Deal’s largest rod and line caught cod
By David Chamberlain
The morning of Saturday, 30th December, 1972,
started as an overcast cold day, with a gentle north-west wind. At that time, I
was working for the Walmer based H&S (Harris and Steytler) fleet of wooden
charter boats. Being a neap tide, it did not take too long to get the boats ready
for the 10am launch. In those days, the anglers’ charters were for six hours
with the boats returning to the beach at 4pm. With a calm sea all of the craft
headed out on an easterly course into Trinity Bay, two miles off Deal.
My boss, Ken Steytler, had asked me to keep an eye
on another boat in his fleet, the Meranda. The Lister air cooled diesel engine in the
Meranda had been a little temperamental and in case of a breakdown I would be
there, in the Norah, to tow her home. Brian Maidment was the Meranda’s skipper
that day and both of us, with our angling parties, anchored up in 10 fathoms
(60 feet) of water.
The expected quarry for the anglers was cod. When
the weather was fine there had been good catches and many anglers had descended
on Deal and Walmer to enjoy the sport. Trade was brisk and Deal greatly benefited
from the anglers revenue.
At half past three in the afternoon, I requested my
anglers to pack up fishing and prepare for the 30 minute journey back to
shore. They had had a good days sport
catching ten cod over 10lbs with lots of whiting and pouting filling the fish
boxes. With the anchor on board I motored the short distance to the Meranda and
enquired if the engine in Brian’s boat was functioning. Brian told me that he was happy with the
situation and would make his own way ashore … and that they had only caught one
cod. However, when he struggled to lift
the fishes head and then flank above the Meranda’s gunnels, I realised that
this was the largest cod that I had seen in my life.
With all the boats ashore and darkness approaching,
I had another look at the cod. Brian explained that one of the anglers on board
the Meranda had just eaten their lunch and, after smoking a cigarette, felt
seasick. He asked the skipper if he
would like to use his rod and reel until he felt better. Brian baited the hook
with lug and squid and tried his luck. Little did he know that he was to
capture the largest cod on rod and line ever to be seen in Deal! The fish
measured 46 inches in length with a 30 inch girth and weighed in at 50lb
14oz.
Shortly after I had left, the photographer turned up
and Brian gained overnight fame. That
cod won him numerous prizes of rods, reels and even a fishing holiday in
Cornwall. Brian donated the cod to Deal Council who sent it to a London taxidermist
for a plaster cast to be made. The replica cod was hung in the Goodwins Bar on
the end of Deal Pier with an unveiling ceremony conducted by the then Mayor and
Mayoress, Alderman and Mrs Phillip Wilson-Haffenden. It was very much admired
over the years until it unfortunately disappeared when the Café was demolished
to make way for the new restaurant.
