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Met Cliff when I was looking for an illustrator (angler cartoonist with warped S.O.H required to lighten the ramblings of a compulsive Rhadamanthinic piscator) After 2 minutes I had hired him, after 3 minutes we were planning fishing trips together. We fished for mullett in Essex (his place) Sussex (my place) and later the Severn and Wye for zander, pike barbel and salmon when Cliff had retired to Hay-on-Wye. I'm so pleased Cliff fulfilled his ambition with a 12lb salmon on fly in 2019 After retiring as a teacher, Cliff took a part-time job as a promoter of angling gear. Cut short at an angling show when a customer asked if you could stand up in the company's bivvies. "Certainly!" said Cliff "Just dig a hole in the floor" ..... Alas, sales managers are by definition humourless. Farewell Cliff, Glad to have had rhe privilege of knowing you. Been a bitter March, Two of my fishing buddies gone, and just heard my former university mentor has passed away. Beginning to understand the concept of "Last man standing"

As readers of "Angling Vagabond" will know, my first reel I made myself in 1942 (aged eight)? Yrs, others were skeptical when I wrote about it back around 2002, so I persuaded the 9 year old son of a friend to make a replica (First I had to teach him how to saw straight and how to drill straight, and how to drive in a nail straight - whatever primary schools taught in 2002 seemed of little practical use) With a little help, he succeeded. Coupled with a rowan rod the oufit caught plenty of tench including four and five pounders for both of us. It was written up with illustrations for Freshwater Informer at the time. But that's for another thread - back to Mitchells I bought my first Mitch in 1960, when I left school. £6-17=6d the best part of my first three weeks wage; It had a claw pick-up and I still have it. I have since used many other fixed spools, centre pins, closed-face, spin casters, bait casters and mulipliers. Tackle dealers will hate me , but the truth about expensive reels and rods is very often - Its not the rod or reel that counts - its the angler behind it Yes, given a choice, it's nice to use the "best" tool for the job. but having fished in some out-of the way places, (eg Amazon Basin, Aussie outback, Southern Ocean, Okavanga delta) one can come across an unexpected situation, hundreds of miles from the nearest tackle dealer. When you have to improvise with just the gear you have with you, it's amazing what the "wrong" rod and reel can be made to achieve

I’m very sad and surprised at this news, Cliff and his humour will be sorely missed. Back in August 20I8 soon after he had moved to Hay on Wye, I asked Cliff to sign a couple of his books for me (All Beer & Boilees and all Wind & Water) and he invited me to stay over at his place and spend a day on the Wye with him and he could then sign his books for me at the same time; unfortunately I couldn’t go back then; but now I really wish that I had gone. NB: He very kindly signed his books for me via snail mail instead. RIP Cliff Keith