The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

JerryC wrote:As we know the Walker/Venables relationship was somewhat 'strained' for various reasons. Although he founded AT Venables was surely smart enough to realize who it's main asset was. Their relationship was partly covered by Barrie Rickards in ‘Richard Walker - Biography of an Angling Legend’.

Indeed, - in fact, a very detailed account.

I am sure in the hyper competitive world of commercial angling big names today there is also much back stabbing ..... Venables and walker were both giants in their own way and we are lucky to have their books. I was lucky enough to meet both of them as a schoolboy at the angling Exhibition in Earls Court; despite the press of people both willingly signed copies of their books. I will keep that memory .

I remember reading somewhere "That if Richard Walker was the brilliant brain of angling, then Bernard Venables was the heart and soul"........I think that sums it up for me, both greats of angling but entirely different characters.

RBTraditional wrote:I remember reading somewhere "That if Richard Walker was the brilliant brain of angling, then Bernard Venables was the heart and soul"........I think that sums it up for me, both greats of angling but entirely different characters.

Well said Rob.

Chris Yates and Bob James were similarly divided but joined by their passion. Angling has room for everybody and their opinions but little room for their ego's.

Dave Burr wrote:Chris Yates and Bob James were similarly divided but joined by their passion. Angling has room for everybody and their opinions but little room for their ego's.

Deep...but fair.

It has always fascinated me why anglers can be so parochial about what they see as their territory... Most of it seems wrapped up in earning a living from a hobby as there is only so much crust I guess. But there are other dynamics such as specimen hunting which ultimately leads to recognition (and income etc. I suppose). Of late I have become a little secretive of my Pike catches as they feature on too many menus these days and the fish deserve a chance.
There is a reservoir 5 minutes walk from where I live, a featureless mound of earth filled with water that has now become one of the latest 'secret waters' for those seeking specimen roach over 3lb. I could fish it everyday for a few hours and it would not interfere with the other aspects of my busy life but I have never wetted a line there...it just seems pointless to me. There are times when I think I should take advantage of the opportunity but cannot get enthused about catching a big roach from one of the most unnatural waters I have ever seen. Now if it was in the local river... of course..... I was on it almost every Autumn day till a few years back after Dace as they were beauties till Tarka took up residence.
The feud between Venables and Walker, sad as it might be, is not uncommon in the world of angling and journalism as we all know but personally I get as much pleasure from other peoples exceptional catches and successes as I do my own as to know such fish exist is inspirational. It is also the blank days and those of others though that have driven my own learning and I have a secret admiration of those that speak about them with confidence.

Unfortunately such rifts are still present in today's angling world.... Some folk seem hell bent on causing strife, consternation and controversy.... it seems that even bad publicity can be a positive... especially when fuelled by drink or/and drugs on the bank (or behind a keyboard) and as a vehicle for such bad blood I find "Farcebook" to be a firm culprit... which is why in part I frequent these pages, to get away from the grief of the angling world and seek a little solace herein

And of course there was Oliver Kite and Frank Sawyer where there was a big falling out at the time.

Ernest Hemingway had a big fall out with two of his best friends over fishing. During one marlin trip one friend caught the bigger marlin and in the evening they got sloshed in a bar to celebrate the catch but Hemingway fained his drunkenness and when outside the bar duly punched his mate out of jealousy! Another trp and another mate, his friend hooked into an enormous fish which due to Hemingway being slower than usual at using his boats engine to counter the marlins runs the battle was prolonged and finished when sharks ate most of the fish. His friend blamed Hemingway for the loss of this fish of a lifetime and afterwards they hardly ever spoke. But whether Hemingway meant for this marlin to be lost to sharks is conjecture!

I think both these examples illustrate these falling's out to be about egos, egotists and egoisms; and I suspect has little to do with fishing per se, but more to do with......being.....who they were!