3 Dec 2021

HUMPHREY WOOD SADLY MISSED BY TAW ANGLERS

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The Lower River Taw ( Note not Kingford)

 

It is sad to relay the sad news of the death of Humphrey Wood who contributed a huge amount of time and effort into preserving the River Taw. I fished at Kingford several years ago whilst writing ” I Caught A Glimpse” and have fond memories of visiting the hut mentioned by Alex Gibson below.

 

Dear Members,

I hope that you are all well, it is with sadness that I pass on the below from Alex.

All members will be sad to hear that Humphrey Wood died recently. He played an important role in West Country fishing life  generally and made a huge contribution to the Taw in particular.During the first part of my Chairmanship, from about 2008 to 2015 Humphrey and I worked together on the Weirs Project. It would be hard to overstate his contribution to the success of this major achievement. RTFA, as it was then, was the beneficiary of his technical knowledge and the range of his contacts in the EA and Westcountry Rivers Trust, our partners.Humphrey fished at Kingford, a part of the river he loved. The fishing hut he built with Ron Warwick, another RTFA stalwart, can be seen from the road on the way from Kingford Bridge to Portsmouth Arms; it is a fitting monument.Humphrey and Polly moved from Roborough to Broughton in Hampshire a few years ago, but Humphrey never lost his interest in Taw matters. I was able to keep him in the picture with phone calls from time to time. He will be greatly missed by all in the fishing community who knew him.

Alex Gibson
November 2021

 

Extract for my book I Caught a Glimpse referring to the hut

The fishing hut provides the angler with a resting place during the angling day, a place to pause for contemplation, saviour a brew of tea and exchange tales and tactics with fellow anglers. Ron worked with Humphrey Wood on his fishing hut on the middle Taw. This hut features in the book, “Fishing Huts –The Anglers Sanctuary” by Jo Orchard Lisle. A pleasing book that details angling huts throughout England.

Humphrey Wood’s hut was built to replace the old hut that was swept away by a big winter flood. To avoid a repeat performance the new hut was built upon stilts. Heavy duty posts that were driven deep into the ground using the appropriate tool. Ron told me that each post had to be inch perfect so that the hut would sit firmly in its place. The building of the hut took a couple of months and on completion a small party of family and friends assembled to drink a toast and share a good luck cake to celebrate the occasion.

The hut with its elevated position should provide many years of service and will be host to many happy days beside the ever-flowing Taw.

 

1 Dec 2021

Moments of reflection and lost spirits carried upon a flooding tide.

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There is something reassuring about the perpetual ebbing and flowing of the tide. Watching the cool swirling waters as the light faded memories flooded in with the tide . I had started fishing in saltwater over fifty years ago whilst on holiday with my parents in this Cornish seaside town of Looe.

Over the years we have been drawn back many times. We had walked out onto the Banjo pier and It was pleasing to have glimpsed the flashing flanks of grey mullet in the clear water.

I  looked out at the horizon where I imagined the tuna shoals that have recently migrated into the waters off Cornwall potentially opening the dawning of a new age of recreational catch and release fishing.

I had looked out from this pier as a teenager and caught the flickering light of the Eddystone Light far out in the channel. I had since fished the Eddystone reef for pollock and caught blue shark many miles offshore.

Fifty years ago, I started on an angling journey that has taken me to many locations yet those childhood memories linger. An orange tipped float beneath harbour lights disappearing pleasingly as small pollack seized the strips of mackerel. Sharing the joys of catching crabs with our son James sat on the harbours edge as Pauline grabbed at his coat tails fearful that he would slip into the water.

Moments of reflection and lost spirits carried upon a flooding tide.

28 Nov 2021

Shore Sport

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Kody Chugg tempted this fine tope of 37lb whilst fishing a North Devon Shore Mark. The next few months of winter  should see some of the years best specimens landed from our shoreline. Take care out there and don’t take risks. Good fishing often follows a big storm with the inshore waters stirred and food in abundance.

26 Nov 2021

Stafford Moor Late Autumn Thirty

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Dan Gunn banked four carp up to 30lb 2oz from swim 1 (three island) up on Lodge Lake. Dan has smashed his personal best three times in the last 4 times visiting the Moor so a huge well done to him !
Dan was using dynamite hit & run red wafters and Sticky Baits 20mm Manilla active wafters.