind of annual angling events would really enjoy attending one, I've done two now this year, a pike thrash at Lincoln and the one yesterday.
They make a welcome break during the close season and give plenty of food for thought .

Reading this Mick I was somewhat taken aback at the "fifty years of Zander angling" as I well remember the furore when they were introduced into the Norfolk Broads and the 1980's cull as well . . . . 50 years . . . don't time fly

Peter Jacobs said:

Reading this Mick I was somewhat taken aback at the "fifty years of Zander angling" as I well remember the furore when they were introduced into the Norfolk Broads and the 1980's cull as well . . . . 50 years . . . don't time fly

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Hi Peter, time certainly does fly by, I remember reading in the ATs of the Zanders introduction to the relief channel in the early sixties.
Even some of the speakers as very fit young men and even teenagers who have now retired from work!

I remember fishing the relief channel for Zander back in the late 1960's it doesn't seem like 50 years ago

steve2 said:

I remember fishing the relief channel for Zander back in the late 1960's it doesn't seem like 50 years ago

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How did it go for you Steve-- any/much success ??

steve2 said:

I remember fishing the relief channel for Zander back in the late 1960's it doesn't seem like 50 years ago

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I remember the walks that always seemed to be further on the way back

flightliner said:

How did it go for you Steve-- any/much success ??

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Not much in the way of Zander but plenty of pike. Did bump into people like Barrie Rickards, Bill Chillingworth with made for some interesting chats.
Do remember that one day Barrie Rickards wasn’t catching and asked the bailiff to find out what we were catching on. We catching on large ABU lures about the only time we did on this water.
The relief Channel was also the place were I come close to death from near hypothermia in the days before warm winter clothing. It was only because I was fishing with friends that I believed saved me.
We gave up fishing here because the 200mile plus round trip wasn’t worth the effort.
I finally caught my first big Zander closer to home from the Suffolk Stour.

If I remember, my first zed was from the middle level in the eighties,, a fish of 6-3.
Like Steve it was a long round trip and a simple day off from my carp angling at the time so didn't pursue them until a few years ago in the Trent.
Forgot to mention that Mick Brown was one of the speakers last weekend.
Saw him once or twice on the fens over the years but never to speak to.
Nice chap.