20 years ago, where you fishing?

[Guest Elton]

Now I'm worried....it's my dad's birthday today

 

Bretty, or should I call you 'Dad', can I have some pocket money, please?

 

Elton

 

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Elton Murphy

Anglers' Net

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk

[Guest Steve Burke]

Happy Bithday, Bretty!

 

The 1980-81 season was my one of my most memorable. The Beult, a tributary of the Medway, started throwing up some monster roach. I never did get a three pounder myself, my best being 2-07½. However, my fishing partner at the time, Nigel Witham, got a corker of 3-14 a couple of years later, which at the time was the best river roach ever recorded in the UK. Although, the roach were a rarity, that season we didn't catch one under a pound!

 

BTW, 1980 was a very wet summer, with floods everywhere, including Maidstone. The river fishing that summer was superb, especially in the floods, which produced my PB bream of 6-14, a record for the stretch. It's one of the very few times I've deliberately targetted bream and the fish still remains my PB. I do remember that, due to the floods, it fought like the clappers!

 

Because of the floods, later in the yearwe switched to stillwaters and, like Alan, I got my first 3lb perch that season, from a farm reservoir. In fact the fish made 3-06 and Nigel made one of his few mistakes with the camera. I've got a beautiful picture of an out of focus angler holding an out of focus fish ten feet from the camera. My pushbike 10 *metres* away was in perfect focus!

 

I also caught a number of specimen chub from the Hammer Stream, a tiny tributary of the Beult. I intend going back on a pilgramage this winter. New Years' Day saw me chubbing on the Beult at Yalding, the village that's been flooded so many times this year. It was my first trip with Stewart Allum, who was soon to become my regular fishing partner.

 

I'd add that it was a pleasure to have fished with such tremendous anglers as Nigel and Stewart, and also later on Peter Rogers and John Watson (the Kentish one). Apart from a couple of winters' piking with Nick Buss I haven't had a regular fishing partner since, as most of my fishing is now weekdays only and on the spur of the moment. However, I'd recommend that every budding young angler teanms up with someone - you learn more than twice as fast!

 

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Wingham Fisheries

www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham/htm

[Guest Steve Randles]

Happy B'day Bretty!

 

Hope you have a good one, it must be a bummer having it so close to xmas though.

 

Oh yeh, Waterman reminded me that you where getting us all the pressies! Where are thay?

 

 

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Tight Lines

 

Steve Randles

[Guest gray-catchpole]

happy bday mate

20 years ago i was living and fishing in essex, basildon, lots of tench and carp, one lake i remember was in the middle of town, i think it was called central park it was by the swimming pool

 

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gray-catchpole

 

 

 

http://catchpole.cjb.net

mailto:catchpole@go-fishing.co.ukcatchpole@go-fishing.co.uk

[Guest John S]

20 years ago I had to give up fishing temporarily to become an impoverished student, except for the odd sea-fishing trip.

 

A belated happy birthday Bretty, I hope you got disgustingly drunk

 

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John Suffill

 

john@go-fishing.co.uk

[Guest Graham E]

A very happy Birthday Bretty, just a twinkle in the eye then, who would have thought such a fine "lad" would be around.

In 1980 I was travelling in Manilla and the Phillipines checking out the local goods, I also had a week in Canada, 2 weeks in Barbados, 2 weeks in Aruba, Played Roulette in The Playboy Club Nassau casino with Woodsie of the Stones, went around India with the Queens Tour, Spent 2 weeks in Hawaii during the JPS round the world tour and if I remember correctly, Flew to the Falklands with Hesaltine to open the Falklands Airport. I also spent 2 weeks in a barge fishing the GUC. It's been downhill from then!

[Guest Scott.Ashworth]

Belated birthday wishes, Bretty. Trust you had a good one. How's the head?

Twenty years ago I was just a whippersnapper of eight, but i'd been fishing a year already.

All the best,

 

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Ashy

[Guest Newt]

Congratulations on passing a milestone. 20 is a great age.

 

You got me thinking. I haven't had much fishing in the "beginning of a decade" year for a long while.

 

1980 - was stationed on a Buoy Tender in Puerto Rico which has absolutely no fresh water fishing that I was able to find. I hate the salt water stuff.

1970 - was stationed in Viet Nam, playing Marine, and the only fishing I did was a couple of times with hand grenades - quick way to get some fish for eating.

1960 - now that was a banner year. Old enough to drive (15 and owned a truck) and a bit young for seriously chasing women. Lots of bass, bream (US variety), and crappie fishing in Arkansas.

1990 - stationed in New York City - no fishing in the area. Rivers were basically just wet muck.

2000 - as good as 1960 was except I have a lovely lady who likes fishing as much as I do and we go once or twice a week. Bass, catfish (US varieties), and the occasional perch.