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This month it's the turn of Simon Bater to share his thoughts on all things carpy...
Q When did you start fishing for carp, and who was your biggest inspiration in the early days?
A I was into match fishing as a kid, and was about seven years old the first time I went fishing. I caught a small rudd and a crucian, but what I remember most is seeing some big orange goldfish drifting about in the middle and thinking ‘I want to catch one of those’. I think that was when the big fish bug first took hold!
I started fishing for carp aged 13 and my main inspirations were a Kent-based carper called Alan Smith, as well as Lee Jackson and Paul Forward, who were slightly older than me.
Other than them it was Rod Hutchison I suppose. He was a proper bloke. He walloped them but still had fun along the way. I remember him saying how it was all well and good putting the effort in and catching big fish, but that “You’ve got to learn to smell the roses along the way.” I couldn’t agree more.
Q What is your favourite venue of all time (one that you’ve fished)?
A Colnemere. It was an endurance test of epic proportions, from the bugs and the undergrowth trying to eat you, to trying not to get caught. It was tough going, but I loved every minute of it.
Q You’ve caught some of the most famous big carp in the country… which is the most memorable to you, and why?
A Two Tone and the Black Mirror. They resided in totally different venues, which were enjoyable in different ways. Both required blood, sweat and tears.
Q If you could go back in time and fish for one carp, in one venue...
A I’d have to say Mary. I just ran out of time and was fishing Conningbrook, which was right on my doorstep and had a British record swimming about in it. Once Mary died, Wraysbury wasn’t Wraysbury any more, to my mind - ‘The King was Dead’, if you like.
I’d have loved to fish there and experience the buzz of it, plus it was a fish that just grew and grew. Every time it came out you never knew how big it was going to be.
Q What’s your idea of the perfect carp fishing session, in terms of the time of year and style of fishing?
A I love spring and autumn most, because the fish are showing themselves and getting caught, but if I had to choose just one then I’d choose spring, because at that stage of the fishing year all your dreams are intact and there’s everything still to play for.
I enjoy all styles of fishing, and simply choose the one which gives me the best chance of catching at the time, whether that’s going short, long, placing rigs from a boat, or whatever. Being adaptable is the biggest skill in carp angling.
Q Who is the best carp angler you’ve ever fished with, or witnessed fishing?
A Among the best is Tommy Bankes (current owner of Savay). He’s an unbelievable angler, and he’s caught them all – you name a big, famous fish,
and he’s probably caught it – including Mary, the Royal 40, all the Car Park fish. The only one that really eluded him was Two Tone, but I reckon he caught every other fish in Conningbrook about four times…
Q Have you ever fished abroad for big carp? If so, do you have a favourite venue? If not, is there any foreign venue that interests you?
A I’ve fished in America, Italy, France, Gran Canaria, to name a few. I’d love to fish in South Africa one day, simply for the wildlife you’d get to see.
I remember speaking to Dave Lane and Paul Forward who went out there once. They reckoned that they saw the ‘Big 5’ before breakfast on most days! They came back with some mega stories. Proper bandit country!
Q Aside from boilies, if you had to use just one other bait to target carp, what would it be?
A Brazil nuts, with corn coming in a close second. The fish love both baits, they’re cheap, and you’re never far away from a shop stocking them if you run out… just head to the freezer section at Aldi and you’ve got 5kg of bait for about £5.
Q Do you have many ambitions left in fishing?
A None really, other than to just keep enjoying myself (and of course to catch a few more lumps before the otters eat them all!)
Q Finally, do you think that there’s an uncaught British record swimming around out there somewhere?
A No, I don’t, but there are definitely uncaught fifties swimming about out there – I’ve seen them!
To get to record proportions, however, fish need to be fattened up quite a bit by eating anglers’ baits, so I can’t see there being an unknown whacker close to 70lb swimming around out there. I’d love to be proved wrong, mind...