local sea anglers

[Alexmac442]

Hi Guys., Those Embassy coupons were great, do any of the tobacco companies still do anything like that? I gave up smoking in 1981, right now my wife crosses the border into Laos and buys 200 Lao cigs for 70 Thai Baht! Thats about 1 pound 40 or 14 pence a pack.
I can just imagine the lack of fish in the area now, when I was a kid I remember catching a haddock at Portencross, I wonder what the chances are of doing that today?
Alex

[little plum]

Hi Alex, coupons are a thing of the past. The country is very much anti smoking now with smoking ban's everywhere. A pack of fags will cost you over £5.00.

As a lad I used to get the Clyde coast bus out to Portencross, it dropped you off at the crossroads and then there was the long walk down to the pier, used to catch quite a selection of fish there. I also went on the train to Fairley pier, the fishing was quite good but the ferries were a pest.
I remember one time when my brother was on home leave from the R.A.F. he brought an English pal home with him. We went to fish at Fairley, the train arrived at the village station, on the ticket it said "Fairley High". We walked down through the village to the pier and when he noticed the station on the pier with a sign for "Fairley Low" he purchased another ticket for proof for when he relayed the story to family and friends .

[Alexmac442]

Plum., 5 quid a pack! Glad I gave up. Thats about 280 Thai Baht, a pack of Marboro here is only about 70 Baht. Whe I was a little kid I used to live about halfway between Portencross and Fairlie and as you say the ferries were a pest for us fishermen. I remember about 1958 an American fleet visited the Clyde, there was a carrier, the Saratoga, and a battleship, the Iowa, which I believe is still in service. The crews for shore leave were nearly all landed at Fairlie pier. Anyone else remember that?
Alex

[Meg]

Like you Alex, I am gobsmacked when I see the price of cigarettes - I stopped smoking Sunday 14th April 1985 - it was around 7.30pm when I stubbed out my last smoke - I was determined I would never pay £1 for a packet of cigarettes - and I never did ..... but and it is a big but - giving up smoking is the hardest thing I have ever done in my whole life - that includes being a lone parent to a teenager (Scary in its own right!)


Meg

[morag]

I was never a heavy smoker, maybe at most 4 or 5 a day, but it was French ciggies, didn't like the others.I told my husband if it ever bothered him to let me know. When I got pregnant with our first child, he let me know That was 1973.

My mum smoked full strength Capstan, lots of them,my dad, a sailor, rolled his own.

[Alexmac442]

Meg., I gave up in 1981 (this sounds like one of these "I-can-do-better-than-you thingies) just before I went to Saudi Arabia where it was one pound forty for 200 Bensons. Yes I agree it was hard but later I did an even harder thing, I stopped biting my nails after 35 years! They were a right state, bit down to the quick as they say. I developed a habit of folding my fingers inward to hide them in fact I still do that today!
We are getting away from the subject, I thought I saw Ward Graham's name on the list of members, did I and is he still around? I spent a lot of time fishing with Ward (mostly him catching the fish!!) Do you know him Plum?
Alex

[little plum]

Hi Alex, I don't know your friend Ward Graham. I served my apprenticeship at Stevenston point with hand lines that we bought from Armour's Ironmongers next to the railway station in Ardeer. I would also lay out long lines of 20 or 30 hooks for Flounders, it was easier if there was 2 of you as it was layed in a "L" shape with the main line leading back to the shore. In shorts you could have a few drops per tide by drawing the line in and wading out to reset . My first fishing rod was a bamboo cane, and I screwed eyelets from a curtain wire in the knuckles of the bamboo. the reel was held on by 2 rubber rings from the top of a ginger bottle. I remember setting a long line in the wee bay ( Irvine side of the point) one night, with a very early tide the next day. I slept in, and when i went to check my line I found out I had caught a seagull plus some Flounders, I had some sprackles to free the bird.

[Alexmac442]

Plum., Ward is from Ardrossan and any sea anglers from there will have heard of him, he is a legend! Actually I helped him whe he applied for the job as a postman, being a fireman in Ardrossan, I wrote a reference for him and he got the job. One of the best things I ever did!
I remember setting long lines at the North shore in Ardrossan, only thing I ever caught was a small codling, gave up after that! My favourite place was Geenock prom in the dead of winter, you cold always get a few cod there. I went with a local Irish pal, Jimmy McGlynn.
Alex

[little plum]

Hi Alex, just back from a short holiday in Majorca. Spent a few hours peering into the briney, but no fishing rod with me. I might invest in one of those travel rods after seeing a fine selection of fish, none were of any great size until a shoal of mullet passed.
I remember fishing Greenock prom years ago when I was the secretary of the Stevenston club. It could fish well on an evening tide in winter, but we had a large contingent of junior members and the club outings tended to be afternoons. One afternoon while the club was fishing the venue we had a late spell of sunshine and it became quite hot with all the winter clothing on. One of the club members decided to discard some of his clothing and put the items on one of the summer seats that ran along the prom. I'm sure his name was Gerry Long, a T.V. engineer from Saltcoats. Unfortunately for him, it was also a popular venue for old ladies walking their dogs. I'm sure you've already guessed what happened, yes, one relieved itself on his clothing. The rest of us were in knots with laughter, Gerry was right pi---d off.

[Alexmac442]

Plum., I remeber Greenock prom in the winter, fishing was good just about opposite the sunken sugar boat. I don't remember any "hot periods" always bloody cold when I went. I used to go with my buddy Jimmy McGlynn, one night I hooked a crab and knowing he had a phobia about these I put it in the hood of his anorak! He was not amused. He got his own back when he found out about my fear of spiders!
Alex

[Alexmac442]

Plum, Did you know Donald Arnott? He was Secretary of the Ardrossan SAC for many years.
Alex

[little plum]

Plum, Did you know Donald Arnott? He was Secretary of the Ardrossan SAC for many years.
Alex

I remember a Donald Arnott but didn't know him pesonally, it must have been communication via snail mail. When you mentioned the sugar boat it reminded me of the boat that run aground at Newton shore ( Newton on Ayr ), this was also a good fishing venue in winter. The story goes that the skipper was steaming and missed Ayr harbour. I wonder if it is still there.