FISHING

One of the reasons for moving down to Lydd on Sea was that I was a keen fisherman. Denge Marsh is one of the best places in Britain for sea fishing. So off I went when a mackerel school was inshore & I was pulling them in five at a time, every time I cast my line out. I came away with two dustbin bags full, far too much for my own needs so I went round to all my neighbours & asked if they wanted any fish & they all did. I took them all a carrier bag full up with them, but all the women screamed that they still had their heads on & the eyes were looking at them. So I had to fetch the fish home & top & tail them, you should have seen my kitchen after that lot. So I haven't been fishing since.

Many years ago I was course fishing in Hodderston, Hertfordshire, it was a lovely sunny day & all the regular fishermen were there, but nothing was biting at all. Come evening, a man & his wife took up a position next to me on the bank, & he prepared a line, handed it to his wife & said there you are, you wanted to fish, now cast in over there into the middle of the river. She dropped the line adjacent to the bank, & he screamed out "NOT THERE YOU SILLY COW, INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER". Her float immediately submerged & she pulled out the biggest Tench you ever did see. All of us watching packed up our gear & went home empty handed.

One to tell your children; A very fishy story.

I caught a lovely Perch, & as it was still jumping around when I got home I put it in a bath full of water. It thrived in its new location, I had to change the water occasionally but it didn't seem to harm it much to be out of the water for long periods. So when any of the family wanted a bath it could stay out of the water for longer & longer. Soon I was able to take the fish downstairs, & it walked about on its belly by flopping its tail. Pretty soon I was able to put a dog lead on it & take it outside the house & it seemed to enjoy being out of the water. Soon it didn't want to go back in the bath, so I used to take it for an evening walk. At night it slept in an old dog basket, & the neighbours got used to seeing me take the fish for a walk along the canal bank. Then came my mistake, I decided that as the fish enjoyed his walk so much I let him off the lead. Then one day he fell into the river & drowned.