10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT CARP FISHING

1. Variety
The variety of angling situations you experience whilst carp fishing is vast when compared with any other species of fish. Carp swim in rivers, lakes and canals, and you’ll find them in huge venues and tiny ones. You can catch them on the bottom, in the middle and off the top, and you can fish for them with so many baits. You can use different tactics and various rigs, all whilst pleasure fishing, specimen hunting or taking part in a competition. I’m not a fan of doing the same thing time and time again, so this all keeps the fishing interesting for me. 

2. Casting
I love the all-round feel of it, the control and the different techniques needed for it to be complete. I love firing a bait low under an island overhang, underarming one to a fizzer, or sending one as far as it will go. Getting carbon to flex in a way that sees you achieve exactly the result you want really does it for me.

3. Spodding
In a similar vein, I could spod all day long. I love getting into a rhythm, the effort required to get that bait in and the practice it takes to become super accurate. I like to feel like I’ve worked for my fish, and spodding is part of that.

4. A Brew (Yorkshire preferably)
It’s such a carp-fishing cliché, but everything on the bank is better with a brew. Things happen. You spot signs, you see fish and you hatch plans. A brew helps refocus the mind, I’m sure. Just as thoughts might briefly turn away from fishing, possibly out of boredom, you make a brew to give yourself something to do. Suddenly, you’re reset. The lake seems to come alive—well, sometimes.

5. Youngsters Getting Into Angling
Perhaps I’m getting old, but in recent years I’ve really started to fear for the future of angling. It warms my heart, therefore, every time I see a young person fishing and loving it as much as I did. They are the shining lights who will guide and advance our pastime in the decades to come.

6. Competition in the Industry
I love trying to create a product or a piece of content that’s better than what’s out there, or seeing a product or piece of content emerge that’s better than what Fox has already has. That energises me. Companies are often accused of making products for the sake of it, but we are genuinely constantly trying to improve what’s available for the end user. We consider durability, ease of use and the price. Whichever, fishing needs competition to move forwards, and I feel privileged to be a part of that process.

7. My Gold Medals
They are my framed photo of a target fish, if you will. They represent years of dedication, hard graft and practice. If I ever become a little disillusioned, I’ll have a quick glance at them. They remind me that you can achieve anything in life if you want it enough. 

8. Solid Bags
These are my get-out-of-jail-free card. When I’ve fished conventional tactics and found things tricky on so many occasions, solid bags have got me out of trouble. They can be deadly!

9. Fox Wide Gape Long Shank Hooks
When I first drew these hooks up from an idea that had been chucked around the Fox office, I knew they going to be a winner. They combine all the best aspects from the three cornerstone hooks in carp fishing: the wide gape, the long shank and the curve shank. The pattern has accounted for so many of my carp in the last few years, and all of my biggest. I absolutely love them!

10. talkSport
With the rods all out and fishing, the theme tune to my waiting is often Simon Jordan’s tongue-twisting put-downs or Ally McCoist’s joyous storytelling. I guess it’s more of a ritual than something I actually love, but sessions rarely go by without me tuning in.