Gold rush.

[Greyman 31,495]

 

[Greyman 31,495]

I can remember lads getting more for eels than salmon and the risks were minimal 

[NEWKID 28,557]

This has all ended now, we got out on the last season with this crew, the old boy who ran this boat is no longer with us, lived into his 90s a family friend as my mum grew up in Topsham and we were all from a mile up river in Countess Weir... My mums family worked the river like this for over 50 years, my Uncle Den is still about 93 now and fit as f**k, has 4 ferrets a couple of chickens and was still wildfowling 2 years back... i saw him 2 weeks ago as I picked an old Vauxhall Frontera up from him, he needed it gone was his old dog truck.. Fin (my lad) is thinking of doing it up and putting it on the road. He was trying to offload hs old outboard engines on me, oars, anchors... help yourself.. lol

The chap with the patch on his eye was out with us the day I took Fin out with them, he owns a very nice restaurant in Topsham (Topsham is a pretty up market place, bit snobby now to be honest), but we had 4 salmon that day and all went on his menu.

Like I said in previous post, working this part of the Exe has been in my family for generations, we grew up 1 mile up river and spent all our time on it, some of the reading on this thread has brought back great memories, you sometimes forget the very simple things that looking back is now lost on todays youngsters... brilliant thread lads 

 

[NEWKID 28,557]

10 hours ago, Greyman said:

 

Brilliant that mate...

How many traditions must have been lost now? its sad to think we maybe the last generation to remember these types of traditions and more so still participate.. I've tried to show the kids as much as possible growing up, but none has the real bug for hunting and fishing I did as a youngster, it's pretty much all I thought about lol..

Fin will go fishing a fair bit to be fair, right into his spinning for bass at the minute, had a half decent one last week in Cornwall. 

[Halfhound 116]

1 hour ago, NEWKID said:

Brilliant that mate...

How many traditions must have been lost now? its sad to think we maybe the last generation to remember these types of traditions and more so still participate.. I've tried to show the kids as much as possible growing up, but none has the real bug for hunting and fishing I did as a youngster, it's pretty much all I thought about lol..

Fin will go fishing a fair bit to be fair, right into his spinning for bass at the minute, had a half decent one last week in Cornwall. 

It’s a huge pity the youngsters just don’t seem to have the interest anymore. Maybe it’s just they have more things to do now than when we were younger to entertain themselves. When I think back to being around 13 or 14 being out with a pal in his fathers boat trying to put out ray nets how more of us weren’t killed is amazing one slip or a leg caught in that net and you were gone straight over. Off the top of my head we fished for bass, mullet, mackerel, and ray in the summer months and come the winter it would be salmon, sea trout, flukes and even done abit at spurdogs. All done out of a 17 or 19ft open punt and in the early days the engine was nearly always a one way ticket and it was rowing back. There’s a great video on YouTube newkid about one of the last lads with the salmon licence in Ireland I’ll find it for you it’s a great watch and it’s nearly identical style of fishing to how we done it. 

[Halfhound 116]

This documentary in a genuine gem. Communities and characters and ways of life that will be lost forever 

[Greyman 31,495]

11 hours ago, Halfhound said:

It’s a huge pity the youngsters just don’t seem to have the interest anymore. Maybe it’s just they have more things to do now than when we were younger to entertain themselves. When I think back to being around 13 or 14 being out with a pal in his fathers boat trying to put out ray nets how more of us weren’t killed is amazing one slip or a leg caught in that net and you were gone straight over. Off the top of my head we fished for bass, mullet, mackerel, and ray in the summer months and come the winter it would be salmon, sea trout, flukes and even done abit at spurdogs. All done out of a 17 or 19ft open punt and in the early days the engine was nearly always a one way ticket and it was rowing back. There’s a great video on YouTube newkid about one of the last lads with the salmon licence in Ireland I’ll find it for you it’s a great watch and it’s nearly identical style of fishing to how we done it. 

I think it’s not just the youngsters have lost it and rely on more modern tech for there enjoyment it’s the adults to my grandson is 6 and he’s off to visit my other daughter at braunston today I’ve give him some tips and hopefully he will catch a few crayfish but as adults we still have a responsibility to pass it on and encourage them outdoors the bottom two are my son and other 3 grandson 

[NEWKID 28,557]

1 hour ago, Greyman said:

I think it’s not just the youngsters have lost it and rely on more modern tech for there enjoyment it’s the adults to my grandson is 6 and he’s off to visit my other daughter at braunston today I’ve give him some tips and hopefully he will catch a few crayfish but as adults we still have a responsibility to pass it on and encourage them outdoors the bottom two are my son and other 3 grandson 

Completely agree mate, had my kids out as soon as they could walk, fishing, hunting, foraging, motor bikes, making ripe swings, swimming in the river and sea, building dens in the woods, camp fires, catapults, air rifles... they've done and do everything I did as a kid... but... as young adults they don't have that bug I had, Fin has his fishing gear in his car, we fished on the rocks for bass on Sunday evening, but he hasn't been since...I'd of been out every evening at his age with this weather etc... it was an obsession for me (still is to be honest), I just think it's different for the majority of youngsters now, even those that are fully exposed to our way of life..

[NEWKID 28,557]

1 hour ago, Greyman said:

I think it’s not just the youngsters have lost it and rely on more modern tech for there enjoyment it’s the adults to my grandson is 6 and he’s off to visit my other daughter at braunston today I’ve give him some tips and hopefully he will catch a few crayfish but as adults we still have a responsibility to pass it on and encourage them outdoors the bottom two are my son and other 3 grandson 

That's a cracking pike your lad is holding mate 

[mel b 3,566]

1 hour ago, NEWKID said:

Completely agree mate, had my kids out as soon as they could walk, fishing, hunting, foraging, motor bikes, making ripe swings, swimming in the river and sea, building dens in the woods, camp fires, catapults, air rifles... they've done and do everything I did as a kid... but... as young adults they don't have that bug I had, Fin has his fishing gear in his car, we fished on the rocks for bass on Sunday evening, but he hasn't been since...I'd of been out every evening at his age with this weather etc... it was an obsession for me (still is to be honest), I just think it's different for the majority of youngsters now, even those that are fully exposed to our way of life..

I have a theory about it.

The less you have when you're young , the greater hunting drive you have.

I grew up hungry for food , and I've spent my life hunting for food ( and everything else really). It's been many years since I've been short of money or food , but I was off work today , and I was still up at 3am , to go shooting. 

Like you , I was taking my lad out as soon as I could , and as much as he enjoyed it , and is good at it , he's just never had that drive/need , to get out and get stuff.

I know that my theory isn't 100% bang on, but pretty much all of the best hunters or wage earners that I know , grew up without a pot to piss in .

[NEWKID 28,557]

17 minutes ago, mel b said:

I have a theory about it.

The less you have when you're young , the greater hunting drive you have.

I grew up hungry for food , and I've spent my life hunting for food ( and everything else really). It's been many years since I've been short of money or food , but I was off work today , and I was still up at 3am , to go shooting. 

Like you , I was taking my lad out as soon as I could , and as much as he enjoyed it , and is good at it , he's just never had that drive/need , to get out and get stuff.

I know that my theory isn't 100% bang on, but pretty much all of the best hunters or wage earners that I know , grew up without a pot to piss in .

Yeah that's a good point mate, we were very much the same...