Hello from Sunny South Wales.

[Herr ringbait]

Hi all, I'm Robin aged 78 from sunny Llanelli in South west Wales. I returned here from Ireland where I lived with my wife who also Pike fished from 1999-2016. I was along with her a founder member of the IPS (Irish Pike Society) along with Alan Broderick when he first set it up & later with David Overy. She was the members secretary & I did "An Luis" our quarterly Pike magazine. We had a great time fishing the big Irish loughs within an hour of our home in Mullingar with great success. Never quite a 30lb for me but 29lb's + three times. Maggie's best was a massive fish of 36.1lb taken in June & was completely empty & an old fish on the decline. What was it's weight a couple of years earlier at spawning time? We also one morning disturbed a bigger fish well over the 40lb on a massive Lough that you could have put a saddle on. Just cruised away with not a bother. We also had a house just off the River Ebro in Spain in Tortosa from 2005-2022 where we used to Catfish on balmy summer days. Ill health has stopped most of it all & we sold up in Ireland 2016 & Spain in 2022 as just could not manage the travel. Since our return to UK nothing but illness & a Heart attack has put a stop to excitement. Hip replacement & just recovering from Prostrate operations have taken their toll. Since back I've found my love of Barbel fishing something I did a lot in the 1960's on the Hampshire Avon & Dorset Stour. At last I feel I can get back to it a bit after 3 years off. The motor home has done 78 miles in 3 years. Look forward to meeting old & new friends. If you see "PIGLET" my Sea hog on the river Severn say hello. Regards Robin & Margaret Cook.

[Carlperkins]

Will look out for you on the Severn

[Happy Hayes]

Lovely introduction
Welcome to the pit to both you and your wife
Regards
Tom

[Herr ringbait]

Guess I will be in the Upton Area to start off. Course & Pike fishing.

[davelumb]

You'll find a few familiar (old) names on here Robin.

[Herr ringbait]

Hello Dave, I still have all the rods you made for myself & the wife. They are still almost as good as the day you made them which is a credit to your ability of building a cracking (excuse the pun) rod that last & last. Just getting a bit old for it now but hopefully be able to sit behind the rods in a boat. Herself is as fit as ever god bless her & enables me to do the little I can. Cheers, Robin.

[John66]

Welcome Robert and Margaret

[davelumb]

Hello Dave, I still have all the rods you made for myself & the wife. They are still almost as good as the day you made them which is a credit to your ability of building a cracking (excuse the pun) rod that last & last. Just getting a bit old for it now but hopefully be able to sit behind the rods in a boat. Herself is as fit as ever god bless her & enables me to do the little I can. Cheers, Robin.

[ChrisWales]

Username made me smile

Then i realised it could be one of Carl's thread titles