Trussler and the Wildies

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Dave Burr
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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Dave Burr »

In the mid to late 70's I lived in Keynsham just down the road from Huntstrete. I often used to walk the lightly trodden banks even taking an hour off at the end of a night shift to wander around it at dawn, it was a magical, atmospheric pool that 'smelled' carpy. Unfortunately I wasn't really into carp at the time so I only fished it the once on the opening day of the season taking some bream and, when I went over to the float, a succession of perch. I saw a carp or two roll in the early morning and one lucky chap landed a 14 pounder. Its funny, I turned up early to get my chosen swim but was told I was too early by the bailiff who lived in a nearby cottage. He invited me in and as we drank tea he showed me pictures of his best salmon. He warmed to me and allowed me on the water ahead of the rush - nice bloke.

Thinking back I wonder why I didn't do more there especially as I spent many hours wandering around it. I'd be reluctant to go back though as it has become a far more popular venue and a new lake has been dug alongside, I'd hate to see it looking tatty or over-used.

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The Sweetcorn Kid
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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by The Sweetcorn Kid »

That's such a shame, to hear that commercialisation has taken yet another of our historic little pools.
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Gary Bills
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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Gary Bills »

Lechmere wrote:In the mid to late 70's I lived in Keynsham just down the road from Huntstrete. I often used to walk the lightly trodden banks even taking an hour off at the end of a night shift to wander around it at dawn, it was a magical, atmospheric pool that 'smelled' carpy. Unfortunately I wasn't really into carp at the time so I only fished it the once on the opening day of the season taking some bream and, when I went over to the float, a succession of perch. I saw a carp or two roll in the early morning and one lucky chap landed a 14 pounder. Its funny, I turned up early to get my chosen swim but was told I was too early by the bailiff who lived in a nearby cottage. He invited me in and as we drank tea he showed me pictures of his best salmon. He warmed to me and allowed me on the water ahead of the rush - nice bloke.

Thinking back I wonder why I didn't do more there especially as I spent many hours wandering around it. I'd be reluctant to go back though as it has become a far more popular venue and a new lake has been dug alongside, I'd hate to see it looking tatty or over-used.
That 14lb carp, - was it a lovely Old English Common, Lechmere? If so, what a fish!

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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Dave Burr »

I'm afraid I didn't see it FB so I can't say if it was one of the originals, it would be nice to think it was though.

I also used to walk around the long, lily lined neglected pools at Ham Green Hospital and wonder about fishing there, then it was pioneered by the growing carp fanatics and old commons and big tench started to cone out. I sometimes curse my apathy of the past and wonder where my angling life would have taken me had I been a tad more adventurous.

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Gary Bills
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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Gary Bills »

I think that's true of life in general for most of us, Lechmere, .."the road not taken..."

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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Skeff »

I fear (although I'm not certain) that Hunstrete was restocked some years ago with big bland carp and that few of the lean common originals remain.... Certainly as Lechmere says it has be "developed" extensively since Walker and BB trod the banks.... I have no interst in visiting for that reason but i can find out more from a friend who knows the water well if members wish.

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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Invicta »

I have fished it in the past, but it was quite a few years ago. It is located near Compton Dando not far from bath.
I think it is run by Bathampton Anglers or Bristol Amalgamation Society. I remember you had to be a member but also you had to obtain a day ticked as well? and for that you had to get it separately by post or in person-a real pain.
I am afraid is not a quiet water as it used to be many years ago it gets heavily fished. Also I believe the club has dug a series of pools beside it where matches are frequently held. Sorry but thats how it was when I was last there.

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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Dave Burr »

There's a piece by Chris Ball about Hunstrete in the new Carpworld recounting the visit by BB and Dick Walker. Looking at the map, on my only visit there, way back in the seventies, I fished the same swim as Walker so I guess my instincts were good even if I wasn't fishing for the carp.

If only we could turn the clock back.

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Hoppy-Doffton
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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Hoppy-Doffton »

Just love to catch one fish from all the famous waters. Wonder if anyone has done this?
To enjoy our sport as it should be enjoyed, our surroundings must be beautiful, for your true angler enjoys nature as much as he enjoys fishing. "BB"

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Re: Trussler and the Wildies

Post by Barbulus »

I was born and grew up in Bath. Hunstrete was - then - the most magical old lake which was the foundation of my carp fishing 40 years ago. I regularly fished it from my early teens - 1972 - normally with my cousin who was old enough to drive - and then from about 1975 often on my own when I had my own car. In those days, Hunstrete was as classical a carp water as you can imagine. Reeds, lily pads, shallows, sometimes gin clear water, fallen trees, no neatly manicured swims and that unique "smell" so associated with old estate lakes. It was managed by Bathampton AA and the "day ticket" addition was, for me, always obtained from a fantastic traditional "tackle and gun shop" in Bath - I. M Crudgington in Green Street - latterly Broad Street - and alas no more !. One of those shops where the MKIV rods were just stacked against the wall...stuffed fish dotted around...bits and pieces scattered in corners....a slightly musty smell from the decating fly tying area and, from memory, a chap called Dave who just knew everything that went on in the local area by way of carp.....the beginnings of what was then "ultra cult" secrecy as such delights of Kit-eKat carp mixes.....
In those days, I saw Hunstrete as very very much akin to Redmire...size...shape....fauna and flora and of course the carp.....and for years it retained a mystery that has haunted me still.....I went back there in the late 80's when I moved back to England and fished it with an old carp rod, quill float and shrimp - the heavy Au Lion D'or carp hooks having since been replaced by ESP - on the edge of the lillies and as the float sailed away my heart raced and those marvellous memories as a teenager surfaced as a carp took off across the lake....stunning.....the lake has since been the subject of improvement with clearance undertaken and two (?) newer lakes dug but certainly up until the late 80's it had retained for decades the most amazing aura and mystery.
In the 60's and for many years, it had a reputation as also holding abolutely monster eels....Alan Dart caught the long time eel record there of some 8lbs and I recall it was subsequently stuffed and displayed in Veals Tackle Shop in Bristol for many years. I walked around Hunstrete with the bailiff one day in about 1976 (?) a year or two after the drought. There was a small feeder stream and pond and marsh to the West - narrow end of Hunstrete - he told me that he had seen eels that "dwarfed" Alan Dart's record slithering from that area into the main lake.....
So...back to the carp....lazy Summer days when I should have been at school...but instead climbing trees and looking down on massive carp gliding through weed and lily beds....completely stunning....countless hours of fishing and the occasional sharp "jink" of the silver paper tube punctuated with the occasional tench for which Hunstrete was known....but the illusive "monster" evaded worms, par boiled potatoes or Kit-e-Kat paste baits....
The baliff maintained a very strict regime of fishing hours walking the lake at night and early morning to ensure that no-one was there illegally.....at about age 16...I "discovered" through Dave (?) at Crudgingtons that he and a very small number of other carp addicts at been able to "negotiate" a fishing syndicate that could night fish Hunstrete....one week on...three weeks off....a very small number allowed into the "night club".....sound familiar to anyone per chance ?...Sadly I couldn't join...so...armed with the knowledge that night fishing was perhaps the key to actually catching a monster...my cousin and I meticulously planned an illegal foray......we saved our money from Saturday jobs and bought a pair of Conoflex blanks and a pair of Fibatube blanks.....around 1 1'2 lb TC....and then took over the house with cork shives, rod rings, whipping, and pots of varnish....a first attempt at rod making when others were out watching football...we pre-baited some swims for a month or so.......then the night of the "guesting" Hunstrete...Army greatcoats for a blanket.....thermos of tea.....park the car a mile away and quietly approach Hunstrete down the lane.....walk on tip toe past the cottage...into the woods...along the banks which we knew so well from our daytime forays.....settle in under an old oak (?) about two thirds of the way up the Southern bank...tackle up quietly.....no torch....just a moonlit night....bats flitting everywhere and a ghostly barn owl ....quiet and a thin mist layer settling hovering above the surface........I cast one of my "new" rods and it's potato with a blade of grass as a "cushion" to a gap in the lilly beds on the far side....perfect...probably more luck than judgement but placed the rod in the rest and opened the bail arm of the Mitchell 300 and placed a silver paper coil on the line. The other rod was cast to a nearby lily bed. We settled back with a mixture of trepidation and expectation for the unfolding events. Of course at 16, despite whatever passion for angling one had, the early hours of a carp lake - even in Summer - were cold and with no such thing as a bed chair or a bivvy or even a sleeping bag....although I do recall wearing some PJ bottoms under my jeans....the cold and night soon gave way to curling up under the oak tree on a bed of leaves to try and keep warm....I dozed next to my rods despite my intention of staying awake fully. As I passed in and out of a fitful doze - shivering - I thought I was dreaming...the silver paper had moved...had I imagined it....it moved and jerked uptoward the rod again...it was the far bank lily bed rod....no I hadn't imagined it....line was slowly peeling off the Mitchell......fingers trembling...legs shaking.....bail arm closed...don't panic...strike....solid resistance...nothing moved. I had obviously hooked into the tubers of the lilly bed.....aarrrrgghh....that is another Au Lion D'or hook wasted then and I just know I will not be able to re-cast to that spot again...the "lilly bed" started to move.....even more aaaaarrgghh....it is a fish and clearly a big fish moving out and down the lake....I called quietly to my cousin still asleep - bring the net...I have a fish on and its big.
What seemed like eternity passed but eventually the fish was near the bank and my cousin lifted the Efgeeco carp net we had bought between us as we both "peered" into the net. To use modern parlance...OMG...."its b*****y enormous"........I was shaking as we brought the fish to shore. We took some photos....one of which survives to this day and which I will try and scan and post.....but at 0400 in the morning..."guesting" Hnstrete and with no scales that could possibly weight this "monster"...we were somewhat stuck. The decision.....the Efgeeco net was so big that we de-tackled...used all of the bank sticks and "pegged out" the net in the water leaving the carp in there quite happy. Sunrise and a constant look at the wrist watch until the appropriate time....then a stumble along the bank to the baliff's cottage when we judged he might be having his early breakfast. A knock on the cottage door...hello...I have just caught a carp and wondered if you had some large scales as I think it is quite big.....grumble grumble.....bit early isn't it...I hope you haven't been out there at night....No....only arrived a little time ago.....incredible piece of luck......he put his coat on...and came back with the official "bailiff scales"......the result....22 lbs of incredible carp.
A treasured memory for me and while I have caught more - and bigger - carp since then...that first "monster" from Hunstrete in July 1975 - caught on a rod I "made" myself...with a par boiled potato as bait remains - for me - the most amazing fishing memory. It is almost 40 years ago now but a 22 lb carp from Hunstrete then is a treasure for me even now. An incredible place in the 70's.
There is a slight post-script.....we drove back to Bath that morning with the roll of film and had it developed at a photographers on Pulteney Bridge. We had sworn ourselves to keeping the capture quiet. My cousin and I then picked up the photographs once developed and took them to the Saracen's Head pub in the centre of Bath - an old "coaching inn" with stone flags on the floor then. The connection was that it was next door to I M Crudgington;s and was - in the days of strict pub opening hours - the only pub allowed to stay open on a Wednesday afternnoon as an historical legacy of the cattle market in the city from days gone by. We opened the photograph packet as we sipped a cider. Incredible ! For once we actually had a half decent photograph of a big fish and in the cold light of a 5 x 7 print - the carp looked even bigger than I had remembered from the day before......so...after the cider and with a beam like a Cheshire Cat...we finished the cider and thought we would pop into Crudgingtons and amble around the unaffordable MKIV carp rods....we walked in to be greeted by Dave the "ultra-cult" carp man......"Hello" says he..."So....I think you might have something you want to tell me ?"...."Um...No" says I...."What ?"...."Well...I think you might have had a monster carp yesterday at Hunstrete and I think you might have been "guesting" as well"........"How could you possibly know" says I. "Ha ha" says Dave. "There are no secrets you know. The photographer developer in Pulteney Bridge is run by a close friend of mine and he is also a carp fisherman. He developed your photographs yesterday and rang me as soon as he saw the evidence. So...come on then...tell me...what did you catch it on ?. "Well" says I..." you are not going to believe this Dave...but I actually caught that monster on breadflake"......
I was able to join the "Night Synicate" the following year !

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