R
Ron Clay
Guest
Although I never met Martin Gay, I read much of his angling exploits, especially as a pike angler.
My thoughts go out to all his family and friends.
My thoughts go out to all his family and friends.
R
Richard Drayson
Guest
Very sad news indeed. I remember meeting Martin about 20 years ago at Thorpe Park during the British Pike Championships.
At the time, he, along with Barrie Rickards were among my angling heroes.
To lose someone suddenly at his age is tragic, especially at this time of the year.
Sincere condolences to his family and friends.
At the time, he, along with Barrie Rickards were among my angling heroes.
To lose someone suddenly at his age is tragic, especially at this time of the year.
Sincere condolences to his family and friends.
John Hopton
New member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2004
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On behalf of the Bristol region of PAC may we offer our condolences to Martin's family
on their tragic loss.
We were fortunate to have Martin as a guest speaker at a recent meeting and his sudden death will leave a void in the world of pike
fishing.
on their tragic loss.
We were fortunate to have Martin as a guest speaker at a recent meeting and his sudden death will leave a void in the world of pike
fishing.
T
The Monk
Guest
Very sad indeed, met Martin at a NASA do when he gave his pro angling and the furture talk, just after the record carp business, a lovely lad and keen naturalist, very sadly missed, love to Martins family
C
Cliff Hatton
Guest
'Exceptional' anglers are often anglers who - to their credit - search out a fresh stretch of river or an undiscovered pit and have a field day with the specimens therein.
I fished with Martin, on and off, for 38 years and I can confidently state that his angling ability would leave most of us 'standing'.
'Luck' didn't come into it; to watch him fish was an education...and just when you thought you knew it all!
I'm still trying to come to terms with a bloke - Martin - who could fish for tench without a touch through a long, cold winter-night but on getting a run at 10.00 the next morning retain the 'cool' to wait for his bottle-top to hit the rod and 'shiver' on a taut line for a full four seconds while he waited for the rod-top to curve round. Then - and only then - would he strike. (Like me, he wouldn't bolt-rig)
The nerve of the man!
And by the way - THOSE carp were ALL English and the big common might well have broken Yatesy's record; it was weighed on a brand-new 50lb scale which banged-round to the limit. Martin told me there were a good 2lbs still to go. He reported the fish at '48' rather than an all-too-convenient '50' for fear of being disbelieved.
So, it was almost certainly a 52lber - a common - from a water not, apparently, too far from home!
I fished with Martin, on and off, for 38 years and I can confidently state that his angling ability would leave most of us 'standing'.
'Luck' didn't come into it; to watch him fish was an education...and just when you thought you knew it all!
I'm still trying to come to terms with a bloke - Martin - who could fish for tench without a touch through a long, cold winter-night but on getting a run at 10.00 the next morning retain the 'cool' to wait for his bottle-top to hit the rod and 'shiver' on a taut line for a full four seconds while he waited for the rod-top to curve round. Then - and only then - would he strike. (Like me, he wouldn't bolt-rig)
The nerve of the man!
And by the way - THOSE carp were ALL English and the big common might well have broken Yatesy's record; it was weighed on a brand-new 50lb scale which banged-round to the limit. Martin told me there were a good 2lbs still to go. He reported the fish at '48' rather than an all-too-convenient '50' for fear of being disbelieved.
So, it was almost certainly a 52lber - a common - from a water not, apparently, too far from home!
T
The Monk
Guest
I always though Martin was being truthful about the fish, but it didnt half cause some constrovasy in the press at the time, the main suggestion being that they were Canadian fish
C
Chris Bishop
Guest
I e-mailed him about some trivial detail about the Fens a few weeks before he passed away and he sent me this wonderfully friendly, detailed reply which really left me wishing I'd met him too.
M
madpiker
Guest
condolences to martins` family at this sad time.
his and barry rickards` articles about piking many years ago inspired me to take up pike fishing.
let`s not forget fred wagstaffe too,he was an inspirational man.
both will be sadly missed and not forgotten in the angling world
his and barry rickards` articles about piking many years ago inspired me to take up pike fishing.
let`s not forget fred wagstaffe too,he was an inspirational man.
both will be sadly missed and not forgotten in the angling world
M
madpiker
Guest
i wish that i looked at the dates before i replied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
still,better late than never i suppose!
i realised just as i pressed the send button,martin passed away in 2002
still,better late than never i suppose!
i realised just as i pressed the send button,martin passed away in 2002
T
The Monk
Guest
thats OK MP comments on this thread are still very relivent, Martin was an exceptional angler and shouldnt be forgotton
M
madpiker
Guest
thanks monk.
E
EC
Guest
I remember a few of my carp fishing mates talking about his catch Monkey, did the venue ever become public knowledge?
T
The Monk
Guest
some know of it Eddie, I`m not one of them though although we always suspected it was one of the large trout reservoirs, it was certainly unusualy in that these were commons though!
E
EC
Guest
Yeah I remember the pics, didnt he say they were from a local match (type) lake?
I remember alsorts of people getting a bit silly over it!
Some things never change!
I remember alsorts of people getting a bit silly over it!
Some things never change!
S
Simon Yorke 2
Guest
I have only just found about Martin Gay passing away and it is a sad loss to angling writing. I actually have a copy of Coarse Angler magazine from November 1989 that contains Martin's engrossing descriptions of the captures. I have kept it safe since I was 14 as his writing had such an effect on me. Its stories like this that bring back the mystery in angling. In these modern times of known fish and multiple catches in the hundreds reading the tale prickles your imagination.
What happened after the publication of the stories?
What happened after the publication of the stories?
Colin Brett
Well-known member
Simon,
Barrie Rickards probably knew Martin as well as anyone, so perhaps you should drop Barrie a line to ask any questions about Martin. Write to Prof. B R Rickards, Dept of Earth Sciences, Downing Site, Downing Street, Cambridge
I was lucky enough to know Martin and although it's not generally known he had a bit of a "Devilish" humour hidden away. I had been a lake with him and some friends doing some maintenance work and Martin had left a bit earlier than us. However on the way home we came upon a bit of a hold up on the dual carriageway. My late mate Tim Cole commented that some pr@t was probably driving at 30mph and out for an afternoon jaunt, well when we finally got to the cause of the problem there was Martin driving at 35mph holding everyone up with a great big grin on his face/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif
He was also a great authority on snakes and had an amazing collection of some pretty big ones.
Sadly missed.
Barrie Rickards probably knew Martin as well as anyone, so perhaps you should drop Barrie a line to ask any questions about Martin. Write to Prof. B R Rickards, Dept of Earth Sciences, Downing Site, Downing Street, Cambridge
I was lucky enough to know Martin and although it's not generally known he had a bit of a "Devilish" humour hidden away. I had been a lake with him and some friends doing some maintenance work and Martin had left a bit earlier than us. However on the way home we came upon a bit of a hold up on the dual carriageway. My late mate Tim Cole commented that some pr@t was probably driving at 30mph and out for an afternoon jaunt, well when we finally got to the cause of the problem there was Martin driving at 35mph holding everyone up with a great big grin on his face/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif
He was also a great authority on snakes and had an amazing collection of some pretty big ones.
Sadly missed.
Neneman Nick
Well-known member
The very first fishing book i ever owned was written by Martin Gay....i can`t remember the title but it was about pike fishing and it must have been about 26 years ago.
Colin Brett
Well-known member
"A Beginners guide to Pike Fishing" perhaps?
Neneman Nick
Well-known member
Ain`t got a clue colin??? It was a birthday present from me mum who didn`t really know what sort of fishing i did.She probably presumed that fishermen literally fished for everything that swam and didn`t concentrate on certain species.
I would have been about 14 at the time??? and was quite contented to grab me stuff and go and fish down the local brook.Back then i thought of pike as horrible things with big teeth that were a menace and had no intrest in them what so ever.
I did read the book though and planned on trying to catch one but as usual nothing became of it and it`s only over the past year or so that i have grown tolove lure fishing for them and am planning to have a bash at dead baiting during the winter months.
I would have been about 14 at the time??? and was quite contented to grab me stuff and go and fish down the local brook.Back then i thought of pike as horrible things with big teeth that were a menace and had no intrest in them what so ever.
I did read the book though and planned on trying to catch one but as usual nothing became of it and it`s only over the past year or so that i have grown tolove lure fishing for them and am planning to have a bash at dead baiting during the winter months.