Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Mike Barrio

British Angling Legends / Stars?
« on: 30/08/2007 at 22:15 »
Hi folks  :cool:

We often read in the magazines and websites ( often "across the pond" ) of Angling Legends, anglers that have become household names through their fly fishing skills, fly tying, books they have written and perhaps most of all, through the enjoyment and knowledge that they have shared with others.

It would be interesting to see who we consider to be the Legendary British Fly Fishermen  :cool:

Hmmm ..... I feel a poll coming on ..... there again maybe more than one poll would be a good idea  :z3

To get the ball rolling, let's start this off with replies with nominations which can then become the names listed in the polls  :z17

Let's have four categories or polls  :z17

(A) Your nomination for a British Angling Legend

(B) Your nomination for a British Angler who you look up to at the moment and feel is a possible future legend in the making

(C) Your nomination for a Scottish Angling Legend

(D) Your nomination for a Scottish Angler who you look up to at the moment and feel is a possible future legend in the making

PLEASE only nominate the very best! You might only nominate for one category of the four, this is better than "filling in names" for all the others. If we do it this way, I will hopefully be able to fit all the nominations in the actual polls?

I think this could be quite interesting, especially if you tell us a bit about the angler that you nominate  :wink

Best wishes
Mike Barrio

Rob Brownfield

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #1 on: 31/08/2007 at 08:42 »
My nomination for category A is Richard Walker (as in the 1950's, not the tackle shop owner, although he is a remarkable angler as well!)

Many people only associate Richard walker with the record Carp, Clarrissa at 44 pounds, but he had a much wider repertoir than just carp. He was a fly fisherman of the highest order. His letters on the subject of dry fly fishing for wild Brown trout make fantastic reading. Of course he "invented" the Walker Mayfly Nymph as well as other flies that i cannot remember the name of now (Chomper maybe?). He helped establish Rainbow Trout fishing in the UK, he was a fantsatic River angler and was at one time instumental in the design of reservoir gear through Hardy (The Farnbourgh was one of his designs for example) and pushed the development of Carbon for fly rods. Not only did he fly fish for trout, he went for salmon and many coarse fish on the fly, notably Pike and Perch.

And thats why I nominate him...a very underrated angler amoungst fly fisherman, but infact one of the fore fathers of modern fly fishing.

Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #2 on: 31/08/2007 at 09:01 »
That is what I was hoping for ....... GREAT STUFF ROB  :z16

Peter McCallum

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #3 on: 31/08/2007 at 19:26 »
a) Legend Dick Walker for all the reasons rob said plus he first noted the 'Chinaman' idea of flies.

b) Still alive so don't count him as a legend yet but Ollie Edwards for future legend. The guys fly tying has to be seen to be believed - best trout fly tyer I've seen.

Maybe Charles Jardine, a genuinly nice guy who can catch fish. He was at a kids day at Kingennie this year and took a deal of time to go round each youngster to help them.

c) He probably already is, but W.C.Stewart who started the whole upstream trout fishing thing with 'The Practical Angler', as well as upstream worming which I used as a main method for years.

d) Tricky! He's maybe close to being already a legend, Peter Anderson is probably still one of the best casters I've ever seen. in the early 70's I watched him casting in the cinema in East Kilbride. He had the whole of a DT fly line flying up the sloping stairs and out the door at the top , using a 9' milbro trufly rod - standing maybe 20-30 ft from the screen.

Ok theres my shot I may come up with others so can we have more than one go Mike

Peter

Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #4 on: 31/08/2007 at 22:21 »
Great stuff Peter  :z16
Quote
Still alive so don't count him as a legend yet

Is that how it works, I hadn't realised?

The angler that I am going to nominate for (a) is still alive ........... so can we include "living legends" too please ........ it is up to you whether you feel they have already reached legendary status when you nominate them.

Best wishes
Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #5 on: 01/09/2007 at 22:11 »
 Arthur Cove, who's book "my way with trout" is the nymph fishing bible. Fantastic forward thinking angler and inventor of the Cove pheasant tail nymph. Probably the main reason I got into nymph fishing so much in the 80's.


 Paul Proctor, the last person who would be want to be known as a legend, but is definitely not only one of the nicest guys in the fishing World, but also the best river fisherman I have ever had the pleasure to fish with. THE complete river fisherman. Period.



Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #6 on: 01/09/2007 at 23:34 »
Ahhhh yes ...... Mr Cove  :cool:

Nice one "LondonScottish", I take it you nominate Arthur Cove for category (a)

Best wishes
Mike Barrio

Hamish Young

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #7 on: 02/09/2007 at 09:57 »
(A) British Angling Legend

     Hmmmmm - tricky as there's so many who have infuenced our sport and I'd agree that for angling overall Dick Walker takes some beating.   
     However I think I'd have to say Hugh Falkus as his two 'big' books opened up the world of Salmon and Sea Trout fishing respectively to a
     whole new audience, I still consider them to be the definative guides for Salmon and Sea Trout fishing for the beginner and experienced rod
     alike.   

(B) Your nomination for a British Angler who you look up to at the moment and feel is a possible future legend in the making

     Tough one as well but I'd have to agreee that Oliver Edwards is right up there, he'd be my choice.

(C) Your nomination for a Scottish Angling Legend

     Bruce Sandison. Let's face it Brucie has done a hell of a lot for the sport - a living legend (typical loch patterns apply  :z4 ).

(D) Your nomination for a Scottish Angler who you look up to at the moment and feel is a possible future legend in the making

     I'm stuck here between two - Eoin Fairgreave and Ally Gowans. Personally I don't think there's a Scottish trout angler who will rate legend
     status in the immediate future (I included the author of the loch fishers bible in my deliberations). If I had to make a tough decision then I'd
     plump for Ally Gowans - a superb caster, an innovative fly tyer and from all accounts a damn good teacher, so a legend in the making IMHO.   



Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #8 on: 02/09/2007 at 10:14 »
 Yes mike, I was nominating (a) and (b).   As for Scottish legend, Ally Gowans is definitely up there with the very best. Who else has been responsible for producing the most killing set of Salmon flies which are the first choice of nearly every Salmon angler? Really genuine nice guy, and a proper allround Salmon expert.

 As for Bruce "Standard Loch Patterns will suffice" Sandison, give me a break.  :z4

Dutchfly

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #9 on: 02/09/2007 at 17:19 »
Hi all,

Here are the results of the Dutch jury :wink

My vote for the British angler goes to John Goddard. His flypatterns are superb.
For the Scottish angler, I'd suggest Lesley Crawford. I really enjoyed her book 'Fishing for Wild Trout in Scottish Lochs.'

CU

Jeroen

Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #10 on: 02/09/2007 at 21:37 »
Cool ........ thanks for the nominations  :cool:

Hi Jeroen, John is my nomination for category (A) too!

John Goddard, I believe John would now be in his eighties? He has written some superb books over the years, with perhaps "John Goddard's Waterside Guide" and "Trout Flies of Britain & Europe" being my favourites. His entomology and fly tying knowledge are awesome and he has created lots of great flies for us like the more recent JG Emerger and influenced numerous more.
I believe John is still fishing and fly tying ...... so hopefully there will be more to come!  :z14

Best wishes
Mike Barrio


Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #11 on: 02/09/2007 at 22:30 »
Thank you for your nominations so far  :z16

(A) Your nomination for a British Angling Legend:

John Goddard
Hugh Falkus
Arthur Cove
Richard Walker

(B) Your nomination for a British Angler who you look up to at the moment and feel is a possible future legend in the making:

Oliver Edwards
Paul Procter

(C) Your nomination for a Scottish Angling Legend:

Bruce Sandison
W.C.Stewart

(D) Your nomination for a Scottish Angler who you look up to at the moment and feel is a possible future legend in the making:

Ally Gowans
Lesley Crawford
Peter Anderson

Please let me know if I have listed your nomination under the wrong category ...... I am human after all  :oops

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #12 on: 02/09/2007 at 23:39 »
 The only problem with that list is how do you differentiate between a legend and a legend in the making, bearing in mind that the likes of Oliver Edwards has done as much as say Arthur Cove to gain such high status. Cove is slightly older, but there's not much else different in their experimental but successful take on immitative fishing.Maybe a legend should actually only be when one is dead?? What else could Ally Gowans do from now on in to make him a legend in the future that he has not done already. Obviously I don't want him dead, becuse he's probably quite happy just the way he is.  :z4

 Its also important to differentiate between a proper legend and someone who has just written a few magazine articles and a book, without really adding anything regarding actual fishing.

  Other top top anglers who probably should be there or thereabouts are Bob Church and Brian Leadbeater. I don't think there's many people down here especially who don't consider him the best loch-style angler ever.


Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #13 on: 03/09/2007 at 00:00 »
Paul Proctor, the last person who would be want to be known as a legend, but is definitely not only one of the nicest guys in the fishing World, but also the best river fisherman I have ever had the pleasure to fish with. THE complete river fisherman. Period.

Interesting ........ when thinking about who I might nominate for each category, Paul Procter was the first to spring to my mind for category (B) too :cool:

Must confess that I am far more likely to read an article by Paul in any of the magazines than any other writer. His flies are "my type of flies", I especially like his spider patterns and dries and his advice regarding tactics etc is very sound indeed.
NOW ...... What I would really love to see from Paul is a book! :z17 I don't think he has ever written one? But he really must  :wink If his articles are anything to go by .......... I would certainly want the first copy!

Yes, Paul gets my nomination for category (B) too  :z16
And, when his first book is published ........ I'll change that to category (A)  :z7

Best wishes
Mike Barrio

Mike Barrio

Re: British Angling Legends?
« Reply #14 on: 03/09/2007 at 00:19 »
The only problem with that list is how do you differentiate between a legend and a legend in the making, bearing in mind that the likes of Oliver Edwards has done as much as say Arthur Cove to gain such high status. Cove is slightly older, but there's not much else different in their experimental but successful take on immitative fishing.Maybe a legend should actually only be when one is dead?? What else could Ally Gowans do from now on in to make him a legend in the future that he has not done already. Obviously I don't want him dead, becuse he's probably quite happy just the way he is.  :z4

 Its also important to differentiate between a proper legend and someone who has just written a few magazine articles and a book, without really adding anything regarding actual fishing.

  Other top top anglers who probably should be there or thereabouts are Bob Church and Brian Leadbeater. I don't think there's many people down here especially who don't consider him the best loch-style angler ever.



I thought you had done it quite well with your nominations, Arthur Cove is already of legendary status, while Paul Procter is not ............ but Paul has such a huge following in the UK that he is a very likely future candidate.

"Bob Church & Brian Leadbeater" ...... yes, there are certainly more legends like these still to be nominated, but I think that since we each have to choose only one person to nominate for each category, we should in theory end up with the very best, or at least ...... the most popular with our forum members.

Actually, now that I think about it, this answers your main point ......... the difference between Arthur Cove and Oliver Edwards is that one has been nominated for (A) and one nominated for (B) by a forum member. If another forum member nominates the same person for a different category, then that persons name can be listed in two categories and therefore get poll votes in both? Yes I think that would work and help to find our "forum legends" ........ Sounds good to me?

Best wishes
Mike Barrio

 




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