View Full Version : Personal Angling Careers
There are many excellent carp anglers regularly visiting this site and there seem to be quite a few juniors and younger anglers.
How about sharing how you got where you are in your angling careers today?
CarponlineEditor
06-02-2001, 20:15
Sorry but how who got where? Could you explain a little more about what you mean?
Andy
Sorry but are you paranoid "how who what where" LOL
What I meant was how old when you started fishing what you fished for how you got into carping etc etc.........
Rivercarper
06-02-2001, 20:34
Andy hasn't got in to carping yet lol
CarponlineEditor
06-02-2001, 20:40
Thats true enough. Started years ago on the rivers catching nothing and now I am on the lakes catching nothing lol. I think someone like Jim or Neil who are 'someone' should answer this one as I havent ever really targeted huge fish, they might break my rods lol.
Andy
Rivercarper
06-02-2001, 20:43
Neither have I but i've been in the right place at the right time and met some good anglers who have helped me out.
I started fishing about 6 years ago when my dad was manager of DAM in reddich. I started on the rivers fishing for whatever but caught some nice chub. I have only been carping for a couple of years and thats where i am now.
Sam
I started fishing for fish and still do, all species from gudgeon to Salmon...... Cod to pouting etc.... started when I was 7.
Tony
CarponlineEditor
06-02-2001, 21:56
I started when I was about seven too, fishing the Thames for the bream shoals, the mole for the chub and pike. Basically for anything that swam.
The when I was about fifteen I started to try to catch the carp in a local stew ponds, didnt catch many but the ones that I did catch were lovely little wildies. They didnt half fight, every one of them tried to get into the reeds straight away.
I then caught a twelve pound mirror from a lake called the Longwater it is in Home park on the Hampton Court park ticket. It was, to me huge, and it started a real desire to go after more of them because they fought so hard. I also started to catch carp from the local stretches of the Thames as well, these fish really did fight, in fact i think more so than their still water cousins.
I had by now made friends that fished similarly to me and a couple of them started a bait firm and for a while I was a partner in that firm. I had a go at writing an article or two and to my amazement they were published, but I havent done that for some time now.
For some strange reason I was pushed towards joining the British Carp Study Group and I am the Surrey Regional Organiser now for my sins. lol.
So really it is by luck, consistent fishing over the years etc but I have never really tried waters for the huge fish that these awesome carpers catch.
Anyway enough waffling from me, NEXT please. lol
Andy
I started fishing when I was about 3 on a camping trip with friends, then spent years catching small fish on the rivers and lakes at a country park. As time went on the odd tench and bream graced the net and the numbers of fish I caught and my consistency grew.
When I was 12 I joined a local angling club and half way through that season started fishing their matches to qaulify for their junior national team.
The next year I was in the team and fished the junior national coming second overall.
That coinsided with a number of carp being stocked into my regular fishery and from then on I was hooked on them.
I caught my first carp, a 2lb common on June 16th 1986 and within a year had upped my personal best to 7lb 10oz.
Things progressed pretty normally I suppose but I was lucky enough to work in a tackle shop for a few years meeting the likes of Rob Maylin and Martin Locke, tapping them for as many tips as I could.
Now I love it and can't get out on the bank enough.
I started on a local canal when my mate said he was going fishing.My birthday was just round the corner and I got a fishing set from Argos,(don't knock 'em!!),and joined him.My first fish was a ruffe and I was 'hooked',(da-da!).
I then spent nearly every day on that canal after school and read anything fishy I could get my hands on, which would be my advice to any new angler as it breeds ideas.
I then knew the canal like the back of my hand and also got to know the tackle shop owner very well! He then gave me a job in the shop where I learnt a lot and got to see all the latest gear.It was him that shoved me into match fishing on the canal at only 14 where I always had a result as I was fishing against people who had never seen the place before.
I have him to thank for all the tackle prizes I have still got,all the latest rods etc at the time,which I have lent to loads of new anglers.
Match fishing really teaches you how to fish!!.....and gives you an attitude to succeed.This is where many new anglers fall down...trying to run before they can walk.
I then decided that I wanted my fishing to be my decision and left the matches.I found that I could catch far better fish when on my own using different methods and found fish in the canal I didn't know existed!
Then came the 'catch what I can on one rod' and have a carp/tench rod off to one side etc....A couple of twenties later....and a I am now a specimen fisher!
It's still great fun to bash out the tiddlers every now and then though!..(that's fishing lads,please..).
Smarts
yeh those argos sets with the heavy duty metal rods are what got me started,red and black i think it was,lovely through action,yet could still put a 3AAA waggler out to 85 yards,and as for there playing ability--never lost a gudgeon under the rod tip once.the only fault i found was the tip section had a tendancy to fly off somewhere into the river when you were infront of your mates giving it large.ha ha ha brings a smile to my face.
My angling career started about five years back when I went with a mate just to watch and it was a brillent day so I stated out match fishing and I slowly got better my dad was teaching me since he used to fish. I started out on the wey navigation canal owned by weybridge guns and tackle who also showed me a thing or two. So I started out catch little roach and the odd chub when the winter set in and it was time to go after pike this what my dad fished for when he was my age with a massive PB of 25lb from the mole which at that sort of time was regared as a massive fish to get from a river so I went pikeing I did'nt get much the first year but the next year was my first carp trip to Old Bury Hill I did'nt get anything so I went to Devon to a complex by my nan's house this is where I got my first carp at 3lb 8oz I lost a few much bigger ones in the week I was there. and then the winter came again and it was great the big pike moved down in to the canal that year I finaly got a taste of the big fish with a big haul of around 5 fish a day up to 16lb we done this every week and then the spring set in pike and match fishing were boring now so I went after carp and tench and the year turned out great with me catching a new PB carp of 10lb and a tench at 6lb and I contiuned like that untill last year when I got my first twenty and that was it I was hooked for life it was loverly fish called Munch and weighed 22lb 8oz and I then hit the big time when I won the fish-in at Horseshoe which got me a deal with yateley angling centre and its now got me my sponsership I also caught my first twenty from the surface back last year at 23lb 4oz.
but I would give any thing to do it all over again it has been the best five years of my life.
Alex.
PS. A big thanks to all the people who have helped me over the years and my angling hero Chris Yates who inspired me to start carp fishing.
you get an Oscar there Alex for that one
He He He
Sam
but.....surely the speech comes AFTER the Oscar .....not before!.....(only teasing Alex).
Alex,
what part of the Wey Nav. did you fish as this is the very canal I spent half my life on?!
Smarts
I fished the Whitehart lock in weybridge oppesite the pub.
Alex.
PS. you know me and my speechs once I start I can't stop maybe I'll write a book one day.
Alex mate, if you are going to write a book check out the key after the letter M on the keyboard; you're killing my lungs! lol.
LOL
Lofte
Made in England
Alex,
was that opposite the Whitehart pub or the Pelican?
The chub stream was a good place to fish where it flowed into the canal.I once got into the Angling Times with the tackle shop owner when we emptied the place of chub and HUGE roach,(four keepnets job),when they stopped the flow.The big fish all just swam straight out of the now non-flowing stream straight onto our hooks!
The lock keeper used to let me fish the stream sometimes and it was like fishing an aqaurium! Chub to 4.5lb and big bream a chuck.Boring after an hour!
The best part of the canal is Coxes Lock near the Pelican pub with the weir and that's where I go on the very odd occasion I go down there nowadays.
Be lucky,
Smarts
It seemed a bit of a coicidence this to me Alex so I thought I'd mention it. My first ever carp was a 3lb 8oz common and my first ever twenty was a lovely 22lb 8oz mirror. Seems a bit weird eh? Has anyone else had a lovely 22lb 8oz mirror as their first 20+ cause I know of a few (It has to be lovely remember!!). I had a weird feeling long before I caught my first 20 telling me it was going to be 22 and a half pounds!!!
CarponlineEditor
09-02-2001, 15:02
My first twenty wasnt 22lbs 8oz but my first proper carp a lovely common of 9lbs 6oz which if you think about it a bit could be 8lbs 22oz lol your numbers but the other way round.
Andy
...my first double was a 12lb 8oz common...does that count?
I fished opposite the Whitehart pub but I have heard many tales about Coxes lock from my dad who used to fish it.
Alex.
Loki mate the key next to the m is the comma the full stop is after it.
Alex.
My first 20 was a 20lb 3 oz common out of the Thames at Oxford fishing for Barbel. I also had a 9lb bream on the same visit. My best Carp was a 12lb wildie out of Newdigate off the top.... it looked more like a Barbel than a Carp and fought like stink.
Tony
Thats right Alex, so my point is....................?
(just having fun mate so don't get your fists out again, lol)
Alright Mr. Starman
My first 20 was a floater caught common at 20lb 8oz this year - the biggest common of the year. Then i went for a night down at manor farm and caught a gorgeus 21lb 12oz leather off the top last august.
before that my PB was a 15lb mirror.
I have also had great fun catching mullet to over 5lbs and chub to 4 1/2 lbs and some very nice perch.
see you down the mead starie
Sam
Are people scared of me or somthing every time some one cracks a joke about me they say sorry at the bottom of the post.
/images/forum/icons/smile.gif
Alex.
when I see a post from you I ****e my kakcs
Lofte
very funny Lofte.
don't make me lay you out at the social (only joking mate)
/images/forum/icons/smile.gif
Alex.
Couldnt resit it!
See you there alex
Lofte
Just you wait.
I'm going to win that event with my eyes closed.
Alex.
Yeah whatever
Remember Alex, this is a social not a competition down at the Horseshoe. I'm not bothered about winning, just about having a good laugh.
(only joking Alex)
Sam
Sorry alex i couldn't resist it either!
I wish you all the luck in the world and if you win i will be pleased for you. But i hope you dont LOL i hope i do! winning any prizes if any up for grabs!
Lofte
Made in England
I'll take you both on then you are right its not about wining its about laying you two out and then I'll win not that you are any compation for the likes of me. /images/forum/icons/smile.gif
Alex.
(joking of course)
o.k sorry ian i've stopped now anyway
Sam
Rivercarper
11-02-2001, 15:47
Mine was going fine untill I met this bloke called Ian Welch and then it all went to pot.
Did your one have any slight mouth damage because if it has i might recognise it.
Are you fishing it this year?
Sam
P.S How big do you think pinscale is?
Thats my aim for this year mate - Pinscale at hopefully over forty!
But seriously any fish from there are special!
Sam
Rivercarper
12-02-2001, 01:42
I've never caught a carp in Oxford Niff you must be confusing me with some one else.
I had the Carp from the weirpool at Oxford using an NRA weir permit. I was fishing for Barbel at the time. I saw Carp in there well into their 30's and up to 40+ in the lower Thames weir pools. Molesley Weir and also Henley have some big carp.
You will surprised at the size of the Carp & Pike in the Thames Weirpools. I once see a pike that must have gone over 40lb
Tony
CarponlineEditor
12-02-2001, 19:12
Hmmmm I wonder how much a weir ticket is then? lol
Andy
Niff,
Did it have a flatterned lobe on it's tail mate?
cheers
Sam
oh right it is definately not my one as mine was more brown/ocre.
cheers
sam
P.S have you caught much down there
The site seems fine to me mate, maybe your server is on go slow... it happens sometimes, if you have a slowing down problem it sometimes helps to disconnect and then reconnect online.
Tony
Tony, NIFF has an *DSL connection me thinks...
What's the problem, NIFF ? What can't you find ?
Bill.
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