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.