Back in November 2011 I went fishing on Sepia Saturday here.
Alan's prompt this week shows three miners on a fishing trip, but by the look of them they are relaxing, telling fisherman's tales.
I first when fishing when I was a young boy, a minor in fact. However it wasn't as long ago as this.
Alan's prompt this week shows three miners on a fishing trip, but by the look of them they are relaxing, telling fisherman's tales.
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| Children fishing for minnows with net 1882 - Van Ingen and Snyder |
Our technique was to use a jam jar on a length of string; the bait was small pieces of bread inside the jar. The skill was to cast the jar into the river without losing the bread. It wasn't very long before fish would enter the jar after a feast but then you had to pull the jar out of the water quickly with the fish inside.
The most common fish we caught this way were small minnows and sticklebacks like these -
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| Minnow (3 March 2008 - Freddy Kreugar) |
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| Stickleback (Ellen Edmondson & Hugh Chrisp) |
If we were lucky we would lift a stone and find a Miller's Thumb.
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| Bullhead of Miller's Thumb (June 2009 - Hans Hillewaert - CC BY-SA 4.0) |
These were good at camouflaging themselves in their surroundings. One would fit easily it the palm of your hand.
The river did not have to be very deep for these activities, although we rarely waded like this.
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| Children search for minnows (Ronald Laubertson - US Fish and Wildlife Service) |
We never used a net and girls were not allowed.
In previous posts I have mentioned that I was born in the village of Ketton, in Rutland - England's smallest county.
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| River Chater at Ketton, where I used to fish (June 1959 - By Humphrey Bolton - CC BY-SA 2.0) |
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| River Chater Bridge, Ketton (April 2007 - By Graham Horn - CC BY-SA 2.0) |
The stone bridge was built in the 17th century and restored in 1849. The footbridge did not exist when I live there back in the 1940s. The Chater here was too fast flowing for fishing with jam jars to be successful.
Later I took to fishing with rod and line in the River Welland which was on the outskirts of the village. The Chater joins the Welland at Stamford c. four miles down stream. However my interest in fishing faded as I became too involved with sport - and discovered girls!
The last two weeks we have been staying with our daughter in Michigan and it was in lake in her property that, as I'm sure I have told you before that I caught my largest fish.
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| Bob's catfish in 2006 |
No, I'm not pulling its tail to make it longer.
I have not been able to get away from fish this week. This one was the most colourful I've seen.
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| Aquarium in a Chrysler service centre, Lake Orion |
And just to prevent me bragging about the size of my catfish I was taken to Oxford Township's Library to see this monster.
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| I think he was looking for the exit! |
His companions in the tank were more like the roach I used to catch in the River Welland.
My fisherman's tale is almost done so I'll leave you to search out others at Sepia-Saturday-253.
Me? I'm hooked by Louis and Bing.
18 comments:
Loved the Satchmo and Bing recording - not heard it in years. We used to fish a lot but haven't done that in years either. Loved all your pictures. How big was that fish in the aquarium?
Never heard of fishing with the jam jar technique. The River Chater looks so beautiful I'm sure the fishing was a thin excuse to just hang around and enjoy the scenery. Congrats on the big catfish.
The River Chater at Ketton looks so idyllic - lazily flowing along. I could picture myself on the bank just taking in all that beauty. But your last picture especially, is quite artistic - showing what the library looks like from the fishes' point of view.
I don't remember children fishing in my youth but yabbying (for yabbies !) was more well known. It all depended on where you lived.
Not a fan of fishing myself, but loved your photos and memories. Thank you, Bob, and blessings!
I guess that's a school of fish in the library? Har Har Har
My sister and I used to put pieces of bread between out toes and let the minnows eat them. tickled.
I guess fish must like bread, but the jam jar method seems a lot harder than just putting the bread on a hook.
We did a lot of fishing when I was young, but it's been many years. Then last summer, I took a course in fly fishing and to my surprise I found I really enjoyed it.
That must have been either a big jar or pretty small fish you caught in it, or did they get their heads stuck? That catfish is impressive anywY!
Beautiful scenery and what fun that you could potter along fishing, or just messing about. I smiled at "no girls allowed" SHould I tell you I caught a catfish that big when I was a little girl?
I think seeing the romance of the English fisherman is as important to understanding British traditions as seeing the gardens, the corner pubs, or the tea shops. It is part of that wonderful British green pastoral heritage. I've always marveled at the enormous amount of equipment, always including a huge umbrella and capacious net, that English fisherman bring to the riverside in order to catch such little fish that are nothing like that Piranha.
I've never heard of that jam jar method of fishing, but I think I'd like it. No worms or hooks! The picture of River Chater is lovely.
Holy Catfish Bob! Wonderful, well planned and especially nice seeing all the old photos, all summer like related. I agree with you too about them sharing fishman stories, they do look like a happy bunch of friends, enjoying all that they can! especially being out in the fresh air! Above ground!
I like your fishing idea Kristin. Wendy - they were microfiche I'm thinking. Great post Bob!
High hopes is a song of Pink Floyd and that one reminds me about what was going on in the youth.When one was digging for new experiences and everything seemed less complicated and the adventures was there.Although, taking that experience with you and make the future adventorous is exciting.You have taken fantastic photos as always.
That river where you used to fish looks just wonderful. I bet you have a lot of great memories!
I remember the jam jars! Colourful aquarium fish - we visited one here last week too.
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