47 years ago I think it was, maybe 48, I was a fishing obsessed early teenager, and our school club had done ok in the schools national on the Warks Avon at Evesham, one of our regular waters. But one weekend I went there just to watch: it was an Angling Times super league match, and boyhood hero Ivan Marks was in it. I went with a lad called Richard Blew and we got there very early, excited. As we walked along the river a tall, long haired angler asked us, in a Yorkshire accent, “Are you lads local? What do you know about fishing this river?” We recognised him as the Bionic Bleaker, and he seemed genuinely interested in hearing us talk about what were, in retrospect, the very basics: stick float down the inside, waggler line across, chrisoidine maggots and casters, maybe a pinch of hemp, bread based ground bait - a real case of telling granny how to suck eggs! But he stuck with us along the whole length of the match stretch, and asked what we knew about each peg. We were a bit star struck, and pleased that someone was interested in our opinion! We wished him well at the draw, and then rushed off to make sure we were at the front of the crowd behind Ivan, a near mythical figure to us. We watched every cast, noted every change of line and tactics, and counted every cigarette! Ivan did ok, but he had two prolonged spells where the bites became scarcer, and those few harder to hit, and he lost a couple of big chub, to groans from the crowd. Word was that the long-haired fella was doing much better, further upstream … We followed the weigh all the way along, and sure enough, with 23lbs odd if I recall, you won it; Ivan was 5th or 6th with about 16lbs. But that’s a vague memory. I picked up the board that had Angling Times Superleague - Tom Pickering printed on it. You signed it for me; I kept it for years, in my parents’ garage, until they passed on. I drifted away from fishing - certainly competitive fishing, though I have dabbled from time to time over the decades as I’ve moved around - a bit of small river flyfishing in Derbyshire, some big barbel hunting on a mate’s farm on the Herefordshire Wye, some sea fishing for food in the Western Isles and in the Med, but in recent years, health failing a bit, I have relaxed very effectively watching fishing videos on RU-vid. It was good to stumble across you again in these circumstances, and realise you are still a master. All power to your elbow: thanks for showing an interest in what a couple of youngsters knew about their local stretch, nearly half a century ago.
On a river, chub & barbel are smarter than F1's etc & probably don't want to get too near the feeder, or maybe they like the way the pellet wafts in the current on a longer hook length. Remember how we used to fish for chub & barbel using a 3 foot hook length back in the day, when Method feeder wasn't even a thing !! (I'm 67) So maybe even 12 or 15 inch, bearing in mind, the pellet ends up downstream from the feeder - on a river anyway !!
Hi Tommy that is the best fishing video I have ever seen and I will certainly be getting some of that liquid flavouring for my pallets. Keep up the great content 💯👌👍
Can't believe you never used 2 important baits in your groundbait bud?.......as a 80s match angler ....would have thought you of all people would have used these......I ain't gonna say what.....as you should know..... certainly did me ok...wouldn't fish with out them 😉
@@markmtmdoors1497 Sorry i don't get your answer. I understand pellets cannot be used as it's natural baits only but why is fjuka groundbait not allowed in the rules. Are you saying everyone on the match was just using brown or white crumb then?
Could have been worse you may have been asked to fish for a southern team. Strange none of you yorky bars every came over in the 1970's to fish the big matches in Lancashire
I like fishing the canal at Goole never fail to catch but I'm having trouble hitting bites on the feeder I always use a size 18 hook is this the right size or should I go bigger Love it now your showing you catching fish .
