I'd like to meet:
INTRO
Welcome to my little corner of the internet and feel free to comment on any of the pictures or and add me as a friend and you will be able to read my fishing blogg
Well it all started in 1978 for me at the tender age of 3! My dad was well into his fishing back then and he still is to his day, Thank you Dad, for showing me how to fish and the art of Fishing!
I grew up in the Stoke on Trent area and after many years of fishing beside me dad, i finally did a bit of Match Fishing in 1985, once i turned 10 years old and won my first match at a pool in Silverdale called Furness Pool, and i can remember that match to this day. I won a days fishing with Ian Heaps who was the World Champion at the time or British Champion, i cant remember which. And i still have the article which was in the paper!
After many years of match fishing and winning loads and loads of trophies locally and at county level, I moved into the specimen scene, which was unavoidable! The lure of big fish was too much for me to resist!
My first Carp came from Furness Pool(1986), in Silverdale and i caught it on ledgered luncheon meat, with the dacron hooklink, which a kind experinced Carp angler back then showed me..Jonny Botham, not sure if he's about! But thanks mate.
(The Funny Story)
After being kitted out with the ideas by the experince angler as mention above, i arrived at the lake. With one rod(kids were only allowed 1 rod only), no buzzers (couldnt afford) and my monkey climber (brought out of my pocket money), which i attatched to a stave out of a umbrella(nicked out my dads shed), which the monkey climber would rise or fall, giving me indication! that was if i had a bite, or take as its known today.
In the afternoon, my rod which was cast to the far margin of the pool, had a bit of movement, my monkey climber rose 3 inch's and i pushed it back down with my finger! haha it rose again, and i pushed it back down, not realising there was a carp attatched! That moment was priceless!
in the end i figured it out, and i caught my first carp a common of 7lb..happy days!
(moving on in the 90's)
Another species i loved were Tench and i even joined the Tenchfishers back then and recorded a Tench of 7lbs..in 1989, which was massive back then from westport lake on float fished maggot! i caught numerous big Tench from those waters, and plenty of big Roach and Bream.
After the above i slowly progressed to most of the waters below, doing quite a bit on all the local waters in Stoke, i thought i would share most of the info i have gathered, with reagrds to the pictures and information on the waters which u can find below..
My MSN is [email protected]
Thanks for your time and i hope you enjoy the pictures as much as i did at the time!
Russ Hall
Westport Lake-Tunstall(Stoke on Trent) Middleport AnglersWestport Lake is a lake of around 16acres and its situated just off Brownhills Road which is the Tunstall link road from Tunstall to Longport and its a busy Park Lake which only costs around £40+ for a season ticket or £20+ for a day season permit, ther access is pretty easy with car park and newly re-surfaced track which circles the perimeter of the lake, which makes a 3 wheel barrow an essential part of anybody's fishing kit. I have attatched a slide show with some of the highlights of Westport! The stock of fish in Westport, must boast at least 80 different twenties, maybe more in the winter - i would say 4 different 30's and maybe a big suprise in the Elusive Ford Green Common which hasn't been out for years and has been seen, on several occasions with Goldie and its bigger! Be lucky!
Goldendale-Tunstall(Free Fishing)Goldendale is a lake which is also in Stoke on Trent and its around 1 acre in size and its a lake which is not owned by anybody, which means 'Free Fishing' and there is a 35lb+ Northwest Common swimming in the depths of this small brick pit and also 20 other back up fish! This lake is still one of my favourite places to fish, no silly rules, very clear water and rich with weed growth and just you against the carp..
The Goldendale carp are very keen on a floater or two, a very succesful floater angler must of caught most of the fish in the lake doing quick evening session's after work..And also the big fella like's a floater or two!
Please take your litter home if u go, the litter is a real problem! And it is the Anglers!!
The Swamp(Holden Bridge)Potteries Anglers-Stoke on TrentI fished this water a couple of times around Halloween in 2006, and managed a couple of twenties and a few doubles fishing on this small retanglur park lake which is situated in Stoke on Trent, near Milton and Sneyd Green and i will return for another go on this Park Lake. Stock's are well over 300 fish, with the water being so clear and loads of canadian pound weed and Silk Weed, the fish thrive on these conditions.
Best to look for showing fish on this place as they do show themselves quite alot and put a bait to them and the action can be hectic to say the least..I was lucky!
Tickets cost £15
Another Short Session 10 Fish Hit(April 2007)-Bathpool Park(Kidsgrove Anglers £25 per season
I'll have to transfer(Scan) some of my old pictures from the late 90's of the Bathpool carp. Keep checking back for new updates.
Lawton Hall(Stoke on Trent) - Entry £300 per season 2007/2008