I was fishing on the Trent today, which was carrying a little extra water following the recent rain. It kept showering so I was wearing the aforementioned army surplus camou gear. At one stage I could hear voices approaching and round a bush came a canoe, much too close. They apologised saying that they never spotted me due to the clothing I was wearing, so it does work! It also kept me dry.
Can you spot me?
I caught this chub and another smaller one. I also caught 7 barbel, all in the space of 31/2 hours. The river really did need that flush through to liven it up.
"You do not cease to fish because you get old, you get old because you cease to fish"
On leaving the Army the RQMS ( Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant) said" well as an angler I suppose you want to keep these" so my Goretex jacket and trousers in the old (DPM) pattern were mine to keep.
I now also have a set of the new (MTP) Pattern bib n brace trousers and they are of the same quality. However I really like the idea of keeping the kit I served with and they show no signs of deteriorating performance wise.
A carefully concealed, dry angler in a downpour is a what modern fabrics techology is all about if embraced.
"We knelt side by side looking at it. I knew it was big, and suddenly it dawned on me it was more than that. It was tremendous!" - Richard Walker
I have just re discovered the humble Poncho. Fantastic for my new found fishing platform : a boat . Easy to put on and covers everything . Great from the bank as well as sitting on my chair I am completely covered . Lightweight and packable . Other uses as well . Great piece of kit .
When I was a nipper I used to marvel at the window display of our local Surplus store, apart from the clothing you had all the equipment including watches, knives' compass etc etc. The Army great coats from all forces, Parkas, desert jackets, American air force jackets and of course Docker type trousers and donkey jackets, Tank aerials and old radios, field telephones they were all available at the Surplus store. Ours was called Sams, and was in Woolwich, which was an Army base and the old Arsenal was full of old clothing stores out on the marshes towards Abbeywood. I am not sure if their stock came from there but it certainly came from all over the world.