The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I was wondering if some of the members that have been involved in the scene for a long time could maybe do a short bio on themselves. Len Arbery has published some amazing pictures recently but I wonder if he could do a short bio detailing his fishing career to accompany these. It would certainly be interesting to learn about these early specimen anglers and what/how they fished for over the years.

Len if you read this and have the time would this be possible?

Mark maybe we could have a famous anglers careers section? If others are willing to contribute?

Hello Hovis,

After giving myself some time to think about your query, here are a few thoughts:

I consider my answers to the Twenty Question interview form a brief(?) fishing autobiography, yet if you have any further questions then please let me know?

To All Forum members,



Seasonal Regards,

Len.

That's a great photo that one. It looks so insignificant (don't get me wrong, unbelievably inviting) yet with the trees stripped so bare, just like so many other lovely little hidden pools...but what lurked beneath in those dark cold depths!

A lovely photo Len, Have a great Christmas Phil.

Thank-you and a Merry Christmas to you too CA and Mr Arbery.

I was thinking some more about that picture of Redmire. I was eight going on nine in early '76, the same age as my oldest lad. I had only just picked up a rod myself back then and was a long way off seeing my first carp or reading Quest (which changed EVERYTHING).

I was imagining what you might have been thinking Len, looking down on that scene, dreaming of another time maybe when the weed was rich and there were butterflies in the air, with carp making their way up to the shallows and nobody really knowing what might still be swimming in that little pool.

Must have been magic.

...and Happy Christmas to you too Hovis, and everyone indeed (feeling jolly, must be the G&T!)

Len,

Can I ask when you started targeting large fish and were no longer happy with the float simply going under. Was this a natural progression as your angling skill improved or did you wake up think "I want to catch the biggest in the lake".?

Hello Hovis,

The events of 13th September 1952, at about 4 o/clock in the morning, first set my feet along the big-fish path, when I was just 13 years old. Not that I knew it at the time, of course. It was almost certainly in the following week, though, for then I witnessed a conversation in Cooper's little tackle shop, in Hammersmith, West London. The proprietor and two of his 'grown-up' customers were discussing the almost unbelievable capture of a 44lb new record carp from Bernithan Pool, by a certain Richard Walker. From that very moment, I didn't just want to catch fish, I wanted carp. And, I wanted one so, so badly!

That was one ambition that took a long time in fulfilling...15 years to be precise!

I have never actually thought about, 'catching the biggest fish in the lake'. Invariably, and even from the very beginning, my aim has been to catch fish bigger than the norm; not necessarily the biggest in that particular water, nor the biggest in the land. At heart I'm not really competitive, save with myself, hence I'm always striving to do my best, and that's in everything, not solely fishing. I realise, and only too well, these aims of mine, do not make me a true 'specimen hunter'; but I do consistently try hard to increase my own PB's. Not all the time, though; for there are occasions when plainly big fish are secondary. Family and friends always, always come first with me.

I totally disagree with the sentiment, "All's fair in Love, War...and big-fish angling"!

Hope this answers your questions; if not, try me again?

Besties,

Len.

Len Arbery wrote:Hello Hovis,

The events of 13th September 1952, at about 4 o/clock in the morning, first set my feet along the big-fish path, when I was just 13 years old. Not that I knew it at the time, of course. It was almost certainly in the following week, though, for then I witnessed a conversation in Cooper's little tackle shop, in Hammersmith, West London. The proprietor and two of his 'grown-up' customers were discussing the almost unbelievable capture of a 44lb new record carp from Bernithan Pool, by a certain Richard Walker. From that very moment, I didn't just want to catch fish, I wanted carp. And, I wanted one so, so badly!

That was one ambition that took a long time in fulfilling...15 years to be precise!

I have never actually thought about, 'catching the biggest fish in the lake'. Invariably, and even from the very beginning, my aim has been to catch fish bigger than the norm; not necessarily the biggest in that particular water, nor the biggest in the land. At heart I'm not really competitive, save with myself, hence I'm always striving to do my best, and that's in everything, not solely fishing. I realise, and only too well, these aims of mine, do not make me a true 'specimen hunter'; but I do consistently try hard to increase my own PB's. Not all the time, though; for there are occasions when plainly big fish are secondary. Family and friends always, always come first with me.
I totally disagree with the sentiment, "All's fair in Love, War...and big-fish angling"!

Hope this answers your questions; if not, try me again?

Besties,

Len.

Well said Len,

Fantastic answert that answers my question.

Hello (again) Hovis,

Thanks for the kind words.

This picture possibly sums-up my own and my close friends' attitude toward big fish:



It shows Bill Quinlan's terrific brace from North Troy (Long Life), 17th June 1983.

The tench Bill is holding weighed 8lb 6oz, yet it was the one I'm holding that Bill considered the best. His reasoning, although less weight, 7lb 13oz, it was totally spawn free, whereas the 8-6 had quite a bit of spawn.

These tench were Bill's biggest at the time, and a major reason why Bill and I teamed-up on this, rather than the other Long Life pit.

Besties,

Len