Anyway, rather than re-write a load of schpeel(sic) I just thought I'd copy in my introduction email: this is me ( as Mike Yarwood seemed to say I recall )
Dear Sir
At the risk of the humiliation of being black-balled ( ooerr missus ), I will lay my credentials open to you.
I only ever fish for trout with bamboo, an 8'5" Fario club, and a strange 5'11" American number that is called a "Serin" from Red Bluffs. I usually use a 1928 Hardy's Uniqua and a Theabault silk line or some older number silk line I have renovated myself. I have not yet taken to using a single horse hair cast - though on the end of a tapered silk leader it is not impossible that I may not give it a go. ( a size 16 on a gut-eye can bloody whistle though ).
I mostly sewin fish at night on the river Towy in West Wales ( I live on Gower ) - I use the outpourings of the petrochemical industry to do this - not the hand crafted stems of overgrown grass I'm afraid.
My Salmon fishing is a mixed bag. Very fond of flinging fluff with a range of modern two-handers, I occasionally worm for salmon, and when doing so use a 10 foot cane shrimping rod I built myself from a Chapman's kit years ago. I use the same rod for crab fishing for bass at close quarters. My reel of choice when using this bit of cane is either a Mitchel 300 ( I never saw another 810 since I had one stolen when I was about 14 by some "Big Boys", now at 18 st and 6' 5" I'd like to have the chance to take it back again! ), or a Swallow centre-pin.
As I said I live on Gower in West Wales, so of course I bass fish and have a collection of the original ABU 5/6/7000 series reels the finest multipliers ever made.
I know the difference between stret-pegging and laying on, and between trolling and trailing. I could explain about the problem of casting a 20 foot salmon rod with scarffed and bound joints and drop eyes while up to your nipples in the Alta ( you will freeze and probably drown, the rod weights about 2 lb, and the drag is impossible ). I have an idea of what a hair-rig is - but do not understand "the method" or "spodding". I know the record weights of very few fish, Miss Balantynes Giant of course, and err nope actually that's it. Some fish are big, some are not. I have attached a picture of my best ever catch, and what is in fact the most important fish of my life - it was caught on a solid glass rod from Ramsden's Tobacconists and Tackle dealers in Wakefield.
I fish for fun, and am serious about my fun. I have fished since I was 4 so I have 51 years under my belt. I am still not a very good fisherman but I am a very keen fisherman. I have fished on 4 continents I would fish for anything anywhere with the sole exception of Carp fishing, by this I mean sitting down fishing for something whose weight I will already know to an ounce or two, on a wooden peg/platform next to some bloke called Gazza - or maybe it is the fish that is called Gazza? I would love to drift crusts over a reed wall to a glooping naturally bred fish though, that is not "carp fishing" that is just "fishing". I am a fan of wild fish - And of course Crucians are a delight beyond ( I have plans which involve a 2 acre field I own, a digger and about 200 pure bred crucians ( that is what I call a gentle retirement ). Even when catching tasty bass and sewin, 90% of my catch go back. However, I feel we have a moral requirement to keep the right to kill fish otherwise we are just "buggering about with them for fun" but having that right does not mean we need to exercise it.
Currently I work offshore in the oil game, I'm in charge of oil exploration ships, I am there at present, anchored off Las Palmas for Christmas. I have tackle in my cabin of course - not traditional, but I'm not a zealot - just an addict.
I read a lot, and have a reasonable sized library of fishing books, mostly of a vintage from about 1980 backwards. I have every edition of Waterlog published and am currently therefore in the sad position of watching the slow demise of a good friend. I also have all of Fallon's Tangler so far ( not as good and a bit too much 'me and my great mate xxx, to be sure' ) but we shall see. I also just picked up 9 copies of Creel last month for 50p a copy! I knew Sunday mornings being dragged around the Towy flea market by the Wife would pay off one day ( actually I also got my last silk line there for 3 quid, with a reel! ).
My other hobbies include my 1959 Massey Ferguson 35 tractor, my 1976 SIII Land-Rover and I love making things from wood, metal or bricks. I wear a tweed jacket and a flat hat ( at 55 I am now actually eventually the right age for clothing my dear Wife always thought made me look like a 50 year old farmer. ). I love to eat, drink red wine, scotch and bitter.
My middle name is Cynthia
Only one 'fact' I have written is not true.
Simon Frobisher
Edit:Oops forgot my picture:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/QdR6ab]
