Paul Young Ultimate Fishing Legend

Paul Young (born 3 July 1944 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) is a Scottish television actor.Son of the actor John Young.
Credits include The Tales of Para Handy, No Job for a Lady, Coronation Street and Still Game.
Paul has gone on to find more fame among the fishing community, fronting a series of fishing TV shows, which began with "Hooked On Scotland" on the BBC in 1991. The show enjoyed great success, winning a BAFTA for the first series. After two series, the show switched to ITV (Scottish TV), the name changing to Hooked on Scottish and Paul's brief widening to include trips to fishing around the world.
In 1999, Paul was hooked by Scottish, and the show - with much the same format of Paul catching fish in lots of interesting places, each episode showcasing a different type of fish - was taken on by the Discovery Channel with the name changing to "Hooked on Fishing". This ran successfully for 6 series up to 2004.I remember Paul losing his rod to a fierce take in one of the US episodes and taking chase in the boat.
Paul's latest venture in 2006 is Fishing Road Trip USA a 5,000 mile journey sampling the delights of fishing in the USA.You can't deny Paul has in particular popularised fly fishing with some impressive game fish from all over the world.

Terry Hearn Ultimate Carping Legend

Terry Hearn Age 33 of Boxhill, Surrey has to be the Carp Angler people most want to be and came top in a poll of Carp Anglers on this blog, he works as an Angling writer although for a writer the website(click above title) is a little disappointing(just an ad for a book really) well he's got to be out chasing another 50 and all that!. Single UK Pb: 55lb 13oz (Mary from Wraysbury) Favourite Bait: The Source,Favourite Rig: Hinge stiff-link/Chod rig. All-Time Favourite Venue: No particular favourite but Toll Pits and Causeway Lake.Proudest Moment: "Catching the British record carp and when I caught my first 40lb carp", which was Basil from Yately North Lake. Terry has been Angling Times Carp Angler of The Year and two times Cobra Carp Cup winner.'In pursuit of the Largest' is an unmissable read and here is a link exclusive to a chapter of his new book 'Still Searching'.

http://www.dynamitebaits.com/index.php?id=648

Matt Hayes Ultimate Fishing Legend

Matthew 'Matt' Hayes (born 24/11/1961) in Smethwick near Birmingham, UK ) is a British angler who has been making television angling programmes for the last 10 years featured mainly on the digital TV channel, Discovery Real Time(Shed). Due to his television work and the numerous fishing articles he has written, Hayes is one of the UK's most famous and recognisable anglers. He is often seen on TV alongside his fishing companion and fellow programme contributor Mick Brown. A lesser known fact Matt has a Law degree from Wolverhampton University and also won specimen fishing’s top prize, the Drennan Cup in ‘98 he then dropped out of serious big fish angling to rediscover pleasure fishing. I still like to catch big fish but for me, what really counts is experiencing fishing in all of its forms. I came to realize that measuring success in pounds and ounces is a road to nowhere" (A quote I can personally identify with),Matt currently lives in Shropshire and
has written a weekly column in the Angling Times for almost ten years.Matt pictured with a whacking common "Don't they ang on!".

John Wilson Ultimate Fishing Legend

John Wilson (born 1943) the jolly fisherman who has put more fun into fishing than Rex Hunt and probably kissed more fish, is a legendary British angler who has been making television angling programmes for the last 20 years featuring on channel 4 Television and more recently on the digital TV channel, Discovery Real Time(Shed). Wilson was voted 'The Greatest Angler of all Time' in a 2004 poll by readers of the Angling Times Newspaper a testament to his popularity.
Wilson was born in Enfield, London where he fished on the River Lee. He had careers in hairdressing, the Merchant Navy and printing before opening his own fishing tackle shop based in Norwich in 1971. John now lives at Great Witchingham, Norfolk,where he fishes on his local River Wensum and owns his own lake complex.If ever a knighthood was merited for services to fishing this man would have merited one decades ago.Check out Sixty Years A Fisherman the long awaited and updated new edition of much-loved angler John Wilson's memoirs, an icon of the angling world! John reveals the real life story behind the camera lens of a man who was once a cruiseship hairstylist and who later became one of the most recognised TV personalities to have come into the world of angling. Packed full of fishing anecdotes and stories of his travels around the world, Sixty Years A Fisherman is beautifully illustrated with John's own photography. http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/id/Sixty_Years_A_Fisherman_The_Autobiography_of_Fishing_Legend_John/9781905828395

New Discovery Channel Shed

I just thought that you might be interested in a new channel which is being launched by Discovery this Friday – Discovery Shed. To mark the launch four times world angling champion Bob Nudd is going to be fishing at Victoria Park, London on Friday (20th March) from 8am. If you’d like to come and join Bob for some morning fishing and to get some tips to help improve your own technique, just turn up at the pond, which is near the park’s Pavillion Café (enter at Crown Gate West) at 8am on Friday.Discovery Shed will be the place for men who like good old practical activities to escape to. Watch Matt Hayes' Greatest Catches on the channel from Friday 20th March at 9pm and 9.30pm, Bob Nudd's Right Angles follows at 10pm and 10.30pm.

Moon Cycles and Fishing

Freshwater anglers fortunately don't deal with tides like saltwater anglers, but the phases of the moon are equally important to them as well. What the angler wants to focus on are the new moon and full moon periods on the calendar. The two or three days following these two occurrences will result in more fish activity. It's that simple.
The moon phases are a very real factor in the feeding patterns of fish. The perfect weather situation combined with a full or new moon. When this happens, theoretically you will have a great day fishing.here is a link to a moon phase calendar for 2009.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/moon/

Barometric Pressure and Fishing

The barometer can be an effective tool for measuring the feeding behavior of fish. The barometer is an instrument used to measure ambient atmospheric pressure. The measure of barometric atmospheric pressure can then be used to help predict the weather and the feeding behavior of fish. Haven't we all wondered why fish were so easy to catch yesterday, but today you can't even get a bite?
You see when a low pressure front is building, the barometer is low and dropping and a storm is either present or on its way. When the barometer is high or rising, the weather is fair and dry. If you’re watching the weather on the TV, that's what the large capital L or H means on the weather map. The L stands for a low pressure system and the H stands for a high pressure system.
So what does this mean to a fisherman?. The barometer will unlock many of the "mysteries" of fishing. When the atmospheric pressure fluctuates, it affects the air bladders in fish. A fishes' air bladder is what it uses to stabilize itself at different depths of water. When a fishes' air bladder isn't feeling right it won't want to eat. When the barometer is low or falling, fish will spend most of their time equalizing their air bladder, and the last thing they're thinking about is feeding. When this happens you'll have a difficult time fooling a fish into eating. On the other hand, when the opposite is true, and the barometer is rising, your chances of catching a fish, is far greater, because they feel more like eating.Here a link to the met office pressure charts.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_pressure.html

Conningbrook Lake Ultimate Carping Venues

The anglers lucky enough to fish this difficult water on a regular basis know that the next run could be the new British record.
The lake has produced the British Record Mirror(Two Tone) of 61lb 2oz which sustains an average growth rate of 3lb per year. Be prepared for 'a few' blank sessions though.
Information: Dug in the early eighties the original fish were stocked form the Mill Pool in Faversham and the rest is history.
The lake also holds some very nice pike too.Main Lake:Approx. 35 acres: Carp 64lb 15oz, Pike 30lb and Roach. http://www.midkentfisheries.co.uk/Conningbrook.htm

Donald Leney unsung Carping Heroes

Ever wondered where the Carp came from that inspired the boom in Carp Angling. Many of the most famous carp fisheries and plenty of the most notable carp in the country are a direct result of one mans passion for carp. A non-angling fish farmer working for the Surrey Trout Farm from 1923, Donald Leney almost single handedly sowed the seeds of some of the most magnificent carp and carp waters that have been seen in this country. Donald travelled to Holland where he hand picked fast growing Galician strain of carp to bring back to England. They were indeed stunning fish, characterised by a long torpedo like body shape, heavy scaling and deep colours. These Galician strain carp, now referred to as Lene carp, have played a key role in the making of our carp heritage. Donald Leney's carp went everywhere from Billling Aquadrome in Northamptonshire to Frensham Small Pond in Surrey to the mighty Savay in the Colne Valley. But Redmire Pool, the most famous of all our carp waters benefited from Donald,s love of Galician carp like no other. In 1934, some 50 5 to 8 inch carp were introduced to the three-acre pond in Heretfordshire to try and control the weed. In 1951 Bob Richards landed a 31lb 4oz mirror from the pool, the first of three consecutive British records from Redmire. Then on September 13 1952 Dick Walker, the father of modern specimen fishing landed one of the few commons from the 1934 stocking - a 44 pounder he called Ravioli (later Clarissa). The giant claimed the British record untill the opening day of the 1980 season when another Leney giant - a 51lb 8oz linear- was caught by Chris Yates. Three consecutive record breakers came from 50 small carp, not all of which would have made it to adulthood - a remarkable statistic. Another legacy of Donald's carp is their longevity. Until its sad death during the 2003/4 season another Redmire mirror carp first caught in 1961 - was thought to be the oldest documented carp caught in the U k , aged over 70 years and also suspected to have been part of the 1934 introduction. It is suspected that Redmire pool still holds the crown for the oldest living carp in this country, another of of Donald Leney's amazing babies. A linear mirror, the last survivor from the original stocking from 1934 and probably spawned in 1932 is now if still alive as I write an amazing 73 years old. Although not banked for a decade, untill last year was known to be still swiming around this historical venue and is thought to be around 40lb. Over a 25 year period up until 1956 there were hundereds of thousands of Galician carp imported and stocked throughout the U K, most delivered by rail. Many were stocked into unsuitable venues and fell by the wayside. Through his beloved Galician's that prospered, Donald Leney perhaps contributed more to modern carp angling than any other. This artical was originally written by Colin Davidson for Anglers Mail.
Look out for The King Carp Waters is written by carp historian, Chris Ball, this tells the story of the Donald Leney stockings of Galician strain carp into a number of (now) famous waters in the 1930`s and 50`s. The book looks at 6 venues in detail: Redmire (of course!), Frensham, Billing Aquadome, Savay, The Army Lake and, the odd one out, The Electricity Cut on the River Nene at Peterborough.

Redmire Pool Utimate Carping Venues

Redmire Pool is a farm pond just under 3 acres in size in Herefordshire.The venue has always captured the imagination of Carp Anglers worldwide. Donald Leney was instructed to stock the pool in march 1934 with 50 small Carp (5.5"-8") in an effort to combat the extensive weed in the pool. Hence the 'Leneys' came along with the Redmire stockings and stockings he carried out elsewhere around mainly Southern England producing most of the known big Carp in England today.Unbelievably these fish lay untouched until 1951 when a local angler by the name of Bob Richards got permission to fish the pool.I can't help thinking it must have been a little easier to catch these unpressured monsters. On the 3rd October Bob was to re-write the record books by capturing a magnificient Mirror Carp of 31.4lbs.The next year saw the famous Richard (Dick) Walker on Redmire, and on September 13th he caught the famous 'Clarissa'(chistened Ravioli by Walker but the zoo didn't like the name)at a new record weight of 44lbs. 'Clarissa' spent the rest of her days residing in London Zoo.I wondered why, but apparently record fish were routinely killed to establish their provenance and Walker hated the idea of killing such a magnificent fish so he persuaded the aquarium's curator at the zoo to take it .Dick's record stayed intact until Chris Yates captured a massive 51.5lb Mirror(the Bishop).Redmire has been fished by all the famous names in Carp Fishing over the years.In those days Redmire was private and secretive, now thanks to the present owners the magic and mystery of Redmire is available to all(but book early!).

Chris Yates Ultimate Fishing Legend

Chris Yates is a true gentleman of the fishing fraternity and it's most visible in the TV series A Passion for Angling perhaps the best fishing series ever made.Often looking like an extra from Sherlock Holmes he has a penchant for classic centre pin reels and split cane rods.The once controversial record holder of the 51lb 8oz carp(the bishop) from Legendary Redmire is also a prolific writer and former co-editor of Waterlog Magazine as well as finding time to be a photographer.Worth looking out for Catching the Impossible and Caught in Time,here also is an ever expanding wikipedia link http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Yates_(fisherman)

SP

Carp Innovations

Over the years there have been more products and innovations appearing for Carp Fishing than the average wallet can cope with.Some are labour saving,better quality e.g Basia Reels,new lines and rigs,new baits,better bivvies/bait boats/night vision.Some are so simple you wonder why you didn't think of them yourself.I'd like people to comment on their personal favourites or maybe you have your own gadgets and bag of tricks you couldn't live without.Mine are pva/radio bite alarms/coated braid/pram style bivvies/muddy bite indicators/quick links.Your comments please.