DEAR D/ARY
had the decency to warn Ron in
PART FOUR
OCTOBER
"The toughest thing about success is
that you've got to keep on being one."
IRVING BERLIN
"When I hear a man applauded by the
mob I always feel a pang of pity for
him. All he has to do, to be hissed, is
to live long enough."
H.L. MENCKEN
October was a busy month. It began
with another Angling Times feature set
up weeks previously in the Rowing
Glub at Evesham. I was to be Ron Lees'
guest on the Severn and we were going
to do an instructional piece on stick
float fishing. Holt Fleet was the venue
but the river had been out of sorts for
1101
of mine, Trevor Empson, but at least
FROM • T HE
RIVERBANK
Ron Lees showed me up on the Severn
losing three barbel to my one.
some while. It had been more than a
decade since I had last seen the Severn,
never mind fished it. Still I was in good
hands. I had taken along a close friend
advance of his reputation for being a
Jonah. I will not expand on this for I
feel sure that Ron will at some point,
explain all in one of his own hilarious
articles.
I love doing these photo features. It's
good exposure for you, for your
sponsors and usually somebody puts
you on a few fish. It also serves to
educate youngsters if handled
properly. On face value this one looked
all set to be no exception.
With Andrew James sat on my box
behind me taking notes and Mick
Rouse stood up to his dangly bits in the
water I kicked off talking my way
through the basic skills of stick float
fishing and demonstrating what I
meant. For anyone who hasn't done it,
it's a little bit like the advanced driving
test where you do a running
commentary to explain your actions. In
fact when things go wrong it is very
much as nerve wracking as taking any
driving test.
After 40 minutes, during which small
fish had been coming regularly to the
net, I got that certain feeling, you know
the one that says something big has
moved into your peg. I turned round to
Andrew and said, "We have been
fishing and feeding for about 40
minutes now. There is a good chance
that a bigger fish might have moved
into the peg so I am going to increase
the depth (pushes float up a foot) and
bulk my shots lower down (moves shot
to suit). I am going to inch the float
through my peg searching for that
bonus fish."
On the very next cast the float can't
have travelled much more than a
couple of yards before it buried. The
strike met with a solid resistance, I
waited, sure enough it was a barbel. I
glanced over my shoulder to see Mick
shrug his shoulders and shake his head
as Andrew whispered "how did he
know?" The truth is I didn't but
wouldn't you have liked to have been
born lucky too?
For a while the barbel was oblivious
to the fact that it was hooked but the
moment it did realise it tore off into the
middle of the river and sulked. Let me
tell you there is no better time to pose
and look good than whilst playing a
sulking barbel on a long line with a soft
rod in a snag free swim. I made the
most of it, explaining the importance of
remembering to keep the feed going in,
discussing tactics and the merits of
different rods, even turning my back on
the fish to explain things and generally
like a true superstar. The fish was
behaving like a true gent and playing
it's part well. I'm sure it knew who we
were and fancied getting it's photo in
the paper but felt it had to go through
the motions of putting up a fight first.
The barbel eventually began to tire
and I was able to lead it back to us
ready for netting. By now Ron was
stood at my side giving lots of
encouragement. One of the secrets of
netting barbel is not to rush them.
Generally you can bring them to the
surface for the first time knowing full
well it will bolt, so pushing the net at it
will serve only to frighten it further.
You might as well treat the first show
as a dummy run and net it on the
second showing.
Up it came for it's first breath of air,
ye gods it was a big bugger, sure
enough it turned away but we were all
prepared for that. Down it went, out
and round and soon it was coming up
again ready for the net. Onto the
surface it came, mouth open, huge
brassy flank gleaming and ping, the
hook flew out. I couldn't believe it.
Andrew couldn't believe it, neither
could Mick. We sang "always look on
the bright side of life" but it had a
hollow ring to it. My float was also in
the tree above me, my halo round my
knees. Over to you now Ron.
The times crew departed and settled
in with Ron. The pretender had had his
shot, it was time to study the old
master. However the river was getting
noticeably colder and beginning to rise.
This was to be my first experience of
the dam water that isn't released into
the river.
Ron showed them a completely
different style to my little and often. In
went four pints of hemp in one go. For
a while it threatened to work because
Ron hooked three barbel in a brief
spell, only for every single one to come
off! It had to be something to do with
the way the fish were taking the bait,
but all the time the river grew colder
and colder and our chances of success
evaporated. We were the chumps now
instead of the champs. Still we had a
great excuse, it wasn't our fault, it was
all down to Trevor Empson, the
World's greatest living Jonah!
We stayed overnight with the
intention of fishing a match on the
morrow, but by the morning there was
three feet of extra water in the river and
an alternative plan was hatched, a trip Upton Warren and a few fish for the reproduced the mir acle here and I
to Upton Warren. As we drove through camera. At last. caught straight away. Ron was utterly-
the back streets of Droitwich trying to sceptical, but could he try some? "No,
keep pace with the maniac in front bugger off!" Sure enough it worked for
(Ron!) he suddenly slapped on the on. Being close to Ron is like being in Ron too, but he didn't believe the dip
anchors and leapt out. "This is your the eye of a hurricane, a sense of calm was anything to do with it, but could
lucky day, I want to introduce you to pervades whilst all around are swept he have some more to try again later?
the legendary 'Pete the Poacher'. You up in the wind. What a character. It .... "no, bugger off!" ....
will have read about him in my almost seemed a pity to start fishing It was back to Ron's for tea before
articles." after listening to the old tales of the returning home. A lovely man, a saint
Before us stood an unforgettable Avon and Severn. I'm sure they had for a wife and two days full of
sight. One man and this mongrel dog. more fun then. memories. Do you think I was missing
"Blind as a bat you know, he things the Trevor worked his magic once more team fishing?...
dog's a rottweiler. Right, you can F*** and whilst all around us caught well Forty eight hours later came the
off! I didn't bring 'em to listen to your we struggled. We chose pegs close Division Three National on the Trent. I
life story, we only stopped to say enough together to talk and have a was looking forward to watching this
hello!" seconds later Ron's rear lights laugh. During the day I fished out a tub one. Being in our back yard so to speak,
were disappearing into the distance of Maestro Boilie Dip which Kevin anglers from South Yorkshire take the
and we were in hot pursuit again. Maddocks had given me back in July at river in their stride. We fall into the
Arriving at the lake we were Linear. The bream I caught at Withy trap of assuming that the methods we
introduced to another legend, Johnny came to a bait dipped in it, much to employ are simple and should come as
Sherwood, who was instantly Kevin's surprise, because he felt it was second nature to everyone. Alas it was
dispatched and told to put the kettle too strong to work. Once again it not so. Never have I seen so many
 anglers out of their depth in one go. securing a deal with Duraglit. Mind with them long walks nowadays, not
Never have I seen the press you, judging by his antics with the wi me heart." ... but Roger capped it
photographs grow quite so nervous as stunning Alex afterwards (what on with, "What do you do if your peg is
flier after flier was cocked up. The earth does she see in him I ask?) his facing the wrong way Ray, Turn the
papers MUST have a photograph of the days of concentrating on anything, river round?"
winner, either in action or with his never mind fishing, are over. One other event happened in
catch. Everyone knew the winner had As a postscript to this I went along to October which brought into focus how
to come from the bottom pegs in the a Roadshow and actually paid to listen insignificant events on the river bank
weir field if someone only did it half to him at a time when he would really are. Driving home from work
right. Half way through the match it willingly have paid anyone prepared to after a night I fell asleep at the wheel on
was becoming patently obvious that an stand still long enough for him to tell the Motorway.
upset could be on the cards and with them how the absolutely brilliant I awoke an instant before hurtling
the prospect of only 10 or 11 kilos Keenets Central won the Trent National into space from a 30 foot high
winning, several other areas were back and picked up a set of gold paper- embankment. I shudder to think of the
in contention. weights to go with the silver ones! events that followed as the van
In an attempt to ensure a sneaky The question and answer forum somersaulted its way along the bottom
winner didn't get through elsewhere, featured Roger, Downsie, Ivan Marks of the bank before it came to a
photographer Mick Rouse and myself and Ray Mumford. Someone from the shuddering halt in a dyke fully a
shot off towards the opposite end of the floor asked if the panel thought air hundred yards away from the point it
match to search for the proverbial pressure had an effect on the behaviour left the road. Only the rear doors
needle in a haystack. After visiting of fishes. Each angler in turn offered his remained recognisable in what looked
Gunthorpe, Shelford, and Burton Joyce like the aftermath of a terrorist bomb
to find the stewards reporting nothing attack.
much going (Christ, I hope they're Supreme Champion, Crufts. 1991. I sat stunned amongst the carnage
right), I dropped Mick off at Caythorpe trying to make sense of what had
whilst I covered the hot pegs at
Hoveringham, arriving in the nick of
time for the weigh in. As expected the
winner did come from one of the
predictable pegs but our trek paid off
with a big carp at Caythorpe for Mick
whilst I was the only photographer
around to get snaps of the guy who
finished third. Unfortunately I didn't
pass on the captions with the film and
when the times rang on Sunday I had
been called into work. All my hard
work was therefore in vain as I learned
a very important lesson the hard way.
Back at the headquarters it was
lovely to meet up with Chippenham
stalwart Mick Olden again who had
made the long journey up from the
West Country simply to make sure he
would know exactly where next years
pegs would fall for the first division
National now that East Stoke is not in. I
call that dedication.
The biggest buzz ricochetting around
the Newark Showground was how
badly hot favourites Gold thorpe had
done. It seemed very likely they had
finished well down the field. Not only
did the crowd believe it but the team
did as well. When the result was
announced with them scraping a
promotion place they celebrated the
windfall in as much style as in the
previous winning years to the
resounding jeers and laughter of the
crowd. Roger Mortimer told me later
he felt a bit embarrased because he views and widened the subject slightly. happened. My only injury a bruise on
personally was responsible for starting Mark Downes explained how falling the shoulder where the seatbelt had
the booing which the crowd gleefully water temperatures in the week leading held me secure.
picked up on. Perhaps time does heal up to the National had affected Starlets Scrambling up the bank I knew my
and he has forgotten our laughter and team plans. Ray Mumford confirmed life had irrevocably changed in the
derision the previous year on the Nene. everyone else's theories and added his instant it took to realise I was neither
The photo accompanying this article own about phases of the moon and the crippled nor seriously injured. 1 was
will give you a clue as to which team importance of carrying a thermometer. being granted an opportunity to live on
won. Does Roger look happy to you, or "In fact" he said "I have recently taken knowing every single day was a bonus.
does he remind you of a Jack Russell to carrying a compass!!" I had no right to be alive yet here I was,
Terrier about to rip the head off a rat? If This prompted Mark to ask, "Is that a very much wiser man, destined never
this season is anything to go by he so you can find your way to your peg?" again to bemoan a bad draw or a wet
would perhaps benefit in the future .... meantime Ivan studied his shoes day. From here on just going fishing is .—.
from ditching sponsors Keenets and and shook his head, "I can't be doing the bonus. LJ

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