Time Travel

nottskev · Aug 10, 2018

Looking at those old Bernard Venables videos posted lately, I was reminded of a thought I've had occasionally:

If you could go back and fish the waters of 60 or 70 years ago, or earlier still if you like, and you could take one or two items of your modern gear with you, what would you take?

An entirely pointless question, I agree...... but I wonder what people would go for.

S-Kippy · Aug 10, 2018

No question......a modern rod and reel loaded with decent mono and some proper hooks. Preferably a pair.....one float and one twin tip rod of around 1.5lb tc.

I honestly think that if you could do this knowing what we know now and with modern gear/tactics you'd empty wherever you fished.

steve2 · Aug 10, 2018

I wouldn’t take any modern gear with me back to where I fished 50/60 years ago because I was happy with what I had then and it worked for me.
What I would take is the skill and knowledge I now have of small stream fishing.

I do still have some tackle from those days. I still use it.

tigger · Aug 10, 2018

I'd take an acolyte ultra and stret peg :w

Peter Jacobs · Aug 10, 2018

Ii have a rather large collection old vintage rods and reels so I'd prefer to take those insted of today's modern kit.
In fact I do take the older gear out for several airings annually either on my own or sometimes with other "traditional anglers.

As for going back in time I have visited a couple of my old haunts and have been disappointed ech time.

My favourite venue as a nipper was the Longwater in Hampton Court Palace where I would fish most weekends as a kid.

The old venue had some of the most lovely oak trees in Surrey but when I went back some years ago they had mostly been victims of the "hurricane" from 1987 . . . which was very sad.

lambert1 · Aug 10, 2018

I would also take modern tackle and would go back to the time when the country was sparsely populated and fish the Test or Itchen in any stretch I damn well pleased without having to pay a small fortune. I have had this thought/dream many times.

steve2 · Aug 10, 2018

S-Kippy said:
I honestly think that if you could do this knowing what we know now and with modern gear/tactics you'd empty wherever you fished.

I wonder how true this is?
Old time anglers even with the tackle they had available caught many big fish and catches.
The other thing to remember is stocking level in many waters were much lower than they are today.

S-Kippy · Aug 10, 2018

steve2 said:
I wonder how true this is?
Old time anglers even with the tackle they had available caught many big fish and catches.
The other thing to remember is stocking level in many waters were much lower than they are today.

I'm convinced about it and I'd love to try. When I think back to my teens and twenties there are baits, tactics and rigs that I am certain would have murdered the fish on most of the waters I fished.

iain t · Aug 10, 2018

I would take all the information i have learnt over the years. Some modern mono line would come in handy.

mikench · Aug 10, 2018

I would take all my current Tackle and go to the Leeds Liverpool canal and have a go! I still could!

I enquired about visiting Calderon 7 in Thomas cooks and was asked when did I want to go. " Last week " i replied!

thecrow · Aug 10, 2018

One thing I would take would be the hair rig, another would be fluorocarbon in a few breaking strains.

flightliner · Aug 10, 2018

The old tackle would hold up fine, maybe a bivvy and a good stove!

peterjg · Aug 11, 2018

I moved 5 years ago and prior to that had never fished the Kennet. The Kennet (in certain parts) can still be good but I wish that I had fished it 40 years ago!

Keith M · Aug 11, 2018

I have often wondered what it would be like to go back in time and spend a couple of days on Isaac Walton’s beloved river Lea fishing with him, and be able to show him what our modern Barbel/Chub tackle looks like.

Trouble is that I might be strung up for witchcraft if they saw the tackle we now use today, compared to theirs.

Keith

S-Kippy · Aug 11, 2018

peterjg said:
I moved 5 years ago and prior to that had never fished the Kennet. The Kennet (in certain parts) can still be good but I wish that I had fished it 40 years ago!

I did and it was.

Keith M · Aug 11, 2018

I did too and the Kennet used to be my favourite river

mikench · Aug 11, 2018

I do like those Bernard Venables films; so evocative of a more relaxed and gentle world! Here's another on my favourite , and elusive, fish!

YouTube

S-Kippy · Aug 11, 2018

Keith M said:
I did too and the Kennet used to be my favourite river

Mine too but it is a poor shadow of the river I knew back then. I dont fish it anymore and I doubt I ever will again.

nottskev · Aug 11, 2018

I'd take something nobody's mentioned yet - although I'm probably in a minority here, being equally as likely to set up a pole as rod and reel on any given water.

I'd take a decent (pre-carp era) pole. I remember vividly how the early adopters of carbon poles left everyone else behind with their ability to get perfect presentation with tiny floats tight to far-bank reeds, trailing trees, moored boats etc on the local canals. It makes me imagine how many other fish who thought they were in a safe place might have got a surprise if you'd turned up with a pole back in the day.

mikench · Aug 11, 2018

That still won't tempt me pole fishing Kev!!

Time Travel

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Moderator

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member