Lock Down - A few light hearted fishing memories and more....

Hi, I hope you are all well and following the Government Guidelines and looking out for others as well as yourself.

I want to keep the blog going which is quite difficult being as there is no fishing so here are a few light hearted fishing memories and more.

• I remember fishing in the Post Office National and representing the SW Region. The venue was the Bridgwater Canal in and around Runcorn. All of the teams were put up in a big Hotel. I remember arriving there and going to reception to check in. In the foyer there was a large ornamental pool. I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked in ... The Scottish Team were actually shotting their floats in the pool, some went a bit further catching goldfish ... I think alcohol was involved.

• Not long after I became a member of the Clevedon Club we entered a team in the Angling Times Clubman Competition. We got through the 1st round against Minehead and drew Chippenham and Caerfilly in the next round. The match was to be fished on a couple of Chippenham lakes. Heading up the M5 I was following Dave Baker who had his rod holdall on a roof rack. I didn't see the rod holdall come off the roof rack, all I can remember is saying to myself what's that in the sky or words to that affect! It bounced along the fast lane narrowly missing other traffic. He did manage to retrieve it but when he opened it at the lake all you could see was lot's of carbon splinters. Fair play he did fish and borrowed some kit to win his section.

• Before my wife and I had our own house we stayed at my mother in laws for a few months. I had just started fishing again and used to get the train to Bath from Bristol to fish the canal or get the bus out to Abbots Pool on the edge of Bristol. I must have left some maggots out in her conservatory and with the heat they somehow managed to escape! I didn't know this at the time but I did get it in the ear when she went out there one day, opened the door and was met by a cloud of blue bottles! My home brew also exploded in the conservatory after I bottled it too early!

• I meant to put this next one into one of my earlier Irish Fishing Memories from the past. When we stayed in Bailieborough and came back from one of the many heavy drinking evenings. Leigh Wakefield passed out and Dale Harvey shaved his chest. Leigh didn't realise it had been done until he saw himself in the mirror the following morning. All I remember him saying ''what the f%&k is Sharon going to say".

• Another Irish memory.. Fishing Lough Ramor one day it was pissing down and very windy. My mate Steve doesn't like the rain so put his brolly up. Next thing I know is the brolly lifts into the air and lands upside down on his feeder line. The brolly pauses before slowly sinking. Steve gives it a salute. Now known as the brolly peg.

• I fished Apex Lake down in Highbridge with another Clevedon Club angler, John Woolstencroft one day, must have been the spring. John always has a lot of tackle around him when fishing. He was packing up and dropped one of his reels in the water and it wasn't that warm. I was surprised he stripped off and went in diving several times. I was in stitches and managed to get a photo. He did get the reel eventually.

John comes up for air between dives

Best photo of his foot lol

• I remember coming back from Ireland once, 3 of us in the front and Dale Oldland in the back. We would have arrived in Holyhead around 01:15. Dale was actually asleep in the back with all the fishing gear plus the smelly nets as we had fished that day. We got pulled over for a security check and I'm not sure what startled the Security Officer the most .... Dale suddenly sitting up or the smell of the wet gear. He shut the door and waved us on.

I have been the Press Officer for Clevedon FWAC for some time and managed to get quite a few Match Reports into the local and national press, but you need a good headline.
Here are some that I have used and are a bit corny ...... winning anglers name first then the headline.

Ivan Currie
Currie on hot form
Currie turns up the heat

Adie Baker
Baker wasn't dozin

Chris Parr
Durleigh below Parr

The late Nick Harvey
Harvey Nicks it

Paul Faiers (postman)
Postie Paul is 1st Class
Red letter day for Paul
All the fun of the Faiers

Brian Slipper
No slip up's for Brian

Rod Wotten
Top Rod

Glen Calvert at Bullocks Farm
Glen is the Bullocks

Richard Heatley
Heatley wins in the cold

Adam Palmer (Royal Marine)
Adam takes command

Mark Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove makes his Mark
On the Mark

Mark Walsh
Top Marks for Walsh


The old ones are the best........

One day, two guys Joe and Bob were out fishing. A funeral service passes over the bridge they re fishing by, and Bob takes off his hat and puts it over his heart. He does this until the funeral service passes by. Joe then said “Gee Bob, I didn’t know you had it in you!” Bob then replies ” It’s the least I could do. After all I was married to her for 30 years.”

Stay safe all.