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[Olly]

Hampton - - or Hampton Wick?

I remember a couple of tackle shops near Kingston Bridge and the entrance to Home Park. One disappeared if I remember -- the other made a few rods - (I have one somewhere) - and sold maggots I used in the Longwater!

[Harry H]

to the forum enjoy

[Lea Dweller]

Welcome to the TFF!

[MWithell]

Hampton - - or Hampton Wick?

I remember a couple of tackle shops near Kingston Bridge and the entrance to Home Park. One disappeared if I remember -- the other made a few rods - (I have one somewhere) - and sold maggots I used in the Longwater!

I remember a tackle shop near Kingston Bridge, run by a gentleman who barely tolerated small boys who cluttered up his shop. I expressed interest in a centrepin, to which his response was, 'You don't want a centrepin, son.' I got one elsewhere and I still have it, a Strikeright Ultraflo, nearly 50 years later. I've caught countless fish on it, and it's currently loaded with 8lb line for stalking.
I caught my biggest tench at the time in the Long Water: 3lb 5oz, on double maggot. I couldn't understand these old codgers fishing with bread! I'd fish the Long Water after school, but we had to be out by 8pm (IIRC) or we'd be locked in for the night.
Happy days!

[Olly]

Did you ever fish the Rick Pond? Full of tench - up to nearly 5lb they were - Bill Rushmer and I used to fish it regularly with a couple of others. We became the Optimas Specimen Group later. My first angling photo in the press was fishing the Willow Pond at about 13 years!

[MWithell]

I fished the Rick Pond a couple of times but it wasn't really my scene although I knew there were big tench in it. I saw a 5 pounder caught. Willow Pond had some 'impossible' carp. I preferred the Wall Pond, which had reasonable stocks of tench. However, most of my fishing was the other side of the main road, in the Diana pond and the Leg of Mutton.

[Olly]

Caught my second tench, by design this time, from Leg of Mutton when I was about 13 after cycling there early morning, on Richard Walker's 'balanced crust'.

[Grumpy]

Welcome.

[SkimmingTheCream]

Welcome to the TFF Neil

[Wallys-Cast]

Welcome aboard Neil.

Cane can become an obsession but the pleasure from owning and using a cane rod is unlike any other.

Wal.