Thursday 24 April 2014

Like a Virgin...

Dave Fowler, Martin Roberts and the Lesser Spotted Bankswooper (Ballivus rara)
50 years an active angler I've been asked to produce a rod license just twice in all that time. The last occasion was at Bury Hill, and actually, thinking back I never got to actually produce because Martin Roberts and Dave Fowler stole the thunderous import of the moment chitchatting the swooping official into such a state of utter submission that he ignored me utterly and in the end walked away denying the rare honour of waving it under his nose. 

On the first occasion I didn't have one, in fact I was a license virgin who'd never ever considered he'd be required to hold one at such a tender age let alone lose his unblemished criminal cherry by such an act of buggery. 

Marched from the fishery I was then summoned to Brentwood Magistrates Court where the magistrate pretty much laughed the bailiff out of court admonishing for him wasting court time over such a paltry issue, then fined me £5 and awarded £5 costs. 

Those were the days, eh?

That was 1974, though, and me just a teenager. Forty years on and things are rather different with non-possession or fishing during the close season carrying a maximum penalty of either shed loads of money or in the case of celebrities, serious career damage and ignominy in addition to shed loads of money.

Once bitten, though — twice shy. I may have come away relatively unscathed from my first punishment which was akin to having a ruler whacked rather lightly across the knuckles by a headmaster going through the motions of punishment but without meaning it, but I never forgot from that moment on the necessity of never fishing again without that slip of paper in my wallet. So, Martin was to pick me up at five, and, I applied for my license at 10 minutes to, took note of the reference number just in case, then, off we went to Warwick Racecourse ressy for a spot of fishing.




It's a pretty little lake, triangular in shape, and full of fish. Quiet and peaceful it is too.

A couple of lads on the far bank sharing the same swim fishing for carp were chatting away merrily...

"Oi lads...turn the volume down..." Shouts Martin.

We then proceed to talk across the bush dividing our two swims every bit as loudly as they!




There was nothing much to shout about in the sluggish early season fishing. A brace of crucians for Martin, a small tench for myself and a fair number of silver bream between us both. I did lose a good fish though. Pulling steadily toward the safety of the bush without ever deviating in its determination to go in the one direction only, eventually overpowering the light float tackle it got where it wanted to be, snagged firm, and stole my hook. An eel perhaps?



Then swooped in a master angler who proceeded to fish his chosen peg without a care in the world for bailiffs and their little pocket notebooks, court cases, fines and costs and whatnot. Didn't even have the wherewithal for the day ticket...


15 comments:

  1. Jeff, its been a long time, glad you managed the time out on the bank, i have been more fortunate for sure.

    As for the licenses..... Well i have always had one since the age that it was required, but I myself have only been checked a hand-full of times in 22 years since I began my obsession for angling, I would like to see many more balliffs walking the beats, but not certainly not police officers or the support officers, as their lack of knowledge does annoy me in regards to where and when you can or can't fish, even though you know you as the angler are probably in the right, as I have previously experienced. But enough of that, do you fancy a trip down to Marsh Farm this season?

    Best Regards James.

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    1. Yes I do fancy Marsh Farm, James, probably some time in May I reckon. I'll let you know when I can make it.

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  2. It is a nice water eh Jeff!
    As for the EA license, I have been waiting for almost a month now for mine to arrive so it is a receipt that an EA bailiff will receive, unlikely I know.......

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    1. Yes it's a little gem!

      Mine came through in just four days, Danny...

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  3. Nice to have you back. You've been missed.

    Best of luck for the new season. Do seasons start on April 1st or June 16th now?.............. I fish stillwaters too during this period.

    I got back into fishing at uni and I never once thought about getting a licence, Not because I was a rebel or anything. I just had no idea you needed one! I know ignorance is no excuse but fortunately we were never checked.

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    1. I think my season starts 1st of April nowadays, at least it feels that way... As a teenager I thought licenses were for grown men and wouldn't have even thought about spending what little cash I had on one when there were floats and maggots to buy!

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  4. I too was a teenager the first time I was asked to produce a valid license. (And failed to do so) The one asking was a police officer and he didn't fine me, but made me promise to get one and leave a photocopy in his post box at the local police station the next day. Naturally I did, and I fish with proper licences ever since....most of the time. There's nothing better to relive the days of boyhood than climbing over a fence or two, spend a few hours looking over your shoulder and plead ignorance if you happen to get caught. ;)

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    1. Well that's what I thought should have happened in my case. Should have been let off with a warning, a promise to buy one and produce it later. Then I could have got the parents to cough up! I did actually pay the tenner fine + costs out my own pocket so I remember...

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  5. Oh I am pleased. I looked at the second fish photograph and thought "silver bream". Delighted that the text confirmed the diagnosis, although I still don't think I have ever caught one. I tend to discount those entries in my fishing log, made whilst I was about 14, which say "silver bream", as probably being small common bream. Good to see the pen back in your hand.

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    1. I always had my few skimmers down as silver bream because they were, well, silver coloured bream! Then one day down the cut I caught a real one and a skimmer too when the penny dropped because the difference between is very marked. However, catch either alone and it's not so clear even for my now practised eye.

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  6. Well Jeff welcome back from the edge mate. for referance we were no where near as loud as the lads, but that little word I had with them did cut their volumn down.

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    1. Yeah, you do have to put lads in their place mate otherwise they'd have started chucking bottles in the water and luzzing stones at them, as I remember most of me and my teenage mates sessions ending !

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  7. Glad your back it's all gone a bit stale of late. Don't leave it too long next time eh! We'll be back on the river before long to fire up the enthusiasm.

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    1. I think we all missed the river sport last Winter, Lee. Can't wait for June the 16th and rampant weed growth to deal with!

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  8. I've had my licence checked more times in the last few years than the previous forty five put together, and I'm glad to see it.

    Never had a silver bream though, must rectify that one day.

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