Bridge Pool Less

IN 1975 I left the world of industrial chemistry to become a chemistry teacher, having completed a postgraduate teaching qualification.

- Bill & Virginia

Thanks to three promotions, two extra nights of teaching, writing fishing articles and marking chemistry exams, I had reached a position in life where I had enough money to travel to some of the most famous fishing locations in the UK, and the Bridge Pool on the Hampshire Avon, in Christchurch, was high on my list. The pool is famous for its large head of sea trout, occasional salmon, roach to 3 lb, big dace, perch to over 4 lb and a variety of sea species.

“The recipe for a satisfactory life is to spend as much time as possible with friends of all ages.” This is a quote from broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Paxman, and I agree with him, so it should come as no surprise to learn that I nearly bit lifelong friend Lewis Deeks’ hand off when he suggested that we share a day together at the Bridge Pool. We set off for the long trip from Twickenham to the Bridge Pool in my three-year-old yellow Mark III Cortina on a September morning in 1975, and when we arrived we saw a large punt attached to a chain running from one bank to the other. We pulled one end of the chain through a steel ring to steer the punt towards us, before loading it with our tackle.