In Honour of Touchy....Fishing Stories.

[Randall]

I`m sure we all have some great stories we can relay about our good mate and fishing friend Touchy.

I was with Fred 5 odd years ago at Awoonga dam. I witnessed his first ever Barra on lure. There were a group of us that numbered 15 and for 3 full days not a Barra was caught.

We all knew that Touchy struggled with arthritis in his hands and this day was no different. He was having problems with a K-Mart type spin reel during a retrieve. He stoped retrieving to deal with a tangle and BANG....he was on!!! I think he was more surprized than all of us to finally get a nice 70 cm Barra back to the boat for a photo session. He was so chuffed and the bragging rights were reserved for him that night around the campfire as he sucked back copious amounts of Green Ginger Wine. ;D We let him brag about the fact that he was the only angler to get a Barra for the trip...and you know what?.....we did`nt mind at all.

Thanks for the memories ole mate.

Randall.

[WHITTO]

Nice words Randall, Nice words, Cheers Whitto

[NeilD]

Nice story

[choppa]

randall,, thats what memories are for,,, the ones that stand out and can't be replaced

theres a few threads on site now that reflect on touchy,, and everyone has there special memory or moment

i,, like a host of members,, never had the pleasure of knowing the man,, but its through mates like yourself that he will never be forgotten

choppa

[tunaman]

I never knew the man choper and I dont know what to say. But from what I have read, he,ll be very sadly missed.

All the best wishes to his family on this sad time.



signed tunaman

[SCOTTYGC]

I met up with Fred at the first 1770 M&G
He spoke about the trip months in advance and you could tell he was keen to get up there

A few weeks before the trip he was in hospital with an infected toe and with his medication not clearing it up he told the doc to
"cut the bloody thing off then,im off to 1770 fishing"

The first day at 1770 Anges jack was leading the tinny brigaide around the estury system , at the ramp we had to help fred into the boat as we all found our way around , we all ended up at the 5 ways sand bank

most were out of the boats having a beer but not Fred

he was throwing lures and caught a nice flathead

there are a few other storys from that trip but you know what they say

"What happens on a fishing trip stays on the fishing trip"

RIP Fred

cheers
scotty

[Lucky_Phill]

One of my early encounters with Fred was at a Freshwater M & G. Fred had staked his land for his tent and I was doing the same. Time came to hit the water and Bugman said tome we should go for a troll. I had never fished Freshwater before and had NO gear at all to do so ( my intentions for the M & G was to have a few drinkies and chat ), so Fred over heard this and made me take his brand new, never been used, rod / reel combo and lure with me.

Less than 200 mtrs from the ramp, I'm onto my first Bass. Photo taken more fishing down and return. Touchy was so pleased for me. Still bugs me how someone will lend a new outfit to another person they hardly knew, and be happy about them de-virginizing it. But that's Fred.

Phill

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

i'm heading up cobby cobby sat morning to see if he's up there ...

rumour had it he liked the joint.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe he and jonno would be the only guys on record to have caught a painted cray in cc passage....

[Jonno]

Yes the coby was a very popular spot, very quiet and very big whiting get up there, and yes the chinaman wall did produce a very nice lobster from there as well.
Will be thinking of you for good luck on sat.

Jon Wood
Touchy JNR

[bugman]

Fred and Ausfish meet and greets were hand and hand.

I took him out in my old Haines one day as we followed Webby around trying to chase squire in the brissy river and around mud. Fred was yet to get a squire in the area at that stage and we certainly didn't trouble them again that day unlike Webby.

But I'll never forget Touchy's secret burely recipe made from 20kg of chook guts. He open the bucket and I nearly went over the side. Lucky the boat later sank as I'd never been able to sell it. One moment he was chucking out burely next he was working his way through a whole cooked chook with glee. His stomach was made of iron.

He left me with comradeship and a sense of larrikinism that I will never forget. He made it to every M&G I attended. He was the first to say he'd attend and one of the first to help. He always helped.

He's still helping I bet.

Brett

[Ive_got_crabs]

Some fantastic stories I will miss Dad so much thanks again for your stories

Regards Allan Wood.