The "names" in fishing....

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Sascha Welsch

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I've been clambering all over my soapbox on another thread (Predator) with regard to a well known angler no longer visiting any forums due to the amount of abuse he recieved on one particular predator forum(not FM I hasten to add) and the loss that is to those websites.

Now over the years I've encountered a number of "names" in angling circles either on the bank, at promotional events or even in the street and have had very varied responses. Some have been very pleasant, easy to approach and helpful; others downright obnoxious.

Are there any "famous" anglers you've encountered that really do deserve respect for the way they handle the public and what they put back into the sport?

To start, here are the ones I've met that really stood out as decent guys:

Mick Brown
Dave Harrell
Bob Nudd
Jan Porter
Ivan Marks
Neil Parkinson

I know, I know.....I used to match fish!!!
 
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Sascha Welsch

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On the bank Adrian? I must admit I'd love to run into Chris Yates on the bank one day just to see if his gear really will fall apart as soon as you touch it! Now, Hugh Miles - that really is a job i'd love to have.

Still the best fishing on TV ever in my opinion - "A Passion for Angling".
 
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Shrek

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No, I've been fishing with Bob James and he really is a nice bloke. OK, so I went on a Red Letter Day, but the guy had no airs or graces, very down to earth. Stood chatting to him for 20 minutes before the day actually kicked off and gots loads of info from him. Very passionate about fishing.

Would like to go on one of his barbel fishing weekends on the Wye but haven't got the ?360 to spare at the moment.

Sorry Sascha, should have put that detail in the original post.
 
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martin close

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Met Rex Hunt and 2 of his offsiders Steve Starling and Kaj Busch at last years Fishing and 4wheel drive/camping show, he's as daft in person as on the telly. He's given a lot back with his Futurefish Foundation, especially for the kids.
 
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Lewis Duffy

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what about matt hayes and i do agree with bob james he really is a nice bloke.
 
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John Pleasance

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I bumped in to Hugh Miles a few years back without realising at first who it was.

He had just caught a bream from the Avon and was going to photograph it,not because of it's size but just for the colour etc.

When I offered to photograph it for him and made a move towards his camera (which I simultaneously noticed was a Hasselblad) he very politely declined my offer but he also made sure he put himself between me and his camera.

It may not seem that amusing,(I think you had to be there) but I still have a chuckle about it sometimes. He was OK though.

I've also met a couple of well known "names" who were less likeable.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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Tony Miles, Tref West, Pete Stone (RHS) and Nervous Merv, not forgetting Mac Wallet.

First met Stoney in 1965. He became a lifelong friend.
 
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Mark Frame

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no mention of ****ie walker then
now theres a fella I could have learnt of
 
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Sascha Welsch

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But was he a likeable sort of guy who went out of his way to help the general public though Mark? I never met him, but there's been a lot written about him being a moody bugger????

Ivan Marks - I used to sit behind him throughout whole matches when I was a kid and he never seemed to mind a bit (well, never said so anyway!). He used to suddenly look at you, asked you what you thought about something, say the way his pole float was shotted, and then let you answer before he told you himself. It was great, you learnt why he did something not just that he did it and you learnt to think about your fishing.

Bob Nudd - must be the most tolerant I've ever met. He always had throngs of people clustered around him in matches (probably cost him more than a few fish) yet was always agreeable, polite and helpful.

It's funny but there seem to be so many miserable gits on the banks nowadays. Perhaps it's something to do with the ease involved in becoming a "big fish" hunter?

That Steve Starling and Buschey always seem to have a laugh. Got to admit he does scare me with that bloody big moustache though!
 
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Richard Drayson

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I enjoyed the company of Bob James and Ray Walton in 2002, grayling fishing on the Test. Both seemed to be decent enough guys.
 
Peter Jacobs

Peter Jacobs

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I have been fortunate enough to fish with Jan Porter both in the UK and in Norway.
In the UK he spent ages putting me and a Norwegian team mate on decent pegs on the Trent for Barbel, and spent all of his time coaching and helping and didn't even fish himself.

Steve Gardner is (IMHO) the consumate professional who is free with his time, help and knowledge, as is Steve Saunders.
Both are excellent advertisements for our sport, again, IMHO.
 
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William Spencer

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i used to go in jan porter's shop in hucknall for all my bait.even when i see him now he still acknowledges me.
i have to confess that i learnt alot of specimen hunting by reading graham's advanced coarse fishing book,i will have the priviledge to fish with him in april at the carp teach in.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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**** Walker was a bloke you liked, or hated his guts.

One of my great experiences was to spend some time with ****. He certainly was never moody, in fact he epitomised enthusiasm and brilliance. After a while you realised you were in the company of a genius, and genius he was.

Because of that, you were a bit scared to air your true feelings. He did not suffer fools so I suppose you had to watch what you said.

He was always abrasive in many ways and loved to take the piss out of you at any time. Knowing I was born in Yorkshire, He asked me that I didn't sound like a Yorkshireman. I answered that not all Lancs sound like George Formby.

He changed the subject.

He had this thing about accents. I once sat whilst he spoke with Billy Lane. Walker tried to emulate Billy's Midland accent. Billy told him to Shurrup and speak English.

Actually, if he did take the piss out of you, you knew you had made a friend of him.

He loved old Tag Barnes, and I guess because of that he loved all Yorkshiremen.
 
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jason fisher

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i've had the good fortune to meet peter stone and he was a nice bloke.
and denis white a good bloke too, he took the time to tel me what he was doing and why, while i sat behind him when i was much younger.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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Peter Stone was always good company. He had that rare ability to make you feel good.

I have spent many hours in his little house in Wolvercote, drinking a limitless supply of tea supplied by Sue and discussing angling in all its aspects.

Peter's enthusiasm was infectious. He never had a bad word to say about anyone.

Once, when I went to a talk given by him at the Open University in Milton Keynes, he was concerned that I couldn't get my car to start. I had a dud battery at the time. He and a friend helped me get a jump start and I was able to drive home.

I put in a new battery the next day.

He phoned me to make sure I got home OK.

Yes Peter was a true friend. Not only to me but to many others. Although humble in many ways, he was one of the greatest people I have ever known in my life.
 
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Wolfman Woody

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HERE! HERE! on Peter Stone. He was always saying of people he liked "He's lovely man." Well the very same applied to Peter.
 
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Richard Drayson

Guest
Reading back through the posts has reminded me of a time, back in the late 70's, when an local angling conference was being organised by a chap named Chris Currie.
I'm not sure for certain but I think one of the guest speakers attending might have been Owen Wentworth.
Whoever he was, he was one of the well known and respected roach anglers of the Hants Avon.
Unfortunately, I was really into pike fishing at the time and wasn't really interested in what he had to say.
What a fool I was!!!
 
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Dave Slater

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Those sadly no longer with us :
Peter Stone
Len Head
Those still with us :
Kevin Clifford
Bob Buteau
Rod Hutchinson
Peter Springate
Ivan Marks
Tony Miles
Trefor West
Matt Hayes
Terry Lampard
Tim Norman
Pete Reading
These are the first few "names" of famous anglers I have met that came into my head. Appologies to all I have left off, there are many more. All great guys and very good anglers. For me Peter Stone will always be number one both as an angler and a man.
 
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