Jack Hargreaves - Fishing for Sea Bass

"I wonder if you know what this is. If you could smell it you'd know it was something special." Jack describes a faggot of dried fennel in whose aromatic smoke the French cook a delicacy they call the Loup de Mer, the wolf of the sea - most likely caught off the coast of England, where we call it the Sea Bass. This is another part episode from Jack Hargreaves' series 'Old Country' for Channel 4 in the early 1980s, the successor to his twenty one years series - 'Out of Town' - on Friday evenings on Southern Television. JH goes out, before sunrise, with professional fishermen to fish for Sea Bass over hazardous shingle banks, where two tides meet off the Needles at the western end of the Isle of Wight. Sand Eels caught on the way serve as bait. The Bass cannot easily be caught by net which is why these commercial fishermen resort to rod and line to catch a species that is very popular in France. Jack remarks on the conservatism of British urban restaurant customers (this was in the early 1980s) when it comes to enjoying Sea Bass as a dish. These working Dorset fishermen will be selling their catch on the continent. In passing Jack mentions the need to be alert to the risk, when sorting their live bait, of being stung by the little Weaver fish, When one fisherman catches, instead of a bass, a skate, Jack the liking of the French (still ahead of us in their eating preferences) for Raie au beurre noir - skate wings with black butter.
Thanks to the viewer who recorded off-air at the time of broadcast and sent it to me. The cameraman is Steve Wagstaff,

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• Jack Hargreaves
• sea bass
• 'sea
• angling

[Sibadd]

What a kind and thoughtful tribute.

[DumblyBrilliant]

For the first time I found myself disagreeing with much of what Jack said in this film but that's because I was both a commercial fisherman and shore angler for many years and one of my favourite quarries was the Bass. Concerning the weever fish encountered at sea it is likely to be the greater weever whose sting is no where near as bad as the lesser weever which is found just under the surface of the sand on the beaches. A good treatment is to bathe the foot or hand in hot water or, pee on it!

[imautuber444]

Whilst on a long train journey to our holidays years ago when we were kids the train was packed with people so we couldnt sit all together so picked seats all over the place. My bro ended up sitting next to none other than Jack Hargreaves. They chatted to each other about fishing for the whole journey, the rest of us were so jealous !

[keytesofessex]

Jack Hargreaves ?? My absolute hero.

I listed to him for hours and it revokes my memories of better times and days when life was simpler.

England misses you jack

[690091]

I loved that program. Thanks for posting.

[dizzyfishuk]

That takes me back. Even the theme tune reminds me of happy days watching Out Of Town when I was a kid. A real old school gent who talked alot of sense.

[cooper68ns]

Thank you sibadd ,from nova soctia

[BeepBeepBoing]

Superb as usual :)

[robert140602]

Speaking to my brother about this,he reminded me that we used to pretend Jack was our Grandad,as we never met him,because he was killed in ww2.

I must admit it's a hazy memory,but my brother is right.

God bless JH.

I think any kid today with an influence like Jacks,would be an incredibly lucky kid.

They broke the mould with this one,imo.

[robert140602]

I remember this guy from my youth,I used to watch this programme on a sunday,in my Grans' house.

If only there were programmes like this today,Hargreaves is an icon in my mind,and I have all his dvd boxsets.

Imagine having this guys knowledge today?

Great posts,my friend.Thank you.