The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Will see what I can do gentlemen......but it may take some time.

Sorry, I've arrived late to these discussions.

For years I lived about half a mile up the road from Bearton pond and was also unaware of its existence. It wasn't until my car broke down and I had to get the bus that I could see over the high wall. It's quite a nice little pond really, but the location - on a busy junction, opposite a not great pub etc - could be better. I'm afraid it might not live up to expectations. It is just round the corner from Bearton Rd, where RW used to live.

Thanks Julian.
We removed the original post showing where it was as it didn't seem to be published elsewhere.
Do you think it is still fished?

I know there 'No fishing' signs up, so maybe unofficially (unofishaly?). The gardens that back on to it have boats moored there. If anyone really wants to see it, get the double decker from Hitchin to Bedford! Oh and don't forget to sit on the top deck.

Thanks for the information, it sheds a whole new light on things. Still sounds like a nice place to fish, you are a lucky man to have it to yourself. Will have to look in to the location of Oughton pond now.

Hi Dannybo welcome to the forum. :hat: You are in a privileged position - well done. :D

dannyboy wrote:I was told of the Oughton pond story by Chris Ball. I have tried to find it myself and can only think that it is the pond situated next to bowmans flour mill.

Dear Danny Boy and Snape, if my memory serves me correctly, it was drained in Walker's day, because local mothers were worried that children might drown. I've even seen a picture somewhere, which shows Walker "supervising" the pumping out operation... It must have been a bitter-sweet experience for him, all considered.
It's interesting that Bearton can clearly support doubles but nothing more. It was so in Walker's day - his best was 16lb 5oz from there; but we all know what a significant pond that is. I wonder if there are any descendants of the Walker fish left, by the way?
It was at Bearton that Walker and Thomas developed the margin crust technique, I believe, and where BB caught his very first double. Historic stuff! :D

I've had a quick rummage and found this passage, in the Rickards biography of Walker..it's from the chapter "A personal perspective by Pat Marston Walker". She writes:
"..Richard was given a book called "The Fisherman's Bedside Book" by BB, and in this book BB expresses particular interest in carp and reveals his ambition to catch one over ten pounds... They went and fished Richard's then favourite method of margin fishing, with floating crust at Bearton Pond, and Denys (BB) caught five carp, one of which was over the magical figure, 10lb 2oz..."

FairliesBirthday,
Bearton Pond wasn't drained - that was Oughton pond, also at Hitchin. The latter was where Dick and Pete T. put Pete's 28-pounder from Redmire Pool, but it sadly died later. Dick put a few small carp and tench in Oughton and got some of them back when it was drained and filled in.

I have an idea that even when Dick Walker and Pete Thomas (or Thosmas as Dick called him) fished the lake, they did so on an "unofficial" basis. I first caught a glimpse of it in the late fifties and it had a high fence which hadn't been recently erected around it then. I think I was with Dick the last time I tried to peep through the fence during the 1960s. We had walked round to a nearby off licence to buy some beer. I guess that Pete could give details, but I don't think he is particularly interested in talking about those days - he has alway kept to himself to a degree.