The Quiet Life

You might not be familiar with Hadley Newman, simply because for so many years, he’s been quietly going about his own business, just for the love of it, with no aspirations other than enjoyment and to live the journey that carp fishing has to offer.

We delve into the mind of this southern-based angler to find exactly what makes him tick: from stalking to floater fishing to how he tries “to make it happen somewhere on the lake”…

Happy with a quiet life

Alex Grice:Hadley, where did it all begin for you?
Hadley Newman: “In my younger days I started out fishing for silvers, you know, as you do when you’re growing up and learning the ins and outs of fishing. Like today, I spent a lot of time trying my hand with a number of different species. I was obsessed with how different they were and for me, that’s what gave me the love of fishing for different species and getting to know their environment. I tried match fishing and then slowly ventured onto the rivers, catching moving water species; that gave me a great insight into tactics and how to adapt for different kinds of fish.”

Alex Grice: Has this area always been your home for angling or have you travelled more in recent years?
Hadley Newman: “I was bought up around the Dorset-Hampshire border, so yeah, I guess so. A big aspect in my fishing now - and it hasn’t always been that way - is fishing with my close friends and like-minded carp anglers. You get in with a group of friends and that’s what makes carp fishing interesting; sharing stories and experiencing the captures together along the way. I know in the future there will come a point where I’ll have to travel, but in recent years, it’s been really nice fishing with others and being part of the journey together. Don’t get me wrong, the lakes are getting busier by the day, by that’s just something I, and many other anglers have to deal with and embrace in a way.”

Doing the legwork

Alex Grice: You’re an artist by trade - if that could be said - does that suit your angling lifestyle?
Hadley Newman: “For sure there are times when I’m busy and travelling is a must, but at times when work is slow, it often frees me up for a few days’ fishing during the week. You know me, I’m pretty chilled and I love fishing; if work comes along then I won’t turn it down, but I do have to fish whenever possible, it’s just a big part of my lifestyle.”

Alex Grice: So looking back to your early days, where did things begin for you around the Ringwood area?
Hadley Newman: “Way back when, I started out fishing the lake behind us called Hucklesbrook; it was the first real pit I’d fished, having spent time on smaller commercial venues and stretches of the river. It’s by no means a big pit, but I caught my first ‘twenty’ back then and when you’re young, you’re simply hungry for information. I learned a lot of the importance of the tactical aspects of carp fishing and that helped me to progress quicker - like watching the carp, learning about how to tackle bars and areas of weed, the real basic stuff we now take for granted, but important all the same. Back then, the venue used to be very popular and rightly so, as it contained a good number of nice fish. I had to work hard for bites, but that taught me, via a steep learning curve, how much effort went in to tripping up wary gravel pit fish.”

Alex Grice: You’re very much a reactive type of angler today; do you feel that came from your early fishing or is that something you’ve grown to do more?
Hadley Newman: “I guess I’ve grown into that type of angling more in recent years, especially as the lakes have got busier and I spend more time looking and trying to find those opportunities. The early days taught me a great deal about rigs and carp-catching methods, but it wasn’t until I spent time on more intricate venues that I realised just how important watching fish and learning their behaviours were, over trying to predict what they might do and where they will be at certain times. It can often be tricky to find them and on certain days, it won’t be possible, but usually from spring onwards, I make the conscious effort to keep walking and looking until I find them. They definitely love getting in the edge and you can learn quickly from simply baiting and watching fish feed at close quarters.”

Alex Grice: You’re not just a big fan of catching them out the edge either; you’ve honed an eagle eye for surface fishing too. What is the big draw for you in that?
Hadley Newman: “I guess it all stems back to the visual thing again. Being an artist and a carp angler, you’re no doubt stimulated by watching. It doesn’t matter if that’s watching fish milling about on a marginal area or witnessing bubblers at first light; it gives you that rush of adrenaline that keeps you coming back for more. I’ve loved my floater fishing over the past few years, especially on the waterpark where very few anglers actually do it and stay patient with it. I’m open to many different styles of angling and floater fishing is an art in itself; the feeding, watching and learning the whole time and it’s different on each and every trip. I’m the type of angler who just loves keeping on the go and being active at all times. One minute I could be having them going on the floaters and the next an opportunity in the edge might arise; you simply have to be in-tune and ready to react. Carp fishing is hunting and it’s a bit of a tricky game, but you have to try and stay one step ahead.”

Alex Grice: You talk about the ‘art’ of floater fishing…
Hadley Newman: “Yeah, it’s all about understanding what’s happening in front of you. The feeding is a key aspect and you have to get this right and know when’s best to start fishing. The gulls and swans can always be a big problem, which is why I always bait a couple of different lines and work out exactly where the carp are feeding competitively. The regularity of the feeding and reading the water, and feeding patterns are important when deciding how to introduce bait. Also, when it comes to hitting the bites it can be very tricky at times, so watching the hookbait is by far the most effective way of picking up those feeding fish.”

Alex Grice: After your younger years on Hucklesbrook you moved onto fishing the quieter pits of Ringwood area; why was this?
Hadley Newman: “It wasn’t intentional, but after a few years’ fishing the busier venues on the Ringwood ticket, such as Northfield and Hightown, I just fancied a complete change: somewhere out the way where no-one really fished, where I could watch, bait and then know I’d be able to fish for them in the way I wanted. At the time, I loved fishing in the edge, so I wanted to pursue that style on the bigger venues. It was a lot of effort: walking at times when you normally wouldn’t, before and after work. Along with that came the baiting, and ensuring that the spots were kept lovely and clean in-between trips. I experienced some great fishing that season, away from the busy circuit-type places where I could just enjoy my time. It certainly wasn’t easy but every fish was a reward and I actually caught a fair few right from the edge, so it was thoroughly enjoyable.”

The waterpark

Alex Grice: Does preparation make up a big part of your approach?
Hadley Newman: “I guess that depends completely on the venue in question, some venues are more suited to prepping areas and keeping bait trickling in, whereas with other venues it’s sometimes just simply not worth it. Take for example where we are today: the waterpark. The lake is very busy and as a result, it’s often hard to get back into an area once you’ve caught a few. In this instance, it isn’t really worth making the extra effort to prep areas as it might not be you that’ll benefit. Whereas with other venues that see much less pressure, I feel the pre-baiting is an important aspect.”

Alex Grice: What key fundamentals do you put into practice when trying to catch them from the edge?
Hadley Newman: “By far the biggest is stealth; you only have to watch fish come into an edge spot to know just how wary they are, especially over the areas that they’ve fed on and been caught off in the past. You actually don’t realise how loud you can be moving about the swim, which is why I’m super-cautious when approaching the water to see if fish are present. They are masters of their environment, so everything has to be well considered: from where the sun is present, to whether there’s any foliage in-front that could disguise your presence. You want the fish to think you’re not actually there, because as soon as they know you are - and they often do - they instantly become 100-times harder to trip up. You have to be adaptable to changes; watching closely will often give away little bits of information that will lead to bites. On a number of occasions I’ve seen fish suss out the rig and have made a quick change - whether that be shortening it or removing the leader - and then had a bite moments after.”

Alex Grice: What was your draw to fishing the waterpark, because after fishing the quieter pits, it couldn’t be more different?
Hadley Newman: “I know what you mean, but at the same time, when I do most of my fishing - which is during the week - the venue can be much quieter. I did a guest session with my mate Ross a few years back and he caught one called Crinkle Tail and after I saw that fish I just had to get a ticket. Don’t get me wrong, this place is very different to those quiet venues I’ve fished in the past, but I fancied a change and the chance of catching numbers of fish every trip. You know, this lake has an incredible stock and as I now look back, I’ve enjoyed every minute on here with some very close friends. The fishing on here has also been so different, it has kept me on the ball at all times: floater fishing some days, stalking on others. If I can watch the fish and catch them by design, that’s what matters to me most.”

Alex Grice: You use a lot of pellet in your fishing, which is a different approach to that of many anglers who use boilie as their predominant feed on most venues…
Hadley Newman: “Yeah, I just think pellet is so under-used now, I really like the dark ones in a mix of sizes, as they’re much less obtrusive on the lakebed and therefore don’t attract the attention of birds over clear spots or when in the edge. They break down fairly quickly too, especially in warm water, so you just know they’re oozing attraction into the swim at all times. Having witnessed the feeding response pellet offers, and I know just how effective they can be when used out in the lake in large volumes over a spot. Mushy pellet has been a winner for me when trying to provoke a quick feeding response; the ease of using it works with my style of fishing and I can simply leave a bag in the van and use it as and when I need it. Even if I decide to drop in for a quick session, it’s there and ready to go.”

The Football Common was the first part of Hadley’s brace

The incredible Slate, a very memorable capture

Alex Grice: The waterpark is notorious for its winter and early spring captures; is that another reason why you enjoy it so much, as you can catch in all seasons?
Hadley Newman: “It didn’t used to be that prolific during the colder months and I remember my first season on here fishing in the winter; everyone had told me there was simply no point. I proceeded, because I am just mega-keen and have to get out whatever the weather, so strung a few sessions together and kept the bait trickling in. That turned out to be one of my best winter’s to-date and even in the coldest of conditions I was getting good results in those deeper areas of the lake. Now, every year seems to fish well. It’s basically down to keeping the fish active and them searching for food through the cold period that keep the results coming.”

Alex Grice: I’m guessing that as soon as the better weather arrives, the fishing can be varied on here, but how does your spot choice change?
Hadley Newman: “The biggest factor is depth. The fish will start using the shallower areas of the lake on a more regular basis, so I make the effort to keep a close eye on these areas. Zigs play a big part in my approach during the Zig period in spring, where they just wake up and are moving in the upper layers as we get those first few weeks of solid sunshine. At that point, they may not be quite as interested in bait, so a lure can catch them off-guard as they move around the lake once again. The waterpark is notorious for hits of fish over bait, so I’ve always used a fair amount like most other guys on here. On a warm day, you’ll often see how many fish you can get competing on the surface, so you can imagine how quickly they’ll go through a big spread of bait on the lakebed. I mean, a few hours on the surface today and we’ve emptied a bucket of floaters; they’re well up for a bit of food!”

The Patch Common was the final fish for Hadley on a memorable stalking session

Alex Grice: I’ve noticed you’re using bottom baits, is that also to buck the trend?
Hadley Newman: “I always try to have at least one rod on the bottom baits now, especially with so many anglers fishing pop-ups, they become clued-up to those baits even if they’re only a centimetre or so off the lakebed. You wouldn’t get fish grubbing around in the edge and then lower a pop-up onto the spot, because you know they would suss it out straight away, so why would you do that out in the pond? I’d say I was more a fan of the wafters rather than a bottom bait anchored to the deck. A simple wafter with a degree of buoyancy acts very naturally and I’m in no doubt that the fish find them harder to distinguish from the free offerings. I’m very much into getting the balancing of my baits right, as I feel this is key to getting confident pick-ups. So many times I’ve witnessed fish in the edge, come in and get away with the rig pretty quick. I’ve then re-laid the trap and have it nail one straight away. That’s purely down to how the bait is lying and how the rig is sitting; they know exactly what’s going on.”

Alex Grice: The waterpark has been kind to you over the seasons you’ve fished it; do you have any standout sessions?
Hadley Newman: “I had an awesome stalking session a few seasons ago where I managed to catch a couple of lovely commons right out of the edge. It was a hot sunny day and after pulling into the car park, I grabbed the Polaroids and a bucket of bait. I walked around to the high bank and there were a number of good fish milling about, moving in and out of a marginal area in the morning sun. After looking closer, I recognised a few of the better fish grubbing about on the marginal shelf as they kicked up the sand and clay while sifting through and flanking on the bottom. It was a perfect opportunity for a stalk and after nipping back to the van to grab a few bits of bait and my rod, I had them carving up the lakebed at close quarters. After about half an hour, what had been gin clear water, was turbid; the visibility was next to nothing, so I had to do a little bit of guesswork when lowering my rig into position. I then had a swan come right in over the spot and moments later, the rod bent double and I was hooked into a hard-fighting fish amid all the commotion! After a short battle I bundled the big fish into the net and it turned out to be a staggering common at over 40lbs!”

Alex Grice: The action didn’t stop there though, as you went on to catch another two off that spot during the morning…
Hadley Newman: “It didn’t. After the water had cleared once again, I introduced a few more chopped tuna-flavoured baits and before long, I had the fish back in and feeding once more. This time, yet another really big fish was making the most of the morning sunlight and feeding over the shallow marginal area. I had to wait for the fish to move out again before getting a baited rig in position and moments later, that rod was away. This time, the fish was going wild and I knew I was hooked into another good carp. A mate had come round to see what all the fuss was about and just at the point, I slipped the net under the fish as it tired in the edge. We weighed her and incredibly, it turned out to be yet another 40lb-plus fish… how’s your luck? …A brace of forties! I was over the moon. I baited that swim and fished elsewhere for the night, but the following day I went back and caught a lovely common known as Patch at over 30lbs!”

Alex Grice: Do you prefer to target spots and spend time leading around to get that drop?
Hadley Newman: “Not at all, in fact, I’d say my style of angling is more suited to creeping around the pond, finding them and fishing whatever it might be that they’re moving over. I’ve done well casting bags into the weed, getting the worst drop imaginable; but if the fish are there and feeding, they’ll find that hookbait among the naturals. My approach revolves around tailoring my end tackle to whatever the situation may be; at the end of the day, there’s no point fishing the cleanest spot in the pond if the fish are simply not there at the time. I feel a lot of anglers get so tied up in finding spots and ensuring they get the very best presentation, when in fact, casting baits among the weed and silt are in fact, much more effective. I do a lot of overnight sessions throughout the year, so the last thing I actually want to do is lead repeatedly in an area until I find a spot. I’d much rather get a half-decent drop, but know that I’ve gone in on fish with minimal disturbance, instead of pushing them out of an area and vastly decreasing my chances in the process.”

Alex Grice: Despite it being a busy syndicate, you don’t get tied down too much with what’s happening elsewhere on the lake; is that intentional?
Hadley Newman: “Carp fishing can be one of those things where you could lose enjoyment if you get too involved with other anglers and the politics of a lake. I just simply would not want that to happen, as I do this for the love and enjoyment. Every trip means something to me and I have a lot of close friends on the waterpark, which is one of the reasons why I’ve loved my time fishing here so much despite the busy nature of the place. You can only do what you can do on any given day, which is why I get a bit impatient when I’m fishing and try to make it happen somewhere on the lake. Doing the type of fishing I do - in the edge and off the top - keeps your mind occupied the whole time, which you simply don’t get staring at motionless rods for hours on end.”

Alex Grice: Just to wrap things up, what are your plans for the year ahead?
Hadley Newman: “I have a few ventures planned for the year ahead and firstly, I fancy getting back and trying to catch a river carp. I fished a few nights at the end of last year to no avail, so I’m determined to set that straight. I also have a ticket for Roach, so I’m looking forward to giving that a bit of time and in general, just see how things pan out. I’m just happy being out. I don’t have targets to meet or certain fish to catch and I like it that way… no pressure and just enjoyment!”