Fishing with Chris Yates in 2014 (eBay auction)

[Mark]

If I had not watched APFA back in 1996 I more than likely would have stopped fishing a year or so later.

If it was not for APFA and being introduced to Chris Yates on the screen we would not be having this discussion gentlemen because the TFF would not exist.

[Hamburger]

At last the bailiff has put his foot down.
Thanks Mark.

[Hoppy-Doffton]

If I had not watched APFA back in 1996 I more than likely would have stopped fishing a year or so later.

If it was not for APFA and being introduced to Chris Yates on the screen we would not be having this discussion gentlemen because the TFF would not exist.

I totally agree after reading and watching Chris I realised that I was in good company in not updating my old tackle to the latest thing on the market and he inspired me to look at how I fished in a new light. Long may he inspire others

[Harry H]

Looks genuine...............http://www.dorseteye.com/north/articles ... ty-auction

It says on this website that the auction was on the 26 July at the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust

[Northern_Nomad]

I too do not hero worship, but it is without any shadow of a doubt that Richard Walker and his friends started a passion in me which still burns as intensely years later.

I regard Chris Yates as the man who picked up Walkers baton and went forward with it and was more than equal to the task.

Just my humble opinion.

[Macko]

I've met CY a couple of times, once at a Barbel Society meeting at Ember court, and once at Peter Stones book launch Old Father Thames,
at the Trout Inn, he came across as a gentleman.

There'd have been no point in me bidding for that day out as, like him, i like to wander so i wouldn't have seen him except at the beginning
and end of the day

ATB Macko

[Paul D]

Think you have summed it up nicely gentlemen

[Gary Bills]

If I had not watched APFA back in 1996 I more than likely would have stopped fishing a year or so later.

If it was not for APFA and being introduced to Chris Yates on the screen we would not be having this discussion gentlemen because the TFF would not exist.

I totally agree after reading and watching Chris I realised that I was in good company in not updating my old tackle to the latest thing on the market and he inspired me to look at how I fished in a new light. Long may he inspire others

When, as a schoolboy, I heard about him using cane to catch the Bishop, I wondered why he didn't favour glass or early carbon. It seemed odd, at the time, because even then I think you were judged by the tackle you used. I agree, HD, that Yates released us from all this, in that I now feel free to choose and use the tackle which I judge to be the best for a given situation. Without him, we'd probably be the victims of tackle trends to a far greater degree. However, I'd think his image masks his real achievements, to some extent. After all, he was one of the great pioneers of particle bait theory, and this led to remarkable success at Redmire, of course. The young Yates looked like a hippy and he fished with ambition. He was a world away from the tweed-wearing Kelly-kettle wearing chap we see on APFA: and this early Yates was the Yates who caught the Pot of Gold and the The Bishop. I would like to meet Yates and yes, talk about fishing, naturally; but I would also like to talk about poetry with him - a shared passion. His politics would be interesting too. I understand that his parents were communists.. All I'm saying is, we have a fixed image of Yates that somewhat resembles Kevin the Scarecrow, and this perhaps obscures the real man - a far more interesting figure, in my opinion.
Walker, for me, remains the more significant figure, because without Walker I doubt whether Yates would ever have walked across the dam at Redmire. Walker started it all, really, didn't he?

[Kingfisher]

I think you're probably right FB, Walker did start it all. Strangely though, I've never had the admiration for Walker that I've had for Chris Yates. To go fishing for monster fish without knowing that you aren't under gunned tacklewise is something that's not often done. It's not only his tackle though but his personality too. For me, I found it strange to see someone who doesn't give a hoot about his appearance or what others think of him, he just gets on with it.

All of this sounded much better in my head and now I'm having trouble explaining what I'd thought. I just can't touch in words what it is about Chris Yates that leads me to watch every programme and read all of his books. I never get like this with other Anglers and I'm not a hero worshipper normally.

[Northern Eel]

For me, Walkers approach was that of an engineer, a problem solver, he liked the challenge of using design to overcome the odds, he was at the forefront of angling technology at the time, the MKIV & he designed one of the first bite alarms.
I dont think he was a "traditionalist", his methods at the time were cutting edge, new ideas & theories about tackle, bait & fishing methods, which he tested & improved over the years.
Chris Yates as an angler cant really be compared to Walker (& I dont really like to compare them) Chris's fishing is more of a lifestyle choice.
He is a better writer of fishing stories than Walker but they are/were both great ambassadors for angling in their own way.