Kieran Hopkinson relives his journey of tracking down Scotland’s largest, and most elusive mirror carp.
Question 1
Travelling long distances to fish some of the busiest circuit waters in the country, on what many would regard as limited time, doesn’t sound ideal. How do you approach this kind of angling situation and how do you maintain consistent results?
Where I’m from in Crewe, we’re not blessed with big carp, and for many lads from the Northwest I think it’s fair to say that heading south is seen as the holy grail in carp fishing. There’s something about traveling south and putting your skills to the test against some of the most pressured fish in the country that is massively exciting. What is the ideal situation? Big carp on my doorstep, less travel etc? That would be great, but unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world, certainly not in Crewe, that’s for sure! Approaching my angling in this situation, I know every trip has to be worth it, the time, the money, the traffic, sometimes it feels like a right mission. This doesn’t always mean catch at all costs to justify all that expense, but as long as I take something back with me i.e., knowledge, friendships, memories and in the best case a fish under my belt, then it’s more than worth it. Being consistent in any walk of life means you need to be confident and trust in yourself, counting on past experiences and reliability, always trusting my approach, and when times get hard counting on my past trips and reliability of my kit. All these things help me catch fish on any given trip. Maintaining consistency isn’t a fluke in my opinion, it’s willingness to do the extra bits, taking more care, and doing the basics well. Carp are a masters of their environment, so right from the off they’ve got the upper hand, so taking care in my fishing is a huge priority. Carp present opportunities all the time and it’s having the patience, not rushing into something is what I believe has caught me many a bonus fish when times have got tricky. Again, learning from my previous experiences, where I may have rushed into a situation and completely messed it up has been important.
Question 1
Travelling long distances to fish some of the busiest circuit waters in the country, on what many would regard as limited time, doesn’t sound ideal. How do you approach this kind of angling situation and how do you maintain consistent results?
Where I’m from in Crewe, we’re not blessed with big carp, and for many lads from the Northwest I think it’s fair to say that heading south is seen as the holy grail in carp fishing. There’s something about traveling south and putting your skills to the test against some of the most pressured fish in the country that is massively exciting. What is the ideal situation? Big carp on my doorstep, less travel etc? That would be great, but unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world, certainly not in Crewe, that’s for sure! Approaching my angling in this situation, I know every trip has to be worth it, the time, the money, the traffic, sometimes it feels like a right mission. This doesn’t always mean catch at all costs to justify all that expense, but as long as I take something back with me i.e., knowledge, friendships, memories and in the best case a fish under my belt, then it’s more than worth it. Being consistent in any walk of life means you need to be confident and trust in yourself, counting on past experiences and reliability, always trusting my approach, and when times get hard counting on my past trips and reliability of my kit. All these things help me catch fish on any given trip. Maintaining consistency isn’t a fluke in my opinion, it’s willingness to do the extra bits, taking more care, and doing the basics well. Carp are a masters of their environment, so right from the off they’ve got the upper hand, so taking care in my fishing is a huge priority. Carp present opportunities all the time and it’s having the patience, not rushing into something is what I believe has caught me many a bonus fish when times have got tricky. Again, learning from my previous experiences, where I may have rushed into a situation and completely messed it up has been important.
Question 2
Considering you're not blessed with as many big carp, the northwest certainly seems to be a hot bed for angling talent. Why is that do you think?
This part of the country has certainly produced some exceptional anglers, it’s a drive and determination to do well, and that goes for life in general. I think for most people across the region, the area I’m from especially is very much a working-class area and anyone that wants anything in life has to graft for it. I think that reflects in the lads angling that do well down south, carrying those core values to do better is 100% something people from up here use in their daily life, along with talent and consistently being willing to travel week in week out to get the results. I don’t necessarily believe the northern lads are any better than the successful lads from the south. Maybe it’s just a case that because the pool of successful anglers that have done great things from up here is quite small in comparison, you sort of standout slightly more. I think a lot of people recognise the sacrifices it takes to be successful heading that way too, but it’s not just the travel and the money, it’s also not having the ability to do things that the local lads do like pre-baiting, or not being able to see things change on a daily basis and I think that’s why it might seem like the lads from this way put in that extra bit of effort when they do get the chance. It’s quite a tricky question to answer without seeming really biased but having the abundance of venues and big fish on their doorstep it’s no wonder you rarely hear of any lads from the south travelling north to catch fish!
Question 2
Considering you're not blessed with as many big carp, the northwest certainly seems to be a hot bed for angling talent. Why is that do you think?
This part of the country has certainly produced some exceptional anglers, it’s a drive and determination to do well, and that goes for life in general. I think for most people across the region, the area I’m from especially is very much a working-class area and anyone that wants anything in life has to graft for it. I think that reflects in the lads angling that do well down south, carrying those core values to do better is 100% something people from up here use in their daily life, along with talent and consistently being willing to travel week in week out to get the results. I don’t necessarily believe the northern lads are any better than the successful lads from the south. Maybe it’s just a case that because the pool of successful anglers that have done great things from up here is quite small in comparison, you sort of standout slightly more. I think a lot of people recognise the sacrifices it takes to be successful heading that way too, but it’s not just the travel and the money, it’s also not having the ability to do things that the local lads do like pre-baiting, or not being able to see things change on a daily basis and I think that’s why it might seem like the lads from this way put in that extra bit of effort when they do get the chance. It’s quite a tricky question to answer without seeming really biased but having the abundance of venues and big fish on their doorstep it’s no wonder you rarely hear of any lads from the south travelling north to catch fish!
Question 3
So at what point did you first start venturing south?
My very first trip was early 2000s, Hardwicks and Smiths on the Linear complex, inspired by a DVD actually, Steve Renyard and Ian Poole fishing Wellington - ‘Welly Whackers’ I believe it was called. It was constantly on repeat, and I hoped that one day I’d be able to travel down and have a go for the same fish. When it did happen, it was more like a holiday as my dad at the time didn’t have a van, so he’d hire one. My two closest mates would stay at mine the night before and we’d hit the road early. We didn’t have a clue back then, we just turned up armed with kilos of the old Richworth KG1 from the Bait ‘n’ Feed company and launched rods anywhere, hoping for the best. We hoped to repeat the success of the DVD, but let’s be honest, that was never going to happen! Haha. Clear gravel pits weren’t something I’d ever experienced either, as local to me we only really had access to silty meres. Spot fishing on gravel wasn’t even something I knew much about to be honest at that age. Even though I had read magazines weekly, it was still something completely new. It’s only been in more recent times that I’ve come to build on that knowledge, having gone through a prolonged rough patch in my life with gambling, and not fishing throughout that period - a period which lasted more than 10 years plus! Not only were there huge personal regrets in my life over that time, but fishing wise I felt like a huge passion of mine was totally robbed by an addiction that’s very misunderstood.
Question 3
So at what point did you first start venturing south?
My very first trip was early 2000s, Hardwicks and Smiths on the Linear complex, inspired by a DVD actually, Steve Renyard and Ian Poole fishing Wellington - ‘Welly Whackers’ I believe it was called. It was constantly on repeat, and I hoped that one day I’d be able to travel down and have a go for the same fish. When it did happen, it was more like a holiday as my dad at the time didn’t have a van, so he’d hire one. My two closest mates would stay at mine the night before and we’d hit the road early. We didn’t have a clue back then, we just turned up armed with kilos of the old Richworth KG1 from the Bait ‘n’ Feed company and launched rods anywhere, hoping for the best. We hoped to repeat the success of the DVD, but let’s be honest, that was never going to happen! Haha. Clear gravel pits weren’t something I’d ever experienced either, as local to me we only really had access to silty meres. Spot fishing on gravel wasn’t even something I knew much about to be honest at that age. Even though I had read magazines weekly, it was still something completely new. It’s only been in more recent times that I’ve come to build on that knowledge, having gone through a prolonged rough patch in my life with gambling, and not fishing throughout that period - a period which lasted more than 10 years plus! Not only were there huge personal regrets in my life over that time, but fishing wise I felt like a huge passion of mine was totally robbed by an addiction that’s very misunderstood.
Question 4
I know from speaking to you previously that gambling addiction is something you're keen to raise awareness about. Did you want to explain a little more about that?
Yes mate. I’m very much at peace with my own story so I have no issues speaking about this subject. I personally feel like it’s the forgotten addiction in my opinion, with drugs and alcohol being both physically impairing, people can see the affect it has on the addict. Gambling however is very much a silent and secretive world due to the shame it brings. It’s a very demanding and impulsive addiction, one that demands more than just having a bet daily. For me, and this may sound really strange, but it was never about winning money. It was that high of ‘all or nothing’, and for 99.9% of the time it was nothing! It’s a real complex and life changing addiction, as your whole life revolves around that next high and some of the depths I went to reach that was disgusting. Truly shocking! I’m just keen to never forget it either, because I believe remembering those dark times is just a reminder how far I’ve come. Now I can say I’m truly on the other side and I can’t express how happy I am just to lead a normal life again. Anyone that reads this that does have addiction, having a passion, hobby or interests in life can honestly be a way out. Fishing has grown massively since those early days, and I believe there’s a place in the industry for people suffering addiction that have a keen interest in fishing, the help is there for anyone with mental health or addiction issues, and I would like to play my part in bringing that help into fishing.
Question 4
I know from speaking to you previously that gambling addiction is something you're keen to raise awareness about. Did you want to explain a little more about that?
Yes mate. I’m very much at peace with my own story so I have no issues speaking about this subject. I personally feel like it’s the forgotten addiction in my opinion, with drugs and alcohol being both physically impairing, people can see the affect it has on the addict. Gambling however is very much a silent and secretive world due to the shame it brings. It’s a very demanding and impulsive addiction, one that demands more than just having a bet daily. For me, and this may sound really strange, but it was never about winning money. It was that high of ‘all or nothing’, and for 99.9% of the time it was nothing! It’s a real complex and life changing addiction, as your whole life revolves around that next high and some of the depths I went to reach that was disgusting. Truly shocking! I’m just keen to never forget it either, because I believe remembering those dark times is just a reminder how far I’ve come. Now I can say I’m truly on the other side and I can’t express how happy I am just to lead a normal life again. Anyone that reads this that does have addiction, having a passion, hobby or interests in life can honestly be a way out. Fishing has grown massively since those early days, and I believe there’s a place in the industry for people suffering addiction that have a keen interest in fishing, the help is there for anyone with mental health or addiction issues, and I would like to play my part in bringing that help into fishing.
Question 5
You mentioned it was a period of 10 years, what changed?
From a personal point of view, I had gone through so much that enough was enough. I’m a dad and I’d ruined Christmas' and birthdays, and yet none of this was ever enough to swing me back around. I was just so selfish, my life consisted of me and how I would get that next high. I’ve always had a good job, and still to this day continue to work at the same place with the same wage, so it was never about my wages and needing more money. It was literally just me living with addiction. Fishing aside, it was a moment of someone else’s downfall, the person I treasure the most, my mum, that helped change things. She had fallen really poorly, and it was a conversation during this time with her and I just knew I had to try to sort my life out. It’s pretty sad really, that it took something so bad for me to realise life is too short, but that’s how it went.
Question 5
You mentioned it was a period of 10 years, what changed?
From a personal point of view, I had gone through so much that enough was enough. I’m a dad and I’d ruined Christmas' and birthdays, and yet none of this was ever enough to swing me back around. I was just so selfish, my life consisted of me and how I would get that next high. I’ve always had a good job, and still to this day continue to work at the same place with the same wage, so it was never about my wages and needing more money. It was literally just me living with addiction. Fishing aside, it was a moment of someone else’s downfall, the person I treasure the most, my mum, that helped change things. She had fallen really poorly, and it was a conversation during this time with her and I just knew I had to try to sort my life out. It’s pretty sad really, that it took something so bad for me to realise life is too short, but that’s how it went.
On the fishing front it was really down to Lloyd (Scott Lloyd). He encouraged me a lot, and hearing his stories about how he caught certain carp, or just his fishing in general certainly helped. He’s been a good mate of mine since school, and we worked together so it was pretty hard to get away from the stories, and to be honest at times I listened with envy just wishing one day I could afford to get some kit together and start going again. I have to say he’s gone out of his way at times to help me and I’m grateful for that. So, I started a savings account which was torture at first! I’d never saved anything in my life, but I got there in the end and got my kit back. As soon as I was able to get everything I needed, Lloyd kept his word and took me fishing. Obviously, it was a long time since I’d been, so I wanted to be left alone and do my own thing, which Lloyd totally respected, and honestly it was like I had never stopped! It was genuinely such a buzz to be back… It was just so surreal from where I was, to now being sat on my own bed with my new rods fishing! This is why I value fishing totally different now, it’s not just a hobby/passion, it’s much more to me. It gives me perspective, focuses me to want to win for me and not for the addiction. This is why I feel one of the reasons my time down south has been successful is because I put everything into it, like I used to with gambling, for the biggest rewards! Now I’m searching for a high that isn’t harming the people I love, and that’s priceless.
On the fishing front it was really down to Lloyd (Scott Lloyd). He encouraged me a lot, and hearing his stories about how he caught certain carp, or just his fishing in general certainly helped. He’s been a good mate of mine since school, and we worked together so it was pretty hard to get away from the stories, and to be honest at times I listened with envy just wishing one day I could afford to get some kit together and start going again. I have to say he’s gone out of his way at times to help me and I’m grateful for that. So, I started a savings account which was torture at first! I’d never saved anything in my life, but I got there in the end and got my kit back. As soon as I was able to get everything I needed, Lloyd kept his word and took me fishing. Obviously, it was a long time since I’d been, so I wanted to be left alone and do my own thing, which Lloyd totally respected, and honestly it was like I had never stopped! It was genuinely such a buzz to be back… It was just so surreal from where I was, to now being sat on my own bed with my new rods fishing! This is why I value fishing totally different now, it’s not just a hobby/passion, it’s much more to me. It gives me perspective, focuses me to want to win for me and not for the addiction. This is why I feel one of the reasons my time down south has been successful is because I put everything into it, like I used to with gambling, for the biggest rewards! Now I’m searching for a high that isn’t harming the people I love, and that’s priceless.
Question 6
Major respect for sharing mate, and I hope reading this will help others to realise that they can change their situation for the better. Did you manage anything on that first trip back?
Mate, 100%. You can go to the deepest depths of despair but believe me there’s always a way out. Sharing my story isn’t about me, genuinely hand on heart. I can’t tell you how much peoples encouragement can help, even if someone feels at their worst, so hopefully someone reading this can take something from it and better their situation. On the fishing front, the fire was well and truly lit! I was just so buzzed to go. I didn’t go back to it the easy way either, which was also so rewarding. My first trip was a huge learning curve. Those Christchurch fish can be really cute at times, and they’ve seen the textbook a million times. I just leaned on all the stuff I used to do but in a much more refined way, and I think it was something like the third trip when I finally managed to amongst them. Scott had gone over Stoneacres, and I jumped on Church, struggling to find a swim I had to slot into an unfancied area and join the mad circus of bucketing a swim for the following day. That trip I managed 2 fish, a 32lb common and a 34lb mirror. I’ve seen big fish before, fishing Shropshire way, but wow, these fish were just a different class. I had never experienced so many people popping into your swim whilst the pictures were taken! I was nervous to even pick them up. It was such a mad morning for me but not a lot different to what the regular lads see on a day-to-day basis. I didn’t want to go home, but at the same time wanted to go and tell my family about everything. That particular day will always be a real highlight for me for as long as I fish!
Question 6
Major respect for sharing mate, and I hope reading this will help others to realise that they can change their situation for the better. Did you manage anything on that first trip back?
Mate, 100%. You can go to the deepest depths of despair but believe me there’s always a way out. Sharing my story isn’t about me, genuinely hand on heart. I can’t tell you how much peoples encouragement can help, even if someone feels at their worst, so hopefully someone reading this can take something from it and better their situation. On the fishing front, the fire was well and truly lit! I was just so buzzed to go. I didn’t go back to it the easy way either, which was also so rewarding. My first trip was a huge learning curve. Those Christchurch fish can be really cute at times, and they’ve seen the textbook a million times. I just leaned on all the stuff I used to do but in a much more refined way, and I think it was something like the third trip when I finally managed to amongst them. Scott had gone over Stoneacres, and I jumped on Church, struggling to find a swim I had to slot into an unfancied area and join the mad circus of bucketing a swim for the following day. That trip I managed 2 fish, a 32lb common and a 34lb mirror. I’ve seen big fish before, fishing Shropshire way, but wow, these fish were just a different class. I had never experienced so many people popping into your swim whilst the pictures were taken! I was nervous to even pick them up. It was such a mad morning for me but not a lot different to what the regular lads see on a day-to-day basis. I didn’t want to go home, but at the same time wanted to go and tell my family about everything. That particular day will always be a real highlight for me for as long as I fish!
Question 7
Mega mate! You say your approach was more refined, how much had changed in carp fishing during your absence?
I’m still relatively young by the way mate ha ha but from the early days when I’d spend every weekend or term break by a lake or river, I’d say it has changed massively. Not only has social media sculpted fishing over recent years, but the way terminal tackle has advanced, as well as bait and all the kit in general. I would say there’s a huge difference, there wasn’t a large array of companies around then like there is now. Personally, for someone new coming into the sport I think it must be a headbanger these days, there’s just so much on offer. Getting back into it, the things I used to use were still available, so I just went back to what I knew only to realise quickly that fishing crystal clear waters for a start was a massive difference from up north, and how I went about that would have to change as a priority. I used to use tubing, mono and lead clips, nothing but. The use of fluorocarbon leaders was new to me, but as I’ve already mentioned, that’s more of a geographical difference, not time as such. Braid was something I never really used in my fishing back then either. Rig concealment wasn’t something I had to consider a great deal when fishing those coloured waters up my way. It’s 100% changed for the better in my opinion. Fish care has got much better, as has equipment for every fishing scenario, and there isn’t a tackle shop that doesn’t sell quality bait. Again mate there’s so much on offer and I think fishing has benefited from that hugely. Fishing in general is just booming in this country and I’m loving being part of that!
Question 7
Mega mate! You say your approach was more refined, how much had changed in carp fishing during your absence?
I’m still relatively young by the way mate ha ha but from the early days when I’d spend every weekend or term break by a lake or river, I’d say it has changed massively. Not only has social media sculpted fishing over recent years, but the way terminal tackle has advanced, as well as bait and all the kit in general. I would say there’s a huge difference, there wasn’t a large array of companies around then like there is now. Personally, for someone new coming into the sport I think it must be a headbanger these days, there’s just so much on offer. Getting back into it, the things I used to use were still available, so I just went back to what I knew only to realise quickly that fishing crystal clear waters for a start was a massive difference from up north, and how I went about that would have to change as a priority. I used to use tubing, mono and lead clips, nothing but. The use of fluorocarbon leaders was new to me, but as I’ve already mentioned, that’s more of a geographical difference, not time as such. Braid was something I never really used in my fishing back then either. Rig concealment wasn’t something I had to consider a great deal when fishing those coloured waters up my way. It’s 100% changed for the better in my opinion. Fish care has got much better, as has equipment for every fishing scenario, and there isn’t a tackle shop that doesn’t sell quality bait. Again mate there’s so much on offer and I think fishing has benefited from that hugely. Fishing in general is just booming in this country and I’m loving being part of that!
Question 8
Well I guess that brace cemented the fact that you had made all the right refinements. I bet you was keen to get back down!?
I was mate yes! Coming back into it, on a venue that’s notoriously pressured, just gave me huge confidence that I could catch them, and after that trip I gave myself goals to reach, just personal goals in my head. Not just how many carp I could catch but other things as well, almost like a tick list if you like. Then I started to develop a picture of things like the weather systems the carp preferred and mapping out as many swims I could, and just giving myself as much info as possible to help me on each given trip. All this info was a huge help as my success was going from strength to strength each time I was able to get down. Now there’s a few reasons why I believe I clicked with Church, things I’ve mentioned in previous questions, but there’s also the fact I felt from the get-go that I almost had to work harder than everyone else. My time is limited due to not driving, so I was never in control of my sessions, therefore each trip I would always treat as my last. I’d be full tilt from the moment I turned up to leaving. One trip that I have in mind, was when I’d set up in an area where there was actually no one else fishing, the weather was due to swing that way, and it was apparent from really early on that those Church carp really do love a fresh new wind, especially a pure southerly.
Question 8
Well I guess that brace cemented the fact that you had made all the right refinements. I bet you was keen to get back down!?
I was mate yes! Coming back into it, on a venue that’s notoriously pressured, just gave me huge confidence that I could catch them, and after that trip I gave myself goals to reach, just personal goals in my head. Not just how many carp I could catch but other things as well, almost like a tick list if you like. Then I started to develop a picture of things like the weather systems the carp preferred and mapping out as many swims I could, and just giving myself as much info as possible to help me on each given trip. All this info was a huge help as my success was going from strength to strength each time I was able to get down. Now there’s a few reasons why I believe I clicked with Church, things I’ve mentioned in previous questions, but there’s also the fact I felt from the get-go that I almost had to work harder than everyone else. My time is limited due to not driving, so I was never in control of my sessions, therefore each trip I would always treat as my last. I’d be full tilt from the moment I turned up to leaving. One trip that I have in mind, was when I’d set up in an area where there was actually no one else fishing, the weather was due to swing that way, and it was apparent from really early on that those Church carp really do love a fresh new wind, especially a pure southerly.
So on that trip I decided to almost waste one of my nights and get set and be in pole position for when the weather turned, and after waiting longer than expected they eventually turned up and I managed to catch a few nice ones; a 37lb common, 38 mirror and a small one of 20 odd pounds. That night I checked the weather app, it was due to change in the early hours, and even though I had just had a couple nice ones I packed up and headed for that area where this fresh Easterly was due to blow into. I must admit I was questioning my sanity and pushing my kit down the pond I was thinking “why are you moving when you’ve just had fish?”, but I went with my instincts. Someone jumped straight in the swim I’d just left, even though it was gone midnight! Setting up in this new area my confidence grew, as by morning I had managed another mid-thirty mirror and the area I had left hadn’t done a carp across all the swims! Decisions like these, and doing the extra bits is something I now use wherever I go.
So on that trip I decided to almost waste one of my nights and get set and be in pole position for when the weather turned, and after waiting longer than expected they eventually turned up and I managed to catch a few nice ones; a 37lb common, 38 mirror and a small one of 20 odd pounds. That night I checked the weather app, it was due to change in the early hours, and even though I had just had a couple nice ones I packed up and headed for that area where this fresh Easterly was due to blow into. I must admit I was questioning my sanity and pushing my kit down the pond I was thinking “why are you moving when you’ve just had fish?”, but I went with my instincts. Someone jumped straight in the swim I’d just left, even though it was gone midnight! Setting up in this new area my confidence grew, as by morning I had managed another mid-thirty mirror and the area I had left hadn’t done a carp across all the swims! Decisions like these, and doing the extra bits is something I now use wherever I go.
Question 9
Those Linch Hill carp are something else, and I'm yet to see a bad one, but were there any particular carp on that tick list and if so how did you go about targeting them on such a busy circuit water?
Yeh mate, there was loads that I sort of bookmarked from the get-go, and during my time on there I’ve been able to put a good number of those in the album. My first notable one being a fish called ‘The Perch’, which was also my first 40lb fish from Christchurch, an old carp with plenty of history, one of the original big carp from way back, probably when I was just starting out. There are loads in there that caught my eye, ones that would hang around the mid-thirty mark but wouldn’t get caught as regular as some of the others or wouldn’t even really get spoken about too much due to Church having so many “named” big fish. I’ve been lucky enough to catch a lot of those bigger fish; commons, linears and scaly mirrors, all up and above the 40lb weight! That’s one of the real buzzes about Christchurch, although the lake’s relatively small in size, fish do go on the missing list and then just show up years later. So although for the most part, most of them get caught once, twice maybe more per season, there are carp in there that go uncaught for years, which just shows how smart those fish really are! In terms of catching the ones I wanted, I very quickly noticed a good majority of anglers, even when it was day ticket, would fish very similar. You would notice the same carp getting caught, if you fish the same you catch the same in my opinion, so my approach would need to be different if I wanted to catch those rarer ones. One of my first approaches was to fish two rods on the gravel and fish one off the side. I would bait the two on the gravel but leave the one off the side as a single, or at least try to anyway haha! It soon became apparent I was on the right tracks for the carp I wanted to catch, as the one off the bait would almost always be the one to do the better fish. I would still catch off the gravel, but it would be the single off the side that would trip up the better fish. Actually, targeting individual fish though is quite a task unless you’re seeing them in the edge and you can just drop on them. Sure, you can go off past captures and fish those zones, use certain baits, etc, but I just decided by fishing spots different maybe that would be the key, and that’s proved to have worked for me.
Question 9
Those Linch Hill carp are something else, and I'm yet to see a bad one, but were there any particular carp on that tick list and if so how did you go about targeting them on such a busy circuit water?
Yeh mate, there was loads that I sort of bookmarked from the get-go, and during my time on there I’ve been able to put a good number of those in the album. My first notable one being a fish called ‘The Perch’, which was also my first 40lb fish from Christchurch, an old carp with plenty of history, one of the original big carp from way back, probably when I was just starting out. There are loads in there that caught my eye, ones that would hang around the mid-thirty mark but wouldn’t get caught as regular as some of the others or wouldn’t even really get spoken about too much due to Church having so many “named” big fish. I’ve been lucky enough to catch a lot of those bigger fish; commons, linears and scaly mirrors, all up and above the 40lb weight! That’s one of the real buzzes about Christchurch, although the lake’s relatively small in size, fish do go on the missing list and then just show up years later. So although for the most part, most of them get caught once, twice maybe more per season, there are carp in there that go uncaught for years, which just shows how smart those fish really are! In terms of catching the ones I wanted, I very quickly noticed a good majority of anglers, even when it was day ticket, would fish very similar. You would notice the same carp getting caught, if you fish the same you catch the same in my opinion, so my approach would need to be different if I wanted to catch those rarer ones. One of my first approaches was to fish two rods on the gravel and fish one off the side. I would bait the two on the gravel but leave the one off the side as a single, or at least try to anyway haha! It soon became apparent I was on the right tracks for the carp I wanted to catch, as the one off the bait would almost always be the one to do the better fish. I would still catch off the gravel, but it would be the single off the side that would trip up the better fish. Actually, targeting individual fish though is quite a task unless you’re seeing them in the edge and you can just drop on them. Sure, you can go off past captures and fish those zones, use certain baits, etc, but I just decided by fishing spots different maybe that would be the key, and that’s proved to have worked for me.
Question 10
I've been fortunate enough to see your impressive tally of Church captures. Surely you're at a point where you're considering your options, so what's on the agenda next mate?
Yeh mate I’m definitely at that point. There’s still some carp I would dearly love to put in the album, especially one but you can’t catch them all. This is my last year on Christchurch, my ticket’s up in April and I’ve got plans for next year which I’m excited about. I didn’t think I’d ever give up my ticket, purely out of love for the place, but for the next few years I’m going to do some other things mate. Stoneacres would be the natural step if I was to continue on Linch, but I just can’t justify the time that lake demands to fish well, what with work and a busy family life. There are some incredible carp in that place, and I would definitely love to give it a go at some point, but family and work life has to be a priority! I’ve fished Willow and had some good results but for the most part it’s been Christchurch, it’s given me a good platform to take elsewhere and be successful. I’ve got my name down on a few venues for the future, some that may take years but that’s out of my control, so for now I’ll forget about them and focus on what’s already sorted. I now feel I’m in a position and confident enough to test myself anywhere should the opportunity arise, so it’s just about taking what I’ve learnt over the last few years and applying myself. I’m excited to see where the next few years take me!
Well Ben, it’s been an absolute pleasure speaking with you, so cheers for your time mate!
Question 10
I've been fortunate enough to see your impressive tally of Church captures. Surely you're at a point where you're considering your options, so what's on the agenda next mate?
Yeh mate I’m definitely at that point. There’s still some carp I would dearly love to put in the album, especially one but you can’t catch them all. This is my last year on Christchurch, my ticket’s up in April and I’ve got plans for next year which I’m excited about. I didn’t think I’d ever give up my ticket, purely out of love for the place, but for the next few years I’m going to do some other things mate. Stoneacres would be the natural step if I was to continue on Linch, but I just can’t justify the time that lake demands to fish well, what with work and a busy family life. There are some incredible carp in that place, and I would definitely love to give it a go at some point, but family and work life has to be a priority! I’ve fished Willow and had some good results but for the most part it’s been Christchurch, it’s given me a good platform to take elsewhere and be successful. I’ve got my name down on a few venues for the future, some that may take years but that’s out of my control, so for now I’ll forget about them and focus on what’s already sorted. I now feel I’m in a position and confident enough to test myself anywhere should the opportunity arise, so it’s just about taking what I’ve learnt over the last few years and applying myself. I’m excited to see where the next few years take me!
Well Ben, it’s been an absolute pleasure speaking with you, so cheers for your time mate!