To not be chosen ! Very painfull !

[TF_paulnewell]

Many years ago the England manager was Stan Smith. The World champs came to Luddington on the Warwickshire Avon . I was 24 yrs of age and on fire The angling press suggested that myself and Barry Fulford may fish for England . Stan invited the regular faces and a few of us wannabeys. On a trial match . 2 x 3 hour matches in one day was the test and I won the morning match with 14lbs of chub . The afternoon match and again I won my section with 4lbs of small fish . Stan stuck with the same faces and England came second to the French. Painfull !!! But memorable !!! 😉

[TF_Fred Davis]

My heart goes out to you Paul hopefully in time the old pals act will not be tolerated!

as I said earlier and it does beg the question why even bother with trials ?

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

Nepotism

[TF_paulnewell]

When the disappointment died down I gave it some thought . I concluded that the trial was really a work out for the team that was already picked . Maybe I wouldn’t have stood the pressure specialy at that age . At this time I had developed a plastic based stick float that could be cast much further than anything available from shops. It was deadly !! Myself and my teacher the late Roy Hall both used this float with devastating effect for two years . And before someone talks of lignum alloy or drennan plastic floats These were well before them ! Harrell and Howly searched high and low to get the design then I blew the thing to DH. In those days you had to invent adapt and make stuff yourself unlike today . :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[TF_Ripps 31]

The master at his best !! 🙂

[TF_caster robParticipant]

Seem to remember Dave Thomas winning the individual that year.
Whenever it was, lignum sticks were quite widely available, including those produced by Ultra Floats, based near Leamington. Their problem, like most others at that time, was the thickness/density of the paint used overrided the attributes of the raw material.
John Allerton and John Dean were pioneering alloy/wire stemed sticks arouind this period too.

[TF_paulnewell]

Dave won with a centre pin not too far out . Claiming fame to inventing stuff always finds an argument . So I will try to word it different . To get a float capable of reaching the wagler line i made my own using a plastic paint brush handle !! They were unbeatable even when I was able to purchace Lignum. I had a full set of ultra Lignum sticks and still use them today but for extreme distance my float is superior ..

[TF_discusuk]

Hi Paul,

I remember that day very well. I did no good in the first match and spent most of the second match watching John Dean fishing the far bank under the willows with a back-shotted stick float.
I agree with you that the day was only to give the preselected anglers a bit of practice on the venue under match conditions

[TF_Time Traveller]

Many years ago, I believe the “Selection Process” for England representation was for an angler to finish in the top 10 of the then named All England Championships… some feat that saw several anglers qualifying again and again though

The current system for the float team by Non Fishing Management is by far the best, but do the selected anglers have the necessary?
1. Do they win or get results consistently in good company in th ecurrent climate
2. Do they have the commitment ?
3. Have they got the time and money (a big restriction)
4. Are they a Team Player willing to pass on even the smallest morsel of information. Surprising how many good anglers fail here despite all the apperances in the mags.

But I think the hardest thing is to get a Manager of the right calibre – the Alex Ferguson of the fishing World, think Cleggy got it right and the current regime follow this to some degree, don’t be afraid to change…or you will fail…

But you can’t just pick a good angler and expect that he has the attributes to fill this role, imagine having to select a team and calling up Will, Darren or Des and telling them they are OUT….. proper sulk on, i remember Pete Waddy when at Barnsley getting calls in the middle of the night from irrate ex England stars who were not picked for the Blacks…OUCH

Find the right Manager he will build the Team….. but who picks the Manager & on what criteria? It’s a Tough One !!

[TF_paulnewell]

For a second I thought you was goner say you watched me but I suppose John Dean was a reasonable choice ? My home made float won me the first match . I drew a waggler peg in the afternoon match and fed some pinkies to get 4lbs of small stuff . Another section win I was bubbling . I would concede I wouldn’t be able to say who I could or should have replaced . John Dean Dave Thomas Clive Smith Tony Scott Kevin Ashurst and I think Max Winters !!!!! That’s not a bad team is it 😀 😀 😀 24 yrs new kid on the block beats the best there is!! That’s my headline ! :rolleyes: Good memories and glad you remember the day if only I knew who ? 😉

[TF_Mark Wintle]

Until 1971 the top 5 teams in the previous year’s National (only one match back then) each nominated an angler, possibly the 6th team nominated the reserve. As often as not the teams would nominate their highest weight angler in the National. One of the few teams to buck the trend was Stoke who won the 1969 National but nominated Kevin Ashurst as the angler best able to represent England in 1970. Apart from winning in 63 I believe Billy Lane fished more than once, partly due to Coventry’s results and also Billy’s outstanding National results. Bernard Donovan took over as team manager and sought to change the team selection but died soon afterwards but the change to team selection was in place for Stan Smith.

Interesting about the stick float. I once stumbled – mid 80s? – on a stick float design using a fibreglass stem. Somehow I got the balance perfect although the float only took 6 no. 8 and 2 no. 10 I could (fishing a fine line like 1.5lb) cast to the waggler line and then catch on the drop. I got broke at the top rubber after about 7 or 8 years on a chub and lost the float and could never quite replicate it but as Paul says such a float is deadly. I had some fantastic catches of roach on the Bristol Avon on the drop with it. From what I remember it helped when making stick floats to try throwing them like a dart (Ivan Marks trick) and if, and only if, they flighted perfectly would you have a chance of a good float.

I watched the 1981 Luddington match with a mixture of awe and trepidation. England had no plan B. Half convinced that Tony Scott and Clive Smith could have balled in bloodworm/joker in groundbait after 2 hours close in and caught something but we’ll never know.

[TF_paulnewell]

Not many years prior to this the waggler was still in the experimental stages and many anglers incorrectly only put a few no10s down trying to catch on the drop . !!! On a pacey river ? This was when my long distance stick was so deadly . But not with huge amounts down. 5 to7 no4 being right for 5 to 8 ish deep swims . Shotting was not complicated I put 4s down with no trimming of 6s or 8s required . I found a Shotting patern in Ivan’s book on float fishing . The opposite to what you may think with closer spacing near the hook link increasing toward the float !! I think he used it whilst fishing atop and bottom zoomer. ! Tangling was a nightmare . My biggest regret was not putting a load on winders . Obviously an upstream wind was preferred . When I made a float for distance fishing I painted more of the tip than looked pretty so I could see it far away . Something copied today on commercial floats .

[TF_discusuk]

Hi Paul,

I’m Paul Wainwright. Now retired and living abroad

[TF_paulnewell]

Hope you are enjoying yourself and huge respect you snared a few on our circuit . Thanks for the message . Tight lines wherever. 🙂 🙂

[TF_joffmiester]

I remember the same thing happening to Stu Killen Leicester at holme pierrepont he was by far the best in practice if i remember right Ricky Teale fished the same trails .Needless to say neither got in but we did win that year Bob nudd won individual i don’t think Stu ever got over that year . 🙁

[TF_discusuk]

Hi Paul

I’m Paul Wainwright, if of course you remember me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now retired and living abroad

[TF_paulnewell]

Paul I remember you very well and didn’t know you moved abroad . I wish you all the best . 🙂 🙂 🙂

[TF_paulnewell]

Does Stu killen still fish ?

[TF_paulnewell]

While I am on a time travel tell us who you are time traveller You must have been in the know ? 🙂

[TF_Bristol Angling CentreParticipant]

Hi Paul

I fished that day on the Warwickshire Avon, Im a bit younger than you, not by much, and I saw it as a day when Stan Smith could look at future Internationals rather than to pick a team. I don’t think Stan did the job much after that. But I do remember you winning…must have drawn a flier lol.

[TF_Mark Wintle]

Got a feeling Stan’s last year was 1983 (Warks. Avon was 1981).

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