• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Fishing Fiend

Mad About Fishing

Fishing Fiend Ltd Logo
  • About Me
  • The Anglers Challenge

Going Fishing With My Dad

10th December 2015 by Mike Duddy

Duddy Fishing Ballintra 1970
Three year old Fishing Fiend, Ballintra, Donegal 1970 With father and elder brother

 

The urge to fish is returning (it never really went away), and I’m looking forwards to blowing off the cobwebs, and getting back out on the bank with my youngest son Tommy who has kept me away from my rods for the last couple of years.
 My eldest son Matthew now aged 20 still enjoys the occasional  day out on the river with his dad and grandpa, but like most 20 year olds – his head is full of fashion, music, beer etc
However we can still persuade him to join us every now and then – and its always a great day for us to be all out together as a family.
duddy fishing Duddy family fishing
It made me reflect on my own fishing beginnings.
There is a strong tradition of angling within our family especially on my fathers side.
Great great grandfathers and uncles from Ulster – all fishing mad according to family memories
A grandfather who moved to North Wales on retirement – so that he could pursue his passion for Sea Trout fishing.
My own father who has fished for as long as he can remember, and still fishes every week – whilst rapidly closing in on his 80th birthday.
And my own first fishing memories stem from family holidays to the West Coast of Ireland. Aged 3, nearly 4 being allowed to hold and play with my dads fishing kit, trips out on loughs and lakes in a rubber dinghy.
I can’t ever remember catching much (nothing changes) however I can still recall being distraught at bedtimes when my mother put me to bed, as my father was leaving the cottage to go out fishing for the evening. Then waking in the morning to help gut and clean the trout he had caught, and cook them for breakfast. Its amazing how some memories never fade. I can still touch, feel and smell those fish from that holiday cottage kitchen in my mind to this very day.
So – then for years after all I ever wanted to do – was go fishing with my dad.
Reading all copies of Anglers Mail, and my grandfathers trout magazines there was a strong burning desire inside me (which still exists today) to get out doors with some kit, and go fishing.
My dad must have realised how keen I was to join him on these fishing trips, but i think he valued his “alone time” from a young family, and the only time he ever took me fishing with him was on family holidays.I think my mum made him, in search of her own alone time !
Back at home in Manchester, my demands to be taken fishing were always rebuffed with the words “your not old enough to go fishing, you have to be 7”. His reasoning being that a 7 year old can sort out his own tangles (well some of them) and wouldnt distract him from his own fishing.
About this time in the early 70s, my parents used to do their weekly shop, in a northern suburb of Manchester called Middleton. In true 1970s style there was a big carbuncle of concrete in the centre of town, which was called the “shopping centre”. In Middleton, this grim bit of architecture was called “The Arndale”. (you can read a little of its history here – including how it was the Arndale that was resonsible for the covering and culverting of the River Irk – cost £360K)
Woolco – an offshoot of the Coop was the flagship store in the shopping centre – and for a fishing mad kid it was an amazing place. Not only was it the source of our weekly sustenance – school uniform, dodgy 1970s knitwear etc – they also had an isle which sold fishing tackle.
So rather than drag round the store after my parents, I used to stand in the fishing isle for half an hour while the folks did the shop. I touched, fingered, unwrapped and generally messed about with every bit of tackle they had for sale. And with the words of my dad in mind (your not old enough yet – I will buy you a fishing rod when your 7) I longed and longed for that day.
In the run up to my 7th birthday I carefully chose a rod, reel, fishing ruck sack and bits of kit – and made the store manager put them away in his office so that no one else would buy them.
A seven foot, brown glass fibre spinning rod, and a Mitchel 300 reel. A green canvas ruck sack with leather straps. And an assortment of peacock and crow quill floats. – 7 year old heaven.
My first fishing trip – as a true 7 year old fisherman who had is own tackle,was with my dad to Drinkwater Park Lake and we (he) used my tackle to catch 4 small gudgeon which we put in a bucket. We then drove off into the hills above Oldham to a North West Water Authority reservoir called Kitcliff – which is the central of these three large reservoirs in the Piethorn Valley
piethorn Valley
My dad baited up with the live gudgeon we had caught earlier-  lip hooked it on a size 8 hook and cast it out under a small plastic (high tec kit in the 1970s) pencil float and then handed me my fishing rod.
And we sat and waited. My dad smoking ciggies to keep away the midges.
If I went back to visit that lake today, I can still show you the exact stones we sat on, while we fished.
After an hour, the float suddenly sprang to life and careered across the lakes surface,,,,,,, wait,,,,,,,,,,,,, wait,,,,,,,,,, wait,,,,,,,,,, STRIKE !!!
And a fish was on.
In true 7 year old style – i reeled in as though my life depended on it – and dragged a 12 inch (which seemed like a monster to me) brownie into my new extending, collapsible, knotted mesh landing net.
The fish was immediately dispatched against the toe of my dads welly and then wrapped in grass and paced in my fishing ruck sack. Job done, mission accomplished – a fishing fiend was born.
I’m turning 50 next year, and can remember every moment of the evening of my 7th birthday as though it was yesterday.
Over the years, I’ve taken every young member of my extended family fishing – and other than my 20 year old son Matthew, the bug has only bitten my nephew Ed, who is keen enough to have endured a couple of blank trips but still hold a level of interest.
So back to the 21st Century – as many of you know I’ve become a Dad again. Not once – but twice. Being blessed with a son Thomas (Tommy) and Daughter Katherine (Katy)
Now – Tommy who turned 3 years old in September is as keen as mustard. So I’m beginning to get the itch to take him with me.
Winter isnt the best time to take a toddler fishing so I really can’t wait for Summer 2016 when “my little pal” Fishing Fiend Jnr will be accompanying his father on some short local trips to wet a line or two
As you can imagine, all our family walks revolve round a visit to a lake, river, canal or stream – and little Diddy Duddy now calls every angler he comes across as “one of Daddys friends” – which of course many of you are.
So – look forwards to forthcoming blog posts based on visits to my local ponds, 6m whips and tiddler bashing sessions – though I have no doubt that there will be some 12oz+ monsters thrown in the mix…
Happy days
And hopefully when young Tommy grows up, will be able to recall the happy times, and great days he spent out with his dad on the river bank.

Filed Under: family, Fishing, history

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Derek Kenyon says

    10th December 2015 at 5:11 pm

    Lovely photos Mike, great trio shot. (-: D

    • Jeff Hatt says

      11th December 2015 at 9:25 am

      Terrific family portraits! Inspired stuff. Are these self takes or was a pro involved, Mike?

      • Mike Duddy says

        11th December 2015 at 6:36 pm

        One of my friends has started to work as a freelance journalist – so I agreed to be the subject for one of his articles.
        Thats where the fancy photography came from.

        ://www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/11720344/This-river-used-to-be-deadly.-Now-its-a-tourist-attraction.html

Primary Sidebar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOM-emZ1Wkw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEJLElb6HUc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEQlDACC1WI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cne7QOilerQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm0KDPjP1J8&t=9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ZAuuDTsQs

Archives

Tags

5 Bar Gate Agecroft Pond Anglers Challenge Anular Bream ashton canal Bass Beach Fishing Birkenhead Dock fishing Bitterling blank Bradshaw Hall Bread Punch Bream Bridgewater Canal Bridlington Carp cheshire ring Chub Cleveleys Cod Common Blennie Common Comber Cornwall Crucian Carp Dab Dace Drinkwater Park Drop Shot Dropshot Drop Shotting Dusky Grouper European Eel FC United Fenix Flounder fly fishing Football Fuerteventura Fuerteventura Fishing Githead Bream Gynn Wall Heaton Park History Holiday Fishing Ide Irwell Isome Issos Beach Corfu Kelzo Labranda Beach Fishing Lesser Spotted Dog Fish Lesser Weever Live Bait Liverpool Docks LRF Lure Mackerel Madeira Goby Madeira Rockfish maggot Mariners Wharf New Brighton Old River Irlam Ornate Wrasse Painted Comber Pandora Perch Perch Rock Pike Pilsworth Pollack pollution Pollys Flash Prison Pond Rainbow Wrasse Roach Rochdale Canal Rockpool Blenny Rudd Salford Quays Sand Smelt Sarga Sea Fishing sewage litter Smoothhound Starry Smoothound Steenbras Striped Sea Bream Tench Three Bearded Rockling Tope trout walking Wallasey Dock fishing wallasey docks Whiting Worm YoZuri Minnow

recent posts

  • Back On The Bank 12th December 2022
  • The Fenix Trophy Final 2022 14th November 2022
  • FC Utd And The Fenix Part 2 17th October 2022
  • FC Utd And The Fenix Part 1 16th September 2022
  • Fishing Issos Beach Corfu – Summer 2022 3rd September 2022
  • A New Logo – time for a refresh 14th August 2022
  • Fishing For Big Perch At Bradshaw Hall 24th December 2020
  • El Blanko And Sancho Phil Ride Again 14th December 2020
  • Chasing Perch On The Worm Dropshot 23rd November 2020
  • Pilsworth Fishery Dropshot 9th November 2020
  • Fishing Cures The Blues 26th October 2020
  • Fishing Salford Quays – Smash And Grab 10th October 2020
  • Fishing Liverpool Docks 6th October 2020
  • Artists On The Irwell 1st October 2020
  • Drop Shotting Wallasey Docks and Salford Quays 29th September 2020
  • Its Like February Again 26th September 2020
  • Drinkwater Park Again 20th September 2020
  • A Summers Evening Fishing Drinkwater Park Lake 1st September 2020
  • Holiday Fishing Cornwall 24th August 2020
  • Ashton Canal Fishing Free Parking 20th August 2020
  • A Good Read ? 31st July 2020
  • Driving Me Up The (Gynn) Wall 30th July 2020
  • I Smelt A Record But Let It Go 27th July 2020
  • Out Fishing Again 19th July 2020
  • Attack Of The Killer Crabs 3rd July 2020
  • An Evening On The Prison Pond 27th June 2020
  • Bitterling and Bream 6th June 2020
  • Out On The Ocean Wave 1st June 2020
  • Only Mad Dogs And Englishmen 29th May 2020
  • Back In The Saddle 27th May 2020
  • Excitement Turns To Disappointment (again) 15th March 2020
  • New Season Excitement 14th March 2020
  • Waiting For The Tide To Turn 8th March 2020
  • An Anglers Challenge 29th February 2020
  • Piss Off February 24th February 2020
  • Fishing Fiend Species Hunter 2020 1st February 2020
  • In Search Of Pike 21st January 2020
  • Fishing Fuerteventura (again) 12th January 2020
  • Bringing Things Up To Date 11th January 2020
  • Tackle Shed 26th December 2019
  • The Friendly Anglers Fund 2nd July 2019
  • Dace Fishing On The Irwell 27th June 2019
  • Happy Times 25th June 2019
  • Parklife Fishing 9th June 2019
  • New Kit 6th January 2019
  • A Little Perspective – Pike 30th December 2018
  • Irwell Barbel Quest – Part 12 – Utter Frustration 23rd December 2018
  • An Artists Palette 15th December 2018
  • Hungry Pike 10th December 2018
  • The 2 Hour Rule 3rd December 2018
  • Black Death On The Irwell 30th November 2018
  • Using A Pole Float For Trotting The River 27th November 2018
  • My Most Successful Lure This Year 25th November 2018
  • Washed Up On The Beach 19th November 2018
  • Fishing At Monton Lighthouse 27th August 2018
  • Out With The Kids 17th June 2018
  • Winter Bream 5th February 2017
  • Manchester Grayling 31st January 2017
  • Pleasure Fishing Bradshaw Hall Fisheries Lake 7 25th January 2017
  • A Fish At Last 19th January 2017
  • A Bit Rubbish – Part 2 3rd January 2017
  • A New Year – An Old Challenge 1st January 2017
  • A Bit Rusty 10th November 2016
  • A Bit Rubbish 1st November 2016
  • Holiday Fishing Tenerife 5th July 2016
  • The Irwell Imp 22nd May 2016
  • Daddy Daddy Lets Play Fishin Lod 21st April 2016
  • Scratching The Itch 29th March 2016
  • A Great Day 25th March 2016
  • Holiday Fishing Fuerteventura 11th March 2016
  • Mersey Salmon Video 31st January 2016
  • Fishing On Christmas Day 25th December 2015
  • Going Fishing With My Dad 10th December 2015
  • I’m Still Here 6th December 2015
  • Walking The Cheshire Ring Pt2 1st April 2014
  • Walking The Cheshire Ring Part 1 31st March 2014
  • Is Back On The Bank 19th January 2014
  • A Stolen Hour 28th October 2012
  • A Day Out At Gingham Fishery Nr Horwich 30th September 2012
  • Irwell Barbel Quest part 11 13th August 2012
  • Full House 1st August 2012
  • Back On Th’Irwell 30th July 2012
  • Warning – Fishing Pox 19th July 2012
  • Your help needed 23rd June 2012
  • Duchy Lagoons 5th June 2012
  • All Quiet 31st May 2012
  • Right On My Doorstep 1st May 2012
  • Longer Evenings 17th April 2012
  • Shore Fishing Tenerife 15th April 2012
  • Trout In Dirty Places 2nd April 2012
  • Caddis On Steroids 29th March 2012
  • Irwell Pollution 19th March 2012
  • Fishing and Blogging With The BBC 15th March 2012
  • Always A Wag 2nd March 2012
  • Long Overdue 29th February 2012
  • Roach 23rd February 2012
  • Hooked 22nd February 2012
  • Trout Fishing At Pendle View 19th February 2012
  • The Quarry 18th February 2012
  • An Impressionist On The Irwell 5th February 2012
  • Angling Research – The Social And Community Benefits Of Angling 31st January 2012
  • Casting About 22nd January 2012
  • Church Gardens 21st January 2012
  • Golden 15th January 2012
  • A Different Kettle Of Fish 13th January 2012
  • Not A Just Reward 7th January 2012
  • Blanking On The Quays 4th January 2012
  • On The Rocks In Lanzarote 14th December 2011
  • Bloggers On The Box 23rd November 2011
  • Irwell Barbel Quest Part 10 15th November 2011
  • On The Canal In Manchester 5th November 2011
  • Roaching On The Ribble 31st October 2011
  • Fishing On The Ship Canal With The BBC 28th October 2011
  • October Kick Sampling With The Riverfly Partnership 15th October 2011
  • Angling Trust North West 11th October 2011
  • Donegal 6th October 2011
  • Rochdale Canal Tench 19th September 2011
  • 8th October Match – River Irwell Old Course Irlam – Top Hat Optional 17th September 2011
  • Canal Tench 10th September 2011
  • Pommie Bashing 2nd September 2011
  • River Irwell Old Course Match Aug 2011 29th August 2011
  • Road Trip 25th August 2011
  • On The Canal 19th August 2011
  • Starlight Express 15th August 2011
  • Bitter – ling 11th August 2011
  • Ouch 28th July 2011
  • A Warm Glow 18th June 2011
  • Inspiration 22nd May 2011
  • Not Another Bloody Blog 17th May 2011
  • River Irk Polluted Again 14th May 2011

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in