His famous outburst was "don’t panic". Well, fast forward 57 years and that phrase bounced back this week, but in a totally different connection.
It was uttered by Maisy May, owner of busy Burnhouse Lochan Fishery near Bonnybridge, in response to the flurry of social media activity sparked by a text from a supplier advising customers they will not have fish available for restocking until summer or perhaps later in 2025.
The panic button was pushed. Facebook was red hot but Maisy, who is due to fish for Scotland ladies in the Home International fly fishing international in Ireland later this spring, declared: “Don’t panic, there are plenty of fish to go around.”
She added: “Fish can still be caught, no matter how long they have been in the water. I have a sizable brown trout, for example, who has been caught more than ten times.
“It doesn’t need to be freshly stocked for anglers to catch. There will be difficult days, absolutely, but even freshly stocked it can still be difficult to catch depending on the weather and air pressure.”
She added: “Anglers have been spoiled in Scotland with weekly stockings and big fish at low ticket prices when, really, there is no need for stocking as much.
“If anglers adapt their fishing techniques to meet the conditions, then really this shouldn’t see the end of the affected fisheries, fisheries have plentiful amounts of fish, and this is coming from a fishery manager who is not affected.”
Elsewhere, The Lake of Menteith officially opens for the season on Saturday, March 15 and Linlithgow Loch has enjoyed a good start to the season.
Opening day saw 12 boats out with 19 anglers and 19 fish were kept and 68 returned with the fish lying between three and four feet deep and floating, midge tip and sink tip lines proved the most effective.
Best patterns were cormorant, blob, black and green lures, rabbit and snakes and best catch returns were Mark Smith returning 11 fish and John Walker returning nine. Steven Borwick and his boat partner used intermediate lines and pink snakes to return 15 fish.
Opening day at Millhall near Polmont saw 29 anglers braving the chilly conditions with fish mainly tempted on small black lures, snake and app bloodworm.
Ronnie Cooper had 14 on apps/buzzers and Glen Scobbie the same number on snakes.
The Scottish Disabled Fly Fishing Association held a fundraiser on Sunday and Nigel Burns was first with 15 fish and Chris Mulholland second on 14 with Campbell Morgan third, also with 14 fish.
Scott Pozzi had a good day during the week with 16 on damsel patterns and a reminder that Millhall is closed to the public on Saturday as the water hosts a heat in the 2025 Scottish National Stillwater Championship.
On to sea fishing and round seven of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League’s winter series saw only undersized fish hooked on the Dunbar Rover, a disappointing night.
Elsewhere, Stewart Falconer won Match 5 of the Edinburgh New Year Shore League fished at Seafield, the Arbroath-based angler hooking into three fish for 84 points, six points ahead of Gordon Lyall (Edinburgh) and 12 in front of Prestonpans angler, Stevie Burns, who had 72 points.
Falconer’s night was complete as he landed the longest fish, a 28cm coley on a tough night for fishing. Blennies, rockling, flounder, dab, whiting, codling, coalfish and a sea scorpion were landed.
The rest of the results from Match 5 (all Edinburgh unless stated): 4, Ian Campbell 54 points; 5, Willie Andrews 50 points; 6, Lyndsey Bell 48 points; 7, Scott Emmerson 42 points; 8, Gordon McLeod 25 points, 9, Chris Anderson, 23 points; 10, Chris Cooper, 23 points; 11, Kevin McNeish, 22 points; 12, Eryk Janik 21 points.
Overall, Campbell from Falkirk leads the chase for the title with 34 points followed by Burns on 30 with Emmerson third on 25 points. Other placings: 4, Cooper 23 points; 5, Falconer (Arbroath), 23 points; 6, Janik, 19 points; 7, McLeod, 19 points; 8, Lyall 13 points; 9, Gus Brindle (Dunfermline) 11 points; 10, Stevie Souter, 11 points; 11, Billy Buckley (Uddingston), 7 points; 12, Chris Anderson, 7 points.
Coarse fishing now and the Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club have confirmed they will cap matches this season at 30 and their first match is on Saturday, May 3 at Orchill near Auchterarder. Full details are on the club Facebook page.
Finally, memberships are now available at Drumtassie Coarse Fishery for one year and the price is £100 with an additional fee of £23 every 24 hours with one rod only. Call Chanelle Maver for full details on 07983 873064. Opening hours are from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday.