Visiting the Past

Well, sort of. Any keen angler born in the sixties will remember a time when the Angling Times was a newspaper, rather than a Sun inspired "Ten Tips To Catch More Carp !!" rag.

I used to go up the shop every Wednesday to collect it and was devastated if it was late. First one I bought was eight pence.

I was talking to Waaak Baines of Bureboiblog fame about green visors that Ken Giles, Clive Smith, Ivan Marks and many 1970s matchman used to wear, you the ones that blokes in American ticket offices wear. Other names and places from the past we discussed were Ray Mumford ( The Kingston Pixie ), Ade Scutt the bleak basher, Austin Clisitt and, more pertinently, the Woodbine Challenge, a big match that was held on Denmark's river Guden every year. Well, I needed to fish that hallowed river, so after a good few sessions in Holland I pointed the camper north and put my foot down and reached a cruising speed of almost 55 mph. We go nowhere fast.

It's full of weed, proper nice weed though, ranunculous rather than silkweed and has a lovely flow even in a rain starved summer.

Me and Ga Ga fished off the pontoon in the middle of a scorching hot afternoon, trotting sweetcorn under a big Avon float and catching roach, hybrids, rudd and yes, my favourites, silver bream. Nothing big, but lovely fishing.

I tried for the big bream early in the morning but was "roached out". Ah well, it was a glorious morning, I can't complain. Parked up free of charge next to the river, little bog, water and fire pits. They even supply barbeques you can use and fire wood. All free of charge. Yes, really. Not quite the same in Old Blighty. The Danes really are a civilised bunch.

So, nothing spectacular caught but a nice few sessions and who doesn't like trotting a big float down a flowing river in the sunshine ?

I write this on the ferry to Sweden at 01.30 in the morning. I'm hoping to get out on a boat on a big lake in the middle of nowhere after pike and zander this week, all being well, but who knows where we'll end up ?