Carp fishing podcast

As promised, we're back with the second part of mine and Gaz's podcast. This time around we delve into the realities of public, days only fishing as experienced during our recent "40 Autumns" film. These days only venues are hard graft, rules are strict, fines are harsh and they're not everyones cup of tea. Also in certain areas, these lakes usually have a dark, shady vibe as darkness arrives and the venue in question ticked all those boxes, including the local dogging hotspot. We jokingly called all these things "carp protectors" as fishing them is not for the faint hearted but what an adventure we had. As usual you'll also get your monthly dose of Mike and Mark ramblings, included is a funny story of how I managed to make Gaz's hair look like a giant afro on a recent road trip capture shot. Last but not least, our monthly sermon returns as Panther Harris delivers his latest reading. The first person to simply guess the author, book and chapter name wins a prize. Enjoy. 

We're back again with another episode of the Carp Fishing Podcast and what a difference four weeks can make. In fact in this episode we've gone from frosts to Mark floater fishing live on the bank as he tries to outwit a cotswold carp on a freelined floater. While the events unfold we discuss a recent Baitworks staff social, the importance of a stealthy approach and we also touch on a guest session with a lovely chap called Graham who donated money to the Angling Trust through an auction to fish with me and Mark for 24 hours. The Panthers sermon is back after last month's popularity with the chance to win a Baitworks prize. We finish off with a great guest, my recent right hand man on our Forty Autumns film, Gaz Fareham. This time I got a chance to chat through his work life balance, how things have changed, the demands of work overnighters, keeping it fun and in perspective and we finish off with a tale of a big un caught between a busy work schedule. Enjoy. 

Welcome back to another episode of The Carp Fishing Podcast. This month we have a new feature, in fact it's a competition so keep your ears primed for the Panthers Sermon and be in with a chance of winning a Baitworks bundle. That aside, we touch on a great trip we just experienced in Europe, Mark's deep sleep patterns, the importance of water depth in the spring before we have a great chat with this month's guest, Jack Barrett. Jack is no stranger to big carp and his passion and obsession with being outdoors was plain to see. We got to delve into a tale that saw Jack land a 50lb plus urban mirror, one that came with many challenges before Jack managed to get his moment. Also, we discuss the issue of money moves in the industry and how at times that doesn't always align with authenticity and integrity. Enjoy. 

We kick off this month's podcast with a deep dive into Mark's measurements, make what you will of that but be warned it caught me off guard. Topics of discussion this time round also include a deeper dive into the functionality of a carps gut governed by water temperatures. Do you think about the carp's cold water digestion process when you apply bait, maybe it's not front of mind but considering a carp's gut operates differently in cold water it's a topic that's worth exploring. We also have the second installment of Dan Kilgour's story. The first episode went down a storm, Dan's passion was infectious and the drive and determination he puts into his fishing, his particles and his profession was incredible. I really enjoyed recording these two episodes and I hope you get a real insight into the life of a working man, one juggling family life and carp fishing while growing his side hustle, the highly regarded Big Dogs Nuts. Enjoy.  

We've been looking forward to this one dropping. This is the first part of a really honest chat with Mr Big Dogs himself, The Iceman, Dan Kilgour. We delve into the sort of big carp hunting that runs deep in Dan's DNA and discuss how demanding it has been over the years, but as you'll get to hear, he wouldn't change it for the world. We also delve into mine and Marks winter tactics that have recently helped us catch some lovely winter carp. We also touch on what carp are looking for in the winter, how they digest food and how our approach shoud be tailored to cold water carp, to keep the bites coming. Enjoy! 

We're back, it's 2025 already and we kick off this year with another long, format podcast. Once again we discussed a wide variety of topics, including a recent health scare, how our relationship with carp fishing has changed with age, we also delved into the fantastic "Fox Fish Fund" a new initiative inspired in some part by our Cotswold Carp events. Lewis Porter and the guys at Fox have recently donated 25 carp to open access fisheries up and down the country so it was only right that they feature on this month as seen on screen.  We also have a special guest, in the form of Mr Globe-Trotter himself and all round nice guy Henry Lennon. It was great to pop up to Nash HQ for a good catch up with Henry, he's caught some absolute monster carp from all over Europe in recent years, all of which have come off the back of serious graft and dedication.  I got to delve into his rather unusual introduction into carp fishing while growing up in Europe and discuss how that's shaped his desire to travel the globe in search of adventures. I also got to pick his brains on his recent underwater films, what he'd learnt and what he'd change in the future. Last but not least we end with a friendly game of Top Trumps, against his brother in arms, Jacob Worth. Who's the strongest........? Enjoy. 

This month we kick off our monthly ramblings with tales of Mark's underwear. In fact Giles dropped us a line with some information from Mark's old football days that needed clarification. We also discuss the passing of time with age, Mark's new fishing plans (Thursday Club) before delving into the latest Monument stocking, all 64lb of it. In addition, we have a great guest this month, a man who's handled more carp than most will catch in ten lifetimes, Ollie Thomas. Many of you will be familiar with Ollie as he's the man behind the wonderful instagram account "Carp Collection" which simply showcases Ollie's home grown carp. Ollie has invested many years in growing the cream of the crop in terms of looks and heritage, his carp really do "stop the scroll" so to speak and it was great to hear that he's secured a role at Linchhill Fisheries to manage an on site breeding programme that will secure the future of the fishery with exactly the same carp the venue is famous for. It's a really fascinating chat, one that delves into growing carp at home, the issues at play when growing carp in tanks and how to overcome them. It's also our last podcast before Christmas, so a huge thanks once again to all our listeners, without your ears and messages of support our podcast wouldn't be possible. Have a wonderful festive season, we hope your sacks are full and we'll be back in January with more of the same. 

This month we didn't manage to track down a special guest for one reason or another. However we still had lots to discuss, including our recent disaster trip to France, rigs with loops and clips, Mark's lack of rig finesse and my receding hair line according to Mr Bryant. Enjoy. 

Warning.........We start this month with a rather embarresing moment as Mark delves into his porn collection stories and how his hiding spot got rumbled by his mum during his absence in America. We soon get back on track with a dissection of Gaz and Elliotts recent underwater film series, Submerge on CYP. We discuss line angles, colour, teritorial carp, rigs and hooked ratios, a must watch and a superb series. Following on from our usual ramblings we have an epic special guest, the big carp Ninja, Matt Townend.  Most will know Matt from his editorial days at Total Carp but he's also got an album of big carp that he rarely talks about. I got a chance to pick his brains on his free lining approach and talk through a vintage year that saw Matt catch some incredible Colve Valley carp to over 50lb, a serious achievement by such a humble guy and one that rarely shouts about his successes. Enjoy. 

This month I caught up with Elliott Gray and jumped straight into his Burghfield campaign. A challenge that's seen him invest alot of time in search of what many believe to be the pinnacle of carp here in the UK. As you'll get to hear, his first year on this ball breaking venue resulted in some incredible carp, doing things his own way and keeping focussed on a plan that came good in the end. We also delve into some recent changes to CYP and why Elliott and Rich decided to re-brand this popular stream of content and focus heavily on underwater filmmaking. El is always open and honest with his opinions and views and considering he's hardly spoken about his own fishing in recent times it was great to hear his trials and tribulations in search of the BC. In addition me and Mark somehow delve into the world of cremation, having both experienced some rather random moments with relatives ashes. However, we do discuss the recent Korda underwater episode and delve into how our carp fishing has changed over the years since the arrival of kids! Enjoy. 

We've got a great podcast this month and for a change our special guest slot is occupied by a fantastic angling duo, Otto and Emma. If you haven't watched their fishing adventure film on the Fox YouTube channel than I urge you to check it out. Otto decided to bring his girlfriend on a tour of the French public lakes and film it! Emma had never been fishing before and was thrown in at the deep end but what the pair captured on film was hilariously funny, real, witty and it was also full of carp. I loved it and if you read the video comments you'll soon see I'm not alone. So we decided to get the dynamic duo on as our guests and delve into the trip in a bit more detail. This one is full laughs as you can imagine and Emma stole the show (sorry Otto) As always me and Mark ramble on a bit to fill the gaps, while waiting for a bite in tropical conditions  that feel far to warm to be fishing in!

We kick off this month's podcast live on the bank as Mark attempts to catch a carp off the top, live for the podcast, while I do my best to help you all understand events with some running commentary. As we multi-task we touch on Mark's stalking tactics, bait and tackle as he has some crafty little edges up his sleeve. We've also got a great interview with Lewis Porter from Fox. Now Lewis has worked in the trade all his working life, his drive and passion for the industry has helped him tackle and progress into many roles over the years from magazine editing through to Senior Marketing positions at one of the biggest angling brands in the market. Lewis gives an honest account of life in the trade, touches on what carp motivate him before offering his first hand account of catching one of the best carp this country has ever produced, the caravan park linear. We thoroughly enjoyed recording this one, we hope you enjoy over 4 hours of carpy chat! 

It's the 1st of the month, so once again we're back with another episode of the Carp Fishing Podcast. This time around we delve into some of my recent fishing exploits and how a little rig tweak transformed my sessions when using 6mm pellets on the hook. We also touch on the world of moving bait consultants, loyalty, money and influencers. We've also got a great guest this month with Rupert Torp joining the mic. Rupert is a guy who's been fishing for old, history carp most of his adult life and someone I always had on my radar as a future guest. It was great to catch up and delve into his time on local rivers, Horton and some historic Kent waters with carp in them far older than us. Rupert rarely shows his cards so it was lovely to delve into some of his campaigns over a cuppa and some home made brownies. Cheers Ru! Enjoy and once again thanks for the continued support and lovely reviews, onwards and upwards.   

This month we see the return of Robin Dix and we take a lovely trip down memory lane. We delve into Robin's time on Frensham and also Wraysbury before discussing his return to the car park lake, decades later. The car park is a venue that Robin holds dear to his heart, having caught some of it's most prized residents before they became such iconic targets for so many anglers. Robin also chats about his love affair for making his own bait and even discusses some of his old recipes that haven't changed for decades. We also delve into the impact of digital content overload and how this can sometimes impact happiness, plus we also debating the looks of the carp we love to catch and what characteristics we like to see. Enjoy.

Welcome back to the Carp Fishing Podcast. This month we have the return of one of the nicest chaps in Carp Fishing and serioulsy good angler, Mr Carp Angle himself, Joe Morgan. I've always admired Joe's honesty when we've spoken about life in the past so it was great to chew the fat once aagin on the banks of the manor, the home of the biggest fully scaled carp in the country. We delve into Joe's love affair in recent years with the St Ives complex, discuss the challenges of running Carp Angle on his own before we talk about a trip that helped him recharge after a challenging start to the year. Joe even gets a live take on tape to top off an honest insight into life and his carp finshing adventures. Me and Mark also delve into the crazy use of AI generated carp pictures and how they've even appeared on a recent bait company advert, before endng this months ramblings with a very important topic, online abuse, trolls and the impact this can have on people. 

This month, we have a great guest joining us to talk about his adventures on some of the most iconic carp waters we've ever seen. Kev Winter aka Hippy covers his Yateley days, living next door to the complex ensured his early years were filled with special memories of big carp. We also delve into Horton, his time as the Cemex forums modorator, his involvement in raising awareness of illegally imported carp with ECHO and last but not least a tale of a special Wraysbury carp. Mike and Mark also discuss a carps sleeping habbits as well as a selection of topics seen on screen. Enjoy. 

David Lyons joins us this month to share his story about how Tackling Minds started. Dave had suffered from past mental health problems and fishing played a vital role in managing his illness. Dave has often mentioned that if it wasn't for fishing, he doesn't think he'd be here to tell this story. Tackling Minds has grown from strength to strength and gets people from all walks of life into fishing to show them the benefits of spending time outside. Dave and TM have helped hundreds of people so far with Mental Health, Addiction, Disabilities and Long term illnesses get out on the bank. We also delve into diet again, vibrating zigs and also discuss the world of social influencing and how brands align themselves with social media personalities. We also announce a special event heading to the Cotswolds in March! 

This month we have Mr Stogleman himself, Nick Dunn. We take a trip down memory lane as he recalls his time on some special Ringwood venues that once contained some incredible carp, fish that managed to stay fairly hidden from the public eye for many years. We also delve into his love for Cows, Corkballs, Old Carp and of course his close friendships. Those that have made the Ringwood scene so special. Mark and Mike also cover some home truths of diet, they delve into mouth damage before finishing off with a dissection of the recent Fox underwater film. Enjoy. 

This month we delve into a subject that rarely gets much air time, taste and the importance of taste in a carp bait and the pivitotal role it plays. We discuss ingredients used and observations in tank tests and our own results over the years to back up our findings. We also have a great guest on, Will Bradley. Will's an angler that Mark once upon a time mentored through the Korda carp academy but has since carved his own path on some extremely challenging venues up and down the country. Mike delves into what gives Will the drive and determination to travel long distances in search of some really special carp. Enjoy.

This time we delve into life as a carp angler in Australia with Mike's old friend from school, Scott Rollo. Snakes, spiders, bow hunters, kangaroos and the potential to catch carp beyond your wildest dreams is a stark contrast from the UK scene but Oz isn't the easiest place to fish as you'll get to hear. Mike and Mark also chew the fat around moon phases, the expected Autumnal big feed up and Terry's epic, new film, dropped by Jack and ESP. Enjoy the usual banter and stories mixed in as Mark also explains his holiday from hell plane disaster....

Tom Loraine is our special guest this month and is a name that seems to be everywhere in recent years. His catches have not only been consistent on almost every water he's wet a line in but the carp he's added to his album over the years have also been from some rock hard venues too. Some anglers just stand out from the crowd, to be consistent on such a variety of waters is no coincidence. It often comes through dedication, sacrifice and hard graft and Tom ticks all those boxes and has an album to prove it. Not only that, Tom is far from full time, owning his own business means life needs to be balanced and that is never easy but Tom seems to have it down to a fine art. Mike and Mark also discuss the political challenges to stocking carp in our rivers and canals and how this sadly impacts carp fishing in the UK, especially at grass roots level. Will it ever change, we doubt it but we'll keep trying to establish a way of stocking our waterways with free fish! Enjoy!  

In this month's podcast we had to cover the topic that seems to have broken the internet and that's the Magic Twig. We also discuss baiting patterns that helped Mark catch a recent forty pounder and Jon Pack is back for the second part of his brilliant interview as he takes us on a journey that covers life after catching a British Record. Jon delves into his obsession with Heather the Leather and one that nearly ended in hyperthermia! Enjoy!   

This month we welcome Jon Pack to the microphone to delve into his historic British record capture of two tone, a carp of gigantic proportions. Jon's trip down memory lane is a two part chat with Yateley and St Ives among others to follow. Mark also recalls a meeting with the iconic Terry Hearn and we've added a few new features into the months ramblings, titled The Great Debate and As Seen on Screen. Enjoy and once again, thanks for your support. 

This months podcast has a little twist. We got asked to be a guest on the wonderful VBK podcast in Belgium. For those that have no idea who or what the VBK do then I'll try to explain. They're a non profit Carp Fishing organisation that offers it's members waters to fish. They also home grow carp and help stock waters for the future. They produce great books and magazines, they're even lobbied over the years to get night fishing approved in Belgium and thats just for starters. They're created something, that since the early 90's has really united carp anglers together with a platform aimed at benefitting all carp anglers. Me and Mark has always admired the success of the VBK and have often felt something like this is solely missing in the UK. It was great to be able to sit down and discuss what the VBK really means with none other that Alijn Danau, a man who gives some much back to carp angling through his VBK work and one that has the respect of so many anglers all over the world. We hope you enjoy a rare insight into what's possible when anglers unite. Enjoy. 

This month Mike and Mark continue to explore Europe and record the podcast while on the road in search of the unknown. Our special guest this month is none other than Jason Hayward. The first man to bank what later became one of the best known carp we've ever produced, the Colne Meres Black Mirror. Mike delves into his pursuit for a carp beyond his wildest dreams and also discusses life after such a monumental capture, one that rocked the carp world and still stands as one of the most iconic carp captures of all time. Sit back, grab a cuppa and enjoy Jason's enthusiasm and trip down memory lane!  

Mike and Mark record this months intro while driving back from Belgium. They delve into the highs and lows of the trip and discuss Mark's phobia for dog poo! Mike also catches up with Gaz Fareham during a cold, spring morning on Stoneacres to discuss a variety of topics while urging his rods to rip off live on tape! Enjoy. 

We've been looking forward to getting this one out. Mike sits down with Elmo (Elliott Staff) in the Valley to discuss his lifelong obsession with angling. One that led him down a rather unusual path of discovery. Less trodden tracks, zero social media interaction, strong friendship bonds and carp that rarely see the light of day are just some of the things that make Elmo tick. This is part one, we only scratch the surface of Elmo's personal angling adventures but now we've warmed him up we'll be back at some stage for more stories of adventures that sometimes end in a pot of gold. Mike and Mark chew the fat as usual and cover carp communication, pre baiting routines, feeding windows and predicting the future. Enjoy. 

This month we have a carp fishing veteran on as our special guest. A man that's been around carp fishing forever. His album of special carp takes some beating and he's one of a tiny group of anglers that can say they've caught a 40lb Mirror, Leather, Common and Fully Scaled. You've probably guessed it, Nigel Sharp joins us for some old skool tales and a trip down memory lane. Mike and Mark chew the fat as normal and take some listeners' questions regarding drones and sustainable ingredients in the bait industry. Enjoy.

We're back with another podcast, this month we have Trev Johnson aka TCP as our special guest, an old skool angler that's been around the block and has banked some incredible carp along the way from some seriously challenging waters. We delve into his time of Wraysbury 1 and 2 as well as his short campaign for the Baby Black in the depths of winter. Trev is moon follower like no other I've spoken with in the past but his results speak for themselves. Plus we discuss the challenges that the cost of living may impose on the angling trade before chewing the fat over a salty subject, one we're both not convinced with..... enjoy.

This month is a smaller than usual episode as Mike sadly managed to break his memory card that held our guest interview we had pre recorded and ready to go. So instead of missing a month we still chew the fat, put the world to rights and rattled through a few listeners questions. Enjoy and we'll be back at the end of January as normal with a full episode. 

Jake Hughes aka Jake the Heron is this month's special guest. Mike caught up with Jake at the historic Toadless Leather Pit, a complex of lakes steeped in both carp fishing history and Jake's own angling life. Tales of unknown biggies, winter bait ups and creative inspirations were just a few topics covered but what stood out was how Jake goes about his business, his way. Mike and Mark also discuss winter baiting approaches and take a few listeners' questions to get the grey matter working. Enjoy. 

Jamie Smith is this months special guest, a modest man but one that deserves alot of credit for the impact he's had on Carp Angling since the birth of his now cult, CP products brand. Many brands to this day still copy his early designs, testament to his thought process with product ideas decades before they became mass market produced. Few can claim to be true innovators but for me, Jamie sits proudly in that small group of talent. In recent years Jamie has purposely shy'd away from the limelight, preferring to focus on his work and customer satisfaction. His rods gather dust but his contribution to angling is still available for all to enjoy through his engravings, carvings, kettles and lareg scale artwork. Jamie delves into his colourful life and we listened in awe.  In addition we delve into a French trip disaster and get to answer some listeners questions. Enjoy. 

This month we have the pleasure of Alfie Russell as our special guest. Alfie is extremely humble considering his album of incredible carp. He's down to earth, honest, hard working and despite a young family he still finds time to target some very special carp. As you'll hear Alfie's passion for angling runs deep. We chat about social media, mental health, the concept of paid angling and sponsorships as well as some tales of past urban campaigns with rods stashed in guitar cases! Enjoy. 

This month is a smaller episode I'm afraid due to one reason or another but we've still got a carpy fix in podcast form to digest. Me and Mark chat through carp strains and discuss how hard it is for individual carp to stand out these days from the masses of carp that are now available to the angler. We also chat through some issues with Mark's baby fish and Mike recalls a horror story that happened to him a few weeks ago! enjoy 

Sorry for the slight delay this month, the truth is me and mark went fishing but August's podcast is now live. This month we have Finn Lewis on as our guest, aka the Wild Man. Finn is an man whos so connected to nature, a real outdoors chap who's also an extremely passionate angler. Me and Mark also have our usual ramblings over a cuppa or two. Thanks for the support as always and lovely reviews, they never fail to put smiles on our faces, we read them all. 

This month we've got a great guest, none other than Dave Little or Mr Ouse as I like to call him due to his love affair with this majestic river and it's elusive carp. We delve into the history of river stockings and the challenges anglers are faced with when trying to hold a river carp, many have failed but Dave's album is busting with some incredible river monsters. Me and Mark also chew the fat as normal and cover carp retirement, particles, photo bombing and all the usual ramblings along the way. Enjoy

This month Mark delves into a rig that breaks the norm. He explains why he's planning on using his Sub Slider Egg Rig and his thoughts behind it! We also have the pleasure of Jensen Mannings, a local angler who's caught plenty of big carp but like many of us these days has to juggle low stocked pits and the demands of the chase with kids, a full time job and all the other life demands. The struggle is real but the drive to succeed never goes away! 

It was great to finally get back out on the bank with the podcast kit and catch up with Gaz Fareham. We had some great, topical spring discussions sat on the banks of Stoneacres. We covered Zigs, North West influences, boat work, special hookbaits and life plus how Gaz got to own a set of wizards reels. Gaz has always been such a modest chap, an angler who's inspired so many through his words and images, including his passion for print and of course the excellent Subsurface movement. Plus this month Mark and Mike also chew the fat over publicity and inspiring others, the price of ingredients and how this might impact bait plus Mark gets a take live on tape! Enjoy. 

This month Mike and Mark chat about what carp fishing might be like in the future. With technology advancing would we ever see GPS tracked carp? We also have a very touching story of a young man called Ryan Scutt who used angling to help him recover from a brain tumour. Holly Edwards from the charity Make-A-Wish got in contact and we just had to discuss what this courageous young man achieved with the help of carp fishing. 

This month we catch up with Russ Widgington, a old skool angler who's been around the scene for longer than I've been alive! Russ isn't a household name but those in the know are fully aware of his results over the years. His album is serioulsy impressive and what's more he still prints his pictures, rather than keeping them as digital images. Me and Mark also chew the fat and discuss having everything handed to you on a plate when it comes to catchng a carp. It's a BIG one, enjoy. 

We're thrilled to announce that Simon Bater has your ear this month, a man with an incredible CV of big carp. These include Two Tone at a British record weight, along with carp like the famous Black Mirror, The Chertsey fish and the Slippery Seal to name just a few. Simon isn't a household name, in fact he's a very modest chap who prefers to shy away from social media but believe me when I say he's been around the block. Simon lives and breathes the great outdoors and catches loads of incredible carp, just doing it on his own terms and usually on the quiet! 

As promised we've managed to record a Christmas special Podcast and release it a little earlier than normal to help with any long drives over the festive period. This month we have the extremely passionate Sam Toro on as our special guest. The man along with Gaz Fareham behind the excellent, new book The Northern Chapters. We also discuss hangovers post 40 and throw in a few new features to keep things fresh. Merry Christmas, Enjoy! 

This month Mark manages a rare night and even catches a new personal best. Mike rediscovers the beauty of bobbing a float down a river and our special guest is none other than the man known for his hat and carp catching abilities, Mr Ian Poole. Ian might be out of the mainstream media these days but boy this chap has a serious album of big carp and so many stories to tell. Enjoy.

This month we delve in the areas of Nutrition, Attraction and Digestibility and discuss how attractive these things are to carp and why. We also discuss a month of plenty in terms of carp captures for both of us, it's been a wonderful month, the carp gods have certainly looked after us. Lastly we couldn't end this months podcast without touching on the topic of the month, so say suspicious substances that force carp to feed.....

This month Mike manages to burn Mark's leg. They chat about fishing exploits over the last few weeks, bring back munchie of the month but most importantly we get to interview Tim "Panther" Harris about his early Leney hunting exploits around Reading in a pair of pink board shorts. A time when a few more of these incredible, old carp still swam in our waters. 

This month we caught up with Cypography's Rich Stewart. A mountain of a man who's inspired so many anglers with his videography and wonderful film making skills. Rich has been a friend of ours for years, so it was great to sit down and catch up on his work and angling journey, one that's seen him travel the world and work with just about everyone in the carp angling industry. Rich is an extremely modest man with strong values and you'll soon appreciate that Rich is a mine of carp fishing history, with an almost photographic memory! Enjoy 

This month we caught up with Dave Mag and delve into a life filled with angling. Dave spent years in the limelight of carp angling, catching some of the most prestigious carp of our generation. However life is different these days, Dave's angling is very much on his own terms, with a young family and very busy job carp fishing often consists of short sessions, fitting in around life but that's not stopped him catching more incredible carp. A naturally gifted angler with a seriously impressive album. Dave does it his own way and catches loads. We've also got Jamie Cook back on to chat about some new projects being run by the Angling Trust that are well worth getting involved in. 

We feel extremely privileged to welcome Kieran Hopkinson onto this months podcast. Kieran is a Scottish carp angler who's adventures have culminated in some of the biggest carp in Scotland. But forget size, Kieran's spirit of adventure and freedom come through by the bucketload and its infectious. Extremely low stocks, huge expanses of water, an element of the unknown, far less carp anglers, years of blanking are just a few things that we discuss. The struggle is real but the rewards are very special. Mike and Mark also discuss spawning concerns and Mark delves into some floater fishing tips. 

We're joined this month by John Beecher or "The Cabbie" as some may know him. John isn't usually one for sharing his stories so it was a pleasure to have him on the podcast. We chat about the big Chertsy carp, the Royal plus many of the old Horton Church lake jewels. John has caught loads of big carp, at times using different tactics to most. Many a time using just one rod. Plus we have the pleasure of Jamie Cook from the Angling Trust back on as we discuss the risks of Natural England's seemingly Anti Carp agenda! 

How did Linchhill get stocked? where did those special fish come from? fish like Bitemark and the late Petals? History’s important in all walks of life, having an appreciation of our carp fishing heritage always proves just how many big carp are around today in comparison. Our guests this month are two men on a mission to document the history of Oxford carp are Paul Harris and Geoff Adams. These guys have lived and breathed the Oxford scene since kids and have now started to collate it’s rich carp fishing history into a book that will document a part of the county that is now a magnet for so many carp anglers. We also have Jamie Cook from the Angling Trust, we talk about a really important campaign linked to water companies discharging raw sewage into rivers and costal waters over 400,000 last year, a 37% increase on the prior year! 

Bazil was one of the most iconic Carp to have swam in our opinion and it's no surprise that anglers would dedicate years and years of time to pursue this special carp. One such angler was Steve Fudge aka Fudgey. Steve dedicated 96 nights in pursuit of Bazil and this is his tale to tell. We also discuss pre baiting edges, sponsorships and have the pleasure to welcome Jamie Cook back on from the Angling Trust to tell us whats been happening in his world since night fishing was back on the agenda.