A WELL respected Teesdale fishing author whose “eloquent, eccentric and funny” books were acclaimed by anglers across the UK has died.
Geoff Bucknall, from Lartington, died in hospital on April 3 aged 91.
Mr Bucknall wrote about a dozen books, along with articles for fishing magazines and a regular Teesdale Mercury column, which won fans for its philosophical take on life.
His autobiography, Fishing Days, was published in 1966 and to his surprise, it became a classic for collectors.
It told of his boyhood days fishing in Kent as he watched Spitfires and Messerschmitt fighters in dog-fights during the Battle of Britain.
His last book was published in 2013 – a revised edition of Alive on a Rainy Day, the sequel to Fishing Days. The inside jacket description read: “He abhors the modern fishing book which is an ego-trip of page after page of coloured photos of big fish. His angling expertise is not inflicted on readers.”
At the time, Mr Bucknall explained that when he started writing columns a few years ago, the editor asked him to make it interesting to non-anglers. One reviewer wrote: “Alive on a Rainy Day puts most other angling reminiscence books in the shade. It is eloquent, eccentric, funny and philosophical all in one go.”
Mr Bucknall signed off from commissioned work because of health problems but was still a regular contributor to the Teesdale Mercury’s letters page.
His wife, Valerie, said his health continued to deteriorate in recent years and he fell seriously ill this spring.
In paying tribute, she said: “He was very determined and knowledgable – he had such a busy life and ran a fishing businesses.
“We moved up here in 2006 from Kent because of the fishing. He wanted to do more in his retirement. He loved to talk about fishing to anyone.”
Mr Bucknall’s last column for the Teesdale Mercury was published 2014 when he gave a few words of advice to fly-fishermen about the Tees. It followed an incident when an angler from was saved from drowning near Middleton-in-Teesdale.
When once asked what he considered to be his finest angling achievement, Mr Bucknall replied: “The first good fish I caught in a small village pond was a roach of about a pound. I was invited by school friends to join their party. We cut ash-plants from the hedge and the made-up lines we bought for three-half-pence from the local shop.
“This redfin started my fishing life. The date was June 15, 1936. I was seven years old. I am satisfied with my fishing life. Because I was neither a social nor a competitive angler, I was always able to follow my inclinations. These last few years, the places I fish are more important than the fish themselves. I still lose good fish but the pain is now absent; I blow them a kiss.”
He leaves wife, Valerie, children Martin and Simon, and grandchildren Matthew, Alexander and Simeon.
A private cremation has been held due to the current circumstances and the family plan to hold a memorial service to celebrate his life in the future.
