Wigan Album
Market place Wigan
6 CommentsPhoto: Keith
Item #: 30779
Nicely Keith.
I bought my Ernie Stamford swingtip, and Matchfishing with Benny Ashurst, in The Wiend.
Philip I got my fishing tackle from:- ASHCROFTS in Millgate MOYERS? in the Market Hall, and Porters in Loch Street Pemberton. Only seems like yesterday I was going up to Loch Street for 6d worth of maggots
I remember Porter's very well Ron … Annattoes, Casters, Gut bottoms (usually 16s), and, as a treat, a float that caught the imagination.
Oh, I like the wellies at Item 11459.
Philip I remember Mr Porter as being a nice man and his wife was always serving in the shop Me made my dad a split cane rod in the 1950's My dad had it all his life. For the larger size hooks 14's and above I used "SPADE END" hooks which I whipped on myself and wrapped them on old playing cards. Oh to relive those days when a days Train Spotting of Fishing was the normal activities for young lads. Out in the fresh air. Not stuck inside playing on X boxes etc.
I went to Ashcrofts when I was 16. I got a 16s gut bottom and and some maggots and went to the Scotsman's Flash with a home made garden cane rod. I caught 12 perch and took them home, after catching these the gut bottom was lost so that was it for the day. I gutted and ate the lot and they tasted fantastic
Those days indeed Ron, and also of drying a few slices in the airing cupboard before being made into groundbait, simmering hemp seed in a saucepan, a small group of twelve-year-olds once trying crazily to catch bats in landing nets on the arches at Carr Mill Dam as darkness fell ('never were childhood C.Vs. more oddly contributed to').
Fred's mention of his 'Piscean tuck' reminds me of the bloke whom caught a 2lb Tench in the Scotsman's Flash and how he had shown it to a few of the Eckersley's locals before releasing it elsewhere - he wouldn't have been be allowed to do it nowadays, of course.