What Rod Hutchinson did for carp fishing

There are very, very few anglers who actually deserve to be described as a legend, but Rod was certainly one; perhaps the only one. His influence stretches from the mainstream right into even the darkest, forgotten corners of carp fishing. There isn’t another angler who could claim to have influenced modern carp fishing to the degree that Rod did, bridging the gap from carp fishing’s forefathers: BB, Walker and Hilton to the scene that we all know today. However, his presence and energy was on the wane by the early 2000s, so there are probably quite a few of you who missed Rod at his most prolific best… allow us to enlighten you!

1. Particle fishing

Yes, others certainly contributed to the development of particle fishing; principally the likes of Bill Speed and Dickie Caldwell, but few would argue that Rod was the master, and lead exponent of particle fishing, a discipline he pioneered in the 1970s. His restless mind demanded that he constantly searched for new, more effective particles. His relentless quest saw him using most readily available pulses and seeds, and even quite a few that weren’t. Living close to Haiths (a famous seed merchant), Rod would often be found in there, browsing the vast range of potential bait ingredients, and more often than not his hunches would pay off… our understanding of particle preparation and use is in large part down to him. His favourite ‘Redmire’ mix of hemp, maples and tares was a particular, lifelong, favourite.

Few would argue that Rod was the master when it came to particle fishing

2. Euro adventures

Rod wasn’t content with success on these shores. The same inquisitive nature that led him to innovate in the bait world also saw him depart for mainland Europe, waaaay ahead of the crowds. Because he was among the very first UK anglers to head to the Continent, he often met with deserted banks, and wild fishing of the sort that we could only dream of nowadays. His name will forever be associated with Cassien, although he fished many of the now-famous European waters, long before the crowds descended. His writings on his European adventures inspired many, both here and abroad.

Rod was way ahead of the crowds when it came to fishing overseas

3. Entertainment

It was Rod that encouraged us to ‘smell the roses along the way’ (or was it the hops?), both in person, for those lucky enough to have fished with him, or through his writings. He was the archetypal storyteller, and his books, especially The Carp Strikes Back, are among the most popular carp books ever written. Rod leaves a large back-catalogue of funny, touching, informative and downright entertaining literature, which serves his legacy extremely well.

4. Synthetic flavours

Rod leaves a legacy in bait so vast, that it seems disrespectful to identify just a couple of areas. However, his name is irrevocably linked with the very finest flavours ever made, with Scopex and Monster Crab being among the most famous. Scopex was a Rod invention that is still in wide use to this day, and he pointed out that it works well with nearly all base mix types; a true legendary flavour.

5. Birdfood boilies

Once he’d begun to think about life beyond particles, Rod turned his attention to boiled baits and paste. Haiths was once again a happy hunting ground for him, and it was Rod that introduced the carp world to Robin Red, a now-legendary additive that is still in common use to this day. He is credited with the development of birdfood baits, and his fishmeal mixes were also among the first commercially available.

6. Specialist bivvies

Once he got into tackle manufacture, Rod’s fertile mind kicked into gear. His early bivvies, particularly the Apotheosis, were among his favourite products, and they certainly raised the bar for specialist shelters. The Apotheosis was the first choice of bivvy for many of the elite carpers in the late 1990s and although bivvies based around the pole-threading principle seen on the Apotheosis are no longer popular, the influence of those early shelters certainly pushed things forward.

7. 12ft rods

This one’s a biggie! Working with rod builder Alan Brown, Rod prototyped (he extended an existing rod with a 2ft parallel butt) and then helped produce the first 12ft carp rod. The Alan Brown Big Pit Special represented a huge leap forward and a sea-change in the carp scene. All of a sudden, long-range fishing on the likes of Savay Lake was a realistic proposition, all thanks to Hutchy.

The 12ft rod… That’s courtesy of Rod!

8. Understanding The Weather

Rod is widely thought to have been the first person to write about the significance of fresh winds on carp movement. Although we might now see this as the most basic of carp-fishing tenets, it must have been a leap of imagination of some magnitude to link the change of wind direction to fish movements. Rod selflessly served up that golden nugget of carp watercraft through his writings and we just can’t imagine how many carp have been caught thanks to his genius, and his unselfish attitude to revealing his secrets. RIP legend.

Rod was the first person to write about the significance of fresh winds