Arlesford...

No, Hugh Jarse, Arlesford really is in Essex.(One for Essex Scribbler to explain one day). Arlesford was not naturally the spiritual home of myself and Shan(us) and we really did try and convince The Scribbler and co that a gudgeon of any size was worth more than any bream. Remember me fishing off the sandbank and "winding down before striking"?

Anyway, Arlesford did end up featuring on our angling calendar for many years, and looking at this it is not hard to see why..a Scribbler photo

 He did rather well on there and this was probably his best

I had this lovely common during what ever World Cup was on at the time (1990?) and it remains my biggest at 18+. Could possibly  be the same fish but my picture too poor quality to really see.

A really lovely evening straight off the plane from Menorca in Number 8 way back when:

This carp has a huge healed bite around the anal fin that was translucent

In those days it was back home from an early shift, pop over the road to the tackle shop on Barrack Street, buy a packet of Richworth frozen boilies (Strawberry), hop on the old Honda Camino moped (wind up throttle) and down past the Hythe and the Uni, through Wivenhoe and onto Arlesford or the Match Pit. Back in time for a couple of pints of Abbots in the Tilley.

Usually presented what is now probably called a  snowman, a normal bait and a pop-up on the hair balanced to just sink. No braid, or leadcore in those days.

Scribbler on the pike.. look at that glass blank in the sunlight

A stonking leather for Lobkin (whilst listening to Scraping Foetus from the Wheel on a Walkman).

Lobkin cooking up a breakfast after a first night of the season session.

and my contribution the the fish caught, both original fish, not Tynevale's stockies

I've always liked this shot.

The Essex Scribbler on the sandbank