Jump to content

Redmire pool/ Carp society press release, very sad


Tony 1

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 32
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Peter Waller:

Fenboy, it is 'heritage' because of its connection with Dick Walker. I have read, with a degree of amazement, of it being called a 'carp heritage site', which I think is verging on the vaguelly amusing. But Walker was a great angler, perhaps a very great angler. For no other reason Redmire should continue as a fitting memorial to him. A bronze statue of the great man squatting under a bankside tree, weighing up the water, index finger to his lips, trademark hat and holding his rod, in anticipation of what he intended to catch, well, I think we owe it to him.

Well said Peter!

 

Totally agree about the statue, wouldn't that be great?

As for it being a carp angler's place only, I'd certainly not consider myself a carp angler, anything but. Just an ordinary angler (perhaps one of the "sheep"), who has a fascination with our angling history, and with Dick Walker, Jack Hilton, BB and all the other true greats who took angling down a path and largely steered it into what it is today. Redmire is a big part of that history, and long may it's magic remain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

fenboy:

At the risk of sounding like an old codger, I have to say that nobody today is doing that. The sad people on the 'specialist circuit' would make an innovative angler like Walker turn in his grave.

Personally I think Mr. Walker would be impressed with many of the talents of today's specialist anglers, and would be pleased that what he started has been built on, tuned, analysed, written down and practiced.

 

Yes you can see a long way when you are stood on the shoulders of giants, but people like John Wilson and Bob Nudd have in my opinion grown to stand shoulder to shoulder with Dick Walker, based on their own merits.

 

Mind you, I wonder what he'd have thought of Des Taylor?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're right, of course... I was being a bit controversial. Didn't mean to upset half the forum in one hit. Gave up the fags as a New Year resolution and it's made me grumpier than usual. Please don't say I'm sounding like Big Des Taylor though - that hurts.

What I dislike about the modern big fish scene is the way many of the names move from known water to known water, pursuing known individual fish. Each to their own though, I suppose.

I like the idea of Redmire as a tribute to Walker. But I'd rather read a book about him. I do wish somebody would come up with a well-researched biography of the great man while some of his contemporaries are around. It would be nice to think of future generations reading about him - and being suitably amazed.

Fenboy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed Fenboy! So someone else is less than impressed by the legendary Des then?

 

A book about Dick Walker, what a great idea! Who do we know who is a professional writer then ?

 

P.S. I don't think that you upset anybody Fenboy! Just annoyed one or two of us . Wading in all guns blazing is what we expect of our dear Des, or a younger first timer :D !

 

By the way Tony, whilst I knock Des I do accept his passion and very real ability as an angler. Trouble is, as a writer I do think he has run out of wortwhile steam.

 

[ 05. January 2004, 08:35 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fenboy, I note you are a Journalist, if you don't mind me asking are you an angling Journalist.

Nothing wrong with being like Big Des, I don't agree with a lot of what he says, and he comes in for more than his fair share of stick, but no one can doubt his love and passion for the sport.

Regards Tony.

 

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dick Walker was a great angler, but he was under pressure to write a weekly column and sometimes he did write some mischievous pieces to stir up controversy. For example, he was not a pike fan and advocated killing them.

I believe Des has fallen into the same trap and, at times, is controversial for controversy's sake.

What irritates me most is his push for the abolition of the river close season. As a professional angler, he has a vested interest.

Dare I say that it would be to angling's advantage, from a PR point of view, if we had a coarse fish close season. Then we are on the moral high ground when we say that we care for fish.

But then, it would be a boring old world if we all agreed on everything, wouldn't it?

Fenboy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fenboy, Dick Walker was probably the first one to follow up on catch reports, he couldn't get in touch with Bob Richards fast enough after the reported capture of the first thirty from Bernithen.

 

Jack Hilton was the greatest follower of fashion that I ever met, tearing around from one "hot" water after another in pursuit of big fish, I know this because I beat him to a few :D

 

I see nothing wrong with this approach, after all probably every one of us fish waters that have been explored and reported on by others before us..how else would you get to know what is in waters that you haven't fished before?

 

Part of the specimen hunters armoury is to keep an ear to the ground and follow up on rumours and reported catches.

 

Den

"When through the woods and forest glades I wanderAnd hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,And hear the brook, and feel the breeze;and see the waves crash on the shore,Then sings my soul..................

for all you Spodders. https://youtu.be/XYxsY-FbSic

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think, Fenboy, that you will find yourself amongst many friends on AnglersNet re the close season issue.

 

Controversy is the spice of life! DW did, I'm sure, have a mischevious glint in his eye on more than one occasion as he pummelled his worthy type writer.

 

Des, on the other hand, differant class of writer, different class of controversy.

 

Den, I was around in the 60's and 70's but I kept myself to myself. I fished for the sake of fishing, just as I do today. Ofcourse I went after the big perch of Oulton Broad in its record heyday, they were near and handy. I even held the River Waveney bream record for many years. But I had no experience of the 'spezzy' scene as such in those far off days, it was outside my world.

 

I didn't like what I saw with the emergence of Essex Carp Man back in the 70's. There was stories of 'nuisance' fish being impaled on bank sticks. Certainly I witnessed nuisance bream, tench and pike being lobbed over nearby hedges at a local carp pit, some of them big fish too. It wasn't all good in those halcyon days. But, in general, attitudes were different then. Yes, ofcourse people alerted their friends to good waters, scanned the press for clues to possible venues. I don't think we had the herd instinct that we have today re big fish waters. And another thing has changed, the one species angler. But we are in a post Thatcher era now. The invidious greed factor is here. Determination has been replaced by manic fanaticism. Success at any cost. It ain't the same! I don't like much of what is going on. I get knocked for knocking carp anglers, but it isn't for me. Grand fish, but - - - - ! Regretfully I see what I don't like about the carp world now entering piking. I know I'm not alone in that. One very famous pike star has recently made it quite clear that he's backing off, disillusioned with the big pike scene. Perhaps I am not wording myself as well as I might, but I'm sure that you get my drift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Peter - sounds like you need to slip across the pond and fish for a while.

 

Carp are generally despised so you can fish for them without being considered elitist. Just a little potty in the head.

 

Pike are highly regarded both as sport and as food and there are plenty for both uses. Ours don't average as large as yours (although they do get as big, just not on average so more smaller ones).

 

And you could maybe try for a musky or two to see what a pike would be like if it were bigger, meaner, and lots harder to catch.

 

 

:D

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.