STEPHEN BAYLISS
Steve Bayliss is a Lymington boy, born and bred, and cannot remember a time when he was not fascinated by water, both salt and fresh, along with the multitude of assorted creatures associated with it. During his school years it was primarily fishing in the estuary that entertained him (mainly for flounders and bass), but it was not until he took an apprenticeship with a diesel components manufacturer that a whole new world would make itself available. He joined their fishing club and very quickly began exploring the lakes and ponds that the company leased from various local manors and estates. It was there that he met his angling inspiration Dennis Harrop.
Fast forward thirteen years and a marriage, mortgage and family found him working at the oil refinery in Fawley. Dennis also worked there as a nurse and their previous acquaintanceship blossomed into friendship, fuelled by the company angling club. Dennis was a typical, no-nonsense Yorkshireman and didn’t suffer fools gladly, but he and Steve got on famously. Over the years he had a huge impact on Steve’s life.
Now retired, Steve still lives in Lymington with his wife and tends to bounce between their grandson Blake’s insatiable appetite for all things angling and whatever else he can summon up enough energy to enjoy. This invariably means an occasional outing with a fly-fishing friend and neighbour Chris Bright in the pursuit of trout, along with the odd return visit to the refinery where he still likes to fish and, of course, organise and take part in work parties on the reservoir . . .