Hello from Fordingbridge
- HayrickMeadow
- Stickleback
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 10:31 am
- 3
Hello from Fordingbridge
Hello everyone, thank you for letting me join your forum.
My name is John Harding, I have been browsing the Tradition Fisherman’s Forum for some time, and thought it was time I applied to join.
I bought my first wide drum Speedia deluxe and B James mark IV from Fred Eggleton at Perry and Cox, Reading, in 1961, and have been using them ever since.
My first love was Barbel and Chub fishing my then local river Kennet, in particular Hayrick Meadow at Calcot, which, before the M4 motorway and dredging, was a dream to fish, with beds of flowering ranunculus and golden gravel.
Later I was fortunate to be able to fish the Hampshire Avon on the Somerley Estate at Ibsley and Ellingham, thanks to Richard Walker, and the Somerley river keeper, Col. Stanley Crow, staying in Dick’s Caravan at Bridge Farm, Ibsley.
In 1983, I had an invitation to fish the river Wye (thanks Tim!) for what was then the elusive Wye Barbel, and I have been fishing that wonderful river ever since.
I have been making split cane rods and landing nets for my own use and close friends, on and off for 50 years, thanks to the help and encouragement from RW, based on his MK IV Carp and Avon designs, also making Kennet Perfection and Avocet style rods for float fishing.
Nowadays I spend too much time still water angling for Carp and Tench, with regular trips to the Wye, Kennet and my now local Hampshire Avon.
My name is John Harding, I have been browsing the Tradition Fisherman’s Forum for some time, and thought it was time I applied to join.
I bought my first wide drum Speedia deluxe and B James mark IV from Fred Eggleton at Perry and Cox, Reading, in 1961, and have been using them ever since.
My first love was Barbel and Chub fishing my then local river Kennet, in particular Hayrick Meadow at Calcot, which, before the M4 motorway and dredging, was a dream to fish, with beds of flowering ranunculus and golden gravel.
Later I was fortunate to be able to fish the Hampshire Avon on the Somerley Estate at Ibsley and Ellingham, thanks to Richard Walker, and the Somerley river keeper, Col. Stanley Crow, staying in Dick’s Caravan at Bridge Farm, Ibsley.
In 1983, I had an invitation to fish the river Wye (thanks Tim!) for what was then the elusive Wye Barbel, and I have been fishing that wonderful river ever since.
I have been making split cane rods and landing nets for my own use and close friends, on and off for 50 years, thanks to the help and encouragement from RW, based on his MK IV Carp and Avon designs, also making Kennet Perfection and Avocet style rods for float fishing.
Nowadays I spend too much time still water angling for Carp and Tench, with regular trips to the Wye, Kennet and my now local Hampshire Avon.
- Troydog
- Tench
- Posts: 2892
- Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2017 8:02 pm
- 6
- Location: Hereford
- Contact:
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
WeLcome on board John. I hope you get as much pleasure from this wonderful forum as I, and many other members do. I’m still at the perch here (on the Wye) courtesy of advice from Bernard Venables. I had a 3:6 this afternoon. I’ll put a piccy up later.
All the best for now,
Tim
All the best for now,
Tim
Trouble is, the fish just don't read the books......
John Harding
John Harding
- Robbi
- Tench
- Posts: 2929
- Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 9:40 pm
- 11
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
Goodness, what a pedigree welcome Sir
"In the back roads by the rivers of my memory"
- Mark
- Head Bailiff
- Posts: 21161
- Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:55 pm
- 12
- Location: Leicestershire
- Contact:
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
Welcome to the forum John.
Mark (Administrator)
The most precious places in the English landscape are those secretive corners,
where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).
The most precious places in the English landscape are those secretive corners,
where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).
- Pallenpool
- Zander
- Posts: 3712
- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 2:04 pm
- 7
- Location: North Norfolk
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
Welcome to the TFF - thoroughly enjoyed your introduction and very much looking forward to further reading.
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.
Heraclitus
www.thepiscatorialraconteurs.co.uk
Heraclitus
www.thepiscatorialraconteurs.co.uk
- Tengisgol
- Barbel
- Posts: 4881
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:49 pm
- 10
- Location: Essex Boy
- Contact:
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
Hello John, looking forward to hearing about your tackle, trips and experiences.
Where the willows meet the water...
https://sites.google.com/site/tengisgol/
https://sites.google.com/site/tengisgol/
- Catfish.017
- Eel
- Posts: 2200
- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:53 am
- 12
- Location: Fradley Junction quite often!
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
A warm welcome John. I'm sure I recognise your name from a book I once owned on specimen fish?
- Carp Artist
- Arctic Char
- Posts: 1596
- Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2013 12:34 pm
- 10
- Location: Just the other side of nowhere
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
Welcome aboard John.
Not a fish was visible that first time I visited Beechmere; an utter
stillness brooded over the place and I felt the strange and sinister atmosphere which, so the story goes,
has been the cause of several suicides.’
BB – Confessions of a Carp Fisher
stillness brooded over the place and I felt the strange and sinister atmosphere which, so the story goes,
has been the cause of several suicides.’
BB – Confessions of a Carp Fisher
- Bobthefloat
- Rainbow Trout
- Posts: 3457
- Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2016 7:27 pm
- 8
- Location: West Sussex coast
Re: Hello from Fordingbridge
Welcome to the forum