The Autum of 1977

When we moved recently I came accross some old diarys, I binned most of them but kept 1977 because for some reason i kept details of my codling catches that year- so in response for catch details from the old days here goes.
My first codling of the season came on August 26 when I had 3 in the high water run on the west pier at ramsgate on crab, my best session was on Oct 23 when I had 22 again over the high water on the west pier again on the west pier.
My total score until the end of the year was 214, I cant tell you much about the size as i did record that, I think the average size was a lot smaller then - I guess about 1.5 pound. Well over half the total came from Thanet. Yes I did fish a lot more frequently then but never went in for the marathon sessions favoured by some these days. Bait didnt seem to be a problem either put £5 pound in an envelope send it to Devon and back would come a couple of dozen peelers waiting to be turned in to codling.
I am afraid we were not switched on to conservation back then there seemed to be an endless supply- so it was feed the family , the relatives, neighbours and workmates- Of course that was before Tesco took over the world and all food didnt come in packets.
Its really sad to reflect how the cod fishing has declined-was 1977 about the time we joined the EEC or does my memory deceive me.
Dave

good read dave , sent you a visitors message, getting some crab up next week. all the best bri

I remember back in 97 or 98 i court more small codling than whiting !! that year there were loads of codling in the 1 1/2 - 2 1/2lb range round Thanet/ Sandwich

lugwormman wrote:good read dave , sent you a visitors message, getting some crab up next week. all the best bri

Cant find message will ring you tonight on the landline -mobile reception is hopeless here
Dave

LOOSE GOOSE wrote:I remember back in 97 or 98 i court more small codling than whiting !! that year there were loads of codling in the 1 1/2 - 2 1/2lb range round Thanet/ Sandwich

Yes there sure was some good years in the 90's and for some reason the average size has crept up over the years.
I fear its going to be an impossible challenge to get more codling than whiting this year.

Dave

A great insight on 1977 Dave, and to think a lot of us may never catch 214 coddies in our life time, were your rigs and baits the same then as you use today ? Have hooks & line materials improved by much ?

I have just put a fiver in a envelope and posted it to Devon, what do you think i would get back today ?

Stix wrote:A great insight on 1977 Dave, and to think a lot of us may never catch 214 coddies in our life time, were your rigs and baits the same then as you use today ? Have hooks & line materials improved by much ?

I have just put a fiver in a envelope and posted it to Devon, what do you think i would get back today ?

Your empty envelope if your lucky Great read Dave

Reminiscing … what have you started Nick. It’s like asking an OAP how’s he feeling (don’t ask). When I get started you’re going to need a bigger server.

Getting back to Dave’s crabs. In the first part of the 60s the name and address, in Lympstone, of the chap who sold peelers were known by less than a handful of people. It was the most closely guarded secret in Deal. I was possibly one of about three people who knew it and even though I have a job remembering what happened yesterday, Sam Squires of Havefield Cottages will always be etched on my memory.

I used to send him either a pound or thirty bob and that would guarantee me 2/3 dozen Devon crabs every week of winter. On Friday evenings I used to go down the parcel office at Deal station (no longer standing) and pick-up my tin of crabs. They used to be sent in large tins with holes punched in the top, a livestock label stuck on the side and another label tied to the handle with your name an address on it. I can still remember now – waiting for the porter to serve me and hearing those crabs scratching around in the tin container.

Crab was god in those days and I would have thought twice about going fishing if I did not have them. In those days I worked behind the counter/digging bait for the local tackle dealer who was also mad keen on the sport. I recon I clocked up almost seven days/nights a week angling. The days that I did not have crab I would go afloat in my boat and try with lug and fish baits. I made up my courting time by being engaged to the tackle dealer’s daughter … which also allowed me to get a good discount on my fishing gear. Life was tough!

Anyway … this could go on forever. Peeler crabs were the bait of the 60s and 70s and I have posted a cutting from 27th November 1964.


All caught on crab. I think it was the pier record then ... and might still be. Will we ever see those days again?

Brilliant stuff Dave, and how i wish i was sea fishing back then, it must of been exciting times, but it makes me wonder how you all still carry on fishing with fish stocks so low today.
Also that cutting would be center place on my mantle piece, something to be very proud of.

I would love to see the present post office staff come across that tin of crabs life was so much simpler back then.

Thanks chaps for entering in to this topic of the past, really good reading and im sure it will draw more people in to join in.

Now im of to find the daughter of a tackle shop owner

Stix wrote:Brilliant stuff Dave, and how i wish i was sea fishing back then, it must of been exciting times, but it makes me wonder how you all still carry on fishing with fish stocks so low today.
Also that cutting would be center place on my mantle piece, something to be very proud of.

I would love to see the present post office staff come across that tin of crabs life was so much simpler back then.

Thanks chaps for entering in to this topic of the past, really good reading and im sure it will draw more people in to join in.

Now im of to find the daughter of a tackle shop owner

The crabs used to come up from Lympstone on the train, Nick, and yes life was a lot easier in those days. As for the tackle shop owners daughter … after another engagement … I eventually married her best friend and after 41 years I have no regrets. I even named my boat after her ‘Morning Haze’ … and no, her name wasn’t Morning.

Dave, just tag a bit more on to this thread, when I found that cutting I also noticed another one of that year. It was about fishing against S. Culver and A. Andrews in a pairs match. I know Stan was your grandfather … but who was A. Andrews?

CELOCANT i dont think there will be 33 decent Cod on Deal pier all winter !! thats an incredable catch

[[/quote]

The crabs used to come up from Lympstone on the train, Nick, and yes life was a lot easier in those days. As for the tackle shop owners daughter … after another engagement … I eventually married her best friend and after 41 years I have no regrets. I even named my boat after her ‘Morning Haze’ … and no, her name wasn’t Morning.

Dave, just tag a bit more on to this thread, when I found that cutting I also noticed another one of that year. It was about fishing against S. Culver and A. Andrews in a pairs match. I know Stan was your grandfather … but who was A. Andrews?
[/quote]
Nice one Dave.
Yes Arthur Andrews was my Dad he was a member of Margate Old Centrals and worked for seeb who had a very active fishing section then and we fished a lot of their comps. I suspect dad was also a Deal & Walmer member at times as he fished with stan a lot in the 60's.
I inherited Sam's the crabmans address from Stan cant seem me leaveing anything as valuable when I go.
Dave
Dave

Thank you for that Dave ... now I really feel old!!!!!!!!

Stix wrote:A great insight on 1977 Dave, and to think a lot of us may never catch 214 coddies in our life time, were your rigs and baits the same then as you use today ? Have hooks & line materials improved by much ?

I have just put a fiver in a envelope and posted it to Devon, what do you think i would get back today ?

I dont think there has been much change with hooks and line- the hookd may be chemically etched now but doesnt make much difference.
Crab was the bait it really did outfish worm by a massive margin at times
Basic tackle was as now but without the clips and the really clever bits like cascade swivels etc -
The main improvement in tackle over the last 30 years has been with the rods - I am probably casting 40% further now than then and its probably all down to improvement in rod design.

Nothing for a fiver thats about half the carriage these days so your empty tin might get as far as Portsmouth.

Dave

Great stories guys, It wont be long and the peelers will be £5 each!

1977, I was 10 and just getting into beach fishing with a proper rod and a proper reel, well the rod was a Normark 12ft beachcaster from Symes Seeds in Gravesend and the reel was a Mitchell 600AP with 20lb PDQ green line and no shockleader.
Fishing from Gravesend Promonade for flounders and eels with maddies dug from the mud before we started.
Who remembers the 600's and the Seastrikes? they would scream like a cat in a saucepan then a quick rustle as it all overran and then the rifle crack as your trace and weight dissapeared into the horizon
Why is it you could never manage a cast that far??

i know this thread is a little old [just like me now] but have just joined your little group here so am just going through the threads

much to write and many tales to tell unfortunantly going out of the country next week for 2 months so will have to carry on when i get back end of jan ---still there wont be much in the way of fish them not that there to much to keep me amused at the moment ---unlike 77 and many years before and a few after

on to the thread i was also 1 off those on sams list used to get the tin up every couple of weeks some times i would go down to see the old boy --as i worked on the railway and could travel cheap to lympstone sometimes crab were short funny how the cash IN THE HAND soon sorted that

used to fish a bit with richard [tunny] them days fishing just seemed more fun them days