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32 pound Thames Pike!!


Peter Waller

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argyll:

It's just a small piece in a small newspaper that would have gone relatively unnoticed. You can to a large extent forgive the press for giving up your own particular water, its what they do every week to inform and sell newspapers. Although I've yet to see Bill Rushmer come clean about all of his own little Thames hidey holes. Perhaps we should ask.

 

I spent 8 months of one season tramping up and down the river, asking silly questions, poking my nose into grubby, muddy little boatyards, climbing over fences, getting wet, stung, and chased by the odd dog/goose/swan to try and crack the best places on the river. It costs me a thousand plus a year to keep my boat within striking distance of the best of it, so its a bit galling to see it not only advertised in the papers but pointed to on a forum, presumably just in case anyone missed it. I'm out there tomorrow evening, if I can find a space betwen the usual hopefuls who turn up when something like this happens.

 

Please don't anyone accuse me of being secretive, my boat is 'open house' and I regularly take others out with me and try to pass on some of the things that I've learned. Several from this forum have had a day on my boat and have been gracious enough not to mention the location. Thats how it should be.

Yup to the above.

 

Plus - despite what the papers and the 'me-toos but haven't done its' might say - the Thames is no pushover (for consistent quality-fish, anyway).

"What did you expect to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically...?"

 

Basil Fawlty to the old bat, guest from hell, Mrs Richards.

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Ah, I don't get the Mail and so haven't seen the piece, but it sounds as though they've gone into rather more detail about swim locations than Peter's post suggested?

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Had the Mail not gone public, and had I known of the details, I would have stayed 'quiet' but a half page spread in the Mail has already spread the word. There were no further details in the article unless there was more in the 'where to fish' section.

 

I can share Argyll's feeling on this one having had John Wilson go very public on a big fish caught near where I live. Interestingly that fish has not been caught again. But once its in the public domain its already in the public domain.

 

But it is a very creditable thing for the EA that the Thames is developing as it is and, from that point of view, there is no harm in acknowledging it.

 

[ 14. October 2005, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

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..and if the piece had said '32lb pike caught from the north side of Oulton Broad and aren't we all pleased how well the broad is fishing' would you have been so quick to point it out ? Think not. Don't worry tho', next time someone enquires about the broads...I might.

'I've got a mind like a steel wassitsname'

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Gerry, it has already been made very public in the Mail. It's excellent new for the Thames, and good PR for the EA, for once.

 

Oh, and the North Shore was pants today, honest!! Well, one over excited jack did his biz.

 

[ 14. October 2005, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

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Peter, you weren't fishing in a small yellow boat with another fella were you?

 

I tried catching a few live baits on OB today with no luck whatsoever, from both 'dead end' and park front....much the same results at Beccles at dawn, plenty of perch (and a tench) but no roach today :(

 

P.S. I sent you a PM the other day, which you haven't picked up yet

 

Back on topic....the Thames is a big river, Oulton Broad is a relative 'drop in the ocean'. Maybe comparable to, lets say 'Norfolk Broads holds Pike to 40lb' or whatever. The Mail's article, nor what Peter posted was specific enough to be particularly detremental to anyone's favourite swim, IMO.

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Hi Darren, yes, I have got your message. will reply in depth when I have half an hour to spare!!

 

I saw the yellow boat, I was nearby in a dark blue row boat for part of the day, and a grubby white dory this afternoon. I spoke to a young bloke fishing off the Commodore, was that you? It was near where the yellow boat was that I had my only fish of the day, frustrating.

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I think I saw you rowing across the broad at around 1.30pm...my Dad and I were fishing off the park then.

 

Nope, wasn't me at the Commodore. We stayed fishing over the rails for about 20 minutes. No roach down there then, nothing but 1000's of fry, bless 'em.

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'Some big fish too, including a 32 pound pike from Penton Hook'

 

Sorry loudyboy, how specific can you get. If you knew Penton Hook (where I fish) then you'd know that it was too specific and the stretch in question is about a quarter/third of the acreage of Oulton Broad. Mr Waller as usual avoids the tough questions as though they were never asked so I will ask again. If the Mail had said '32lb pike caught on the north side of Oulton Broad' would you have given it publicity on this forum? Just a yes or no will do.

'I've got a mind like a steel wassitsname'

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