How I started fishing
It must have been in the early 1980’s that my friends started to fish. I was the youngest of the bunch so naturally I was not allowed to join the older kids crowd to the river bank and net Gudgeon and Sticklebacks. How disgruntled I was! So began months of pressure and pain, oh how my poor parents must have suffered!
I will never know exactly how much pressure was needed, or if my Dad was secretly waiting for the moment, but Christmas 1980 was a momentous occasion! I got some fishing gear. I can still remember unwrapping a Wollies fishing rod and blue extending tackle box. But even better was a few days after Christmas day going on my first ever fishing trip.
It is amazing that even now over 25 years later I can remember glimpses of that day. I can still recall Jonah Lewie ‘Stop the Cavalry’ playing on the radio on the journey and snow on the ground. I can remember float rubbers and of course, absolutely no fish whatsoever! It was at Marlingford Mill that the hook was set in my soul for fishing, and I have not escaped yet!
What it was about a warching an orange tipped quill racing down a narrow river that captivated me I will never understand.
From Marlingford Mill we progressed onto a shallow and weedy lake in Wymondham where you could entice some beautiful Crucian Carp if you could land them out of the weeds.
From Marlingford we progressed onto what became our venue of choice and that was Ringland Lakes. The lakes there provided a sanctuary of calm, it was quiet and hardly fished as I recall. The multiple lakes provided all sorts of options and it was where I really cut my fishing teeth.
It was in fact to this fishery that I returned in 2004, after a break of probably 15 years or more, and once again dipped a line into the water. This time the quarry was Pike. I am not sure why this species has held such a fascination, maybe because in reality I am still a little scared of them! It was on this return trip with my Brother Mark that I hooked into a Pike just under 10 pounds, and the small smouldering fishing flame was once again fanned into a fire!
The two of us made a couple of trips back to Ringland Lakes, in particular Gorse Lake right at the back of the fishery, and in one day netted 7 Esox between us. None massive, but massive fun non the less.
Once the weather improved it was onto my summer quarry, and for me there is nothing like fishing for Tench, Tinca tinca. The fizz of bubbles, the hard fight and silky smooth touch make a worthy adversary. I ventured onto Bawburgh Lakes in the Summer of 2004 with a ’small lakes’ permit, and it is here that the fishing stopped once again. The last time I fished was 21st July 2004 when I caught a 4.5lb Tench.
So there you have it, a passion for fishing spanning over 25 years, but not necessarily all of them on the bank.
I am keen to return to the basics of fishing, and already have a couple of venues close to Wymondham I am keen to try. I trust you will also enjoy my return as I share it in my Norfolk coarse fishing journal and blog.
Nigel
May 2008
