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An individual, of no great importance, who is unable to see the natural world as a place for competition. I catch fish, watch birds, derive immense pleasure from simply looking at butterflies, moths, bumble-bees, etc - without the need for rules! I am Dylan and this is my blog - if my opinions offend? Don't bother logging on again - simple!

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Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Wilstone finale

This nostalgia gig is a crazy trip - at a very personal level. The images that are contained within that "box of slides" are a link back to some of the most irresponsible/selfish times of my life! As I've blogged in the past, it's no good looking back and regretting anything - it's happened and, therefore, cannot be changed. If you are able to use those experiences to help shape the rest of your life, thus avoiding the same mistakes and learning the lessons, then it is possible to derive a positive from a negative? With one marriage down the tubes, due to my obsessional behaviour, there is no way that this second chance, with Bev, will be subjected to the same pressures. All about growing up and learning lessons - we're all different and no one of us is perfect (fact!)

July 1992 - A cracking tench of 8lbs 14oz.
Sorry about the picture quality - I'm pratting around with a silly
program on Bev's PC then transferring the images across.
Adobe Photoshop will be installed shortly

So back to the Tench of Tring Reservoirs - Wilstone in particular. I'd joined the syndicate in 1981 and enjoyed 12 very happy, and successful, seasons on the banks of this fabulous fishery. At this time there wasn't another venue in the UK which could match the quality and quantity of the Tench that inhabited the waters of this, concrete-sided, bowl. Over those intervening years I'd like to think that I took more than my fair share of "big" tench - looking back through my diaries suggests that over 100 7lbs+ fish graced my landing net. My final session, on Wilstone, was in July 1992 and produced a catch of 10 fish, six over 7lbs, with the best going 8lbs 14oz. Not my final Tring tench - I had a couple of 7's from Startops in March 1993.

7lbs 6oz - the final Tench that I caught from Wilstone Reservoir.
I look back at those images with great pleasure. That I was there, part of a very "important" period for Tench fishing, within a UK context - it was a privilege that not everyone will understand?
The venue, the characters who came to take up the challenge, it was a wonderful, crazy, part of my life - Happy Daze Indeed!
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3 comments:

  1. Unknown19 November 2014 at 17:05

    Really enjoyed the Wilstone finale. Bought back great memories of my own time at Tring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dylan Wrathall20 November 2014 at 10:37

      David,
      Many thanks for taking the time to post a comment - not many do! My time at Tring (Wilstone particularly) was some of the happiest of my life. It wasn't all about the fishing. There were great characters, huge personalities, sharing the experiences. At that time I felt intimidated by the size of the place - yet I returned recently and couldn't believe how small it is? I am honoured to be able to say that I fished alongside some of the finest "specimen hunters" of the era. Obviously Alan Wilson stands out - yet the finest angling brains; the greatest exponents of big fish angling were Leon Tandy and Geoff Mills - they were also complete nutters, so I could readily align myself to their approach.
      There are so many highs, that it would be impossible to relive them all, via this blog, without it becoming very boring to those who weren't part of that era!
      I hope that Tring was as good to you as it was to me - tight lines - Dylan

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    2. Unknown20 November 2014 at 15:27

      I had a Wonderful 14 years fishing Tring , Mainly Startops it became my annual fishing holiday.The people were great .I fished with Alan Wilson a couple of times .They
      were the happiest times of my fishing life. Good Luck - David

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