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1993 and Pop, the greatest angler I have ever known, had suffered a massive stroke, it had left him partially paralyzed down the right side. Pop has always been a great influence on my angling, right from the humble beginnings as an 8year old. He had taught me all the good values an angler should have. As a teenager I got into specimen hunting and widening the horizons resulted in me becoming an obsessive specialist angler.

A year later and Pop was well on the mend. He still suffered with his right side but he had all his faculties and being the determined individual he is had taught himself to hold a rod. That summer we both started fishing again. A local club had recently acquired the rights to a small gravel pit not too far from home. The Burton Specimen Group had now disbanded due to petty politics but during the later years we had looked at this water as a potential Pike venue. This proved fruitless but we knew there were some Tench in there. I started the season off after these. They were not big, 3-5lb being about average. The water was quiet and I was the only one really fishing for them. During the summer I meet a few of the matchmen who fished it. They asked if I was after the Bream as the odd fish had been caught and they were always over 10lbs! This grabbed my attention and although it was now late summer and a little too late I logged the information.

That winter I spent chasing Chub on the river Mease. The fish here will not set the world alight, although I have caught them to over 5lb, these are pretty rare. The number of hours fished during the year was dramatically down. I was fishing no more than one short session a week, usually from the last hour of light into dark. That Christmas I met yet another girlfriend, Jane, this was to change my attitude to relationships.

The following summer arrived and I started to fish the small gravel pit for the Bream. I decided to focus on evenings, fishing just into dark, as no night fishing was allowed. I had a number of Tench and saw the Bream but it was not until August that I caught one, a good fish of about 8lbs. September saw me switch to Barbel. I had not done a lot in previous years but with the river Dove just down the road it was time to have a go. It proved to be a lot easier than I thought, although I could not break the 10lb barrier but I was not that bothered, I was enjoying it. Again these were very short sessions in the evening.

That winter I spent after Chub on the Mease or after Pike at Swarkstone Gravel Pit and although the fish were small I was really having some fun. I had set no targets and had no self applied pressure. This approach was certainly making me less obsessive but seemed to be producing the results.

1996 was Pops 60th Birthday year and I wanted to give him something special. He was fishing again but not very often and relied on others to go with him. After a chat with Jane I started to look around for a suitable venue for a holiday that I could take Pop on. After a number of phone calls one of my friends suggested Anglers Paradise, in Devon. A call was made and after a few questions the brochure was ordered and a Holiday booked for the end of April. I had not expected to really enjoy the fishing it was more of an opportunity to spend some time with Pop and get him a few fish on the bank. April came and off we went. Pop had a wonderful time and so did I, there was more to fishing than catching personal bests. One of the most enjoyable parts of the holiday, apart from getting pickled in the bar, was catching a few Carp. I did not put much effort in but managed a couple of good doubles as well as three Koi over 5lb.... different I thought!

When I returned from the Holiday I started to plan the season. I was going to try for the Bream again but still stick with short session and plenty of prebaiting. I fancied a bit of Carping; Anglers Paradise had given me an appetite for it even though I had not fished for Carp since 1989. There was the local gravel pit but that is very political and to introduce myself back to Carp on there would have been fatal. I opted for a few sessions on Willesley, it has always been good to me and Jane liked it, so the Carp rods were sorted out and very quickly the kitchen was stinking of all sort of weird and wonderful smells, Jane did not like that!

Even Jane fished, now a few years ago I would not have even contemplated letting the girlfriend come to see me on the lake and yet here I was, in the bushes, positively begging her to hold my rod!

The short Carp sessions were being mixed with slightly longer Bream sessions. I had started doing nights and was catching a few good fish. The best I had that summer went 9lb 14oz and a personal best. The autumn came and I fancied some more Barbel fishing. The results were very pleasing but the Dove just did not have the head of doubles. It did not matter though, I was just enjoying being there.

The following April I returned to Anglers Paradise with friends Phil Houghton, Rob Ellis and Des Purdy. This was a real lads holiday. Fishing during the day and getting pickled in the bar at night. We had such a good time and caught some of the prettiest Carp I have ever seen. No monsters from Paradise, although Des managed to sneak out a good twenty.

The summer arrived and I was getting all excited about the Bream fishing, last year had been a real pleasure. It started well with a couple of 9lb plus fish then at the beginning of August after about three hours of catching little Perch, one after the other, tiny little bloody Perch, the Bream moved in. The first two fish went 8lb plus then the third fulfilled another ambition. At 1am after a typical Bream bite and a very short fight, 10lb 10oz of Golden slab graced my net. A new personal best and my first double figure Bream.

In the autumn Phil and myself returned to Paradise to help in the netting week. Every year Zyg, the owner of Anglers Paradise nets a couple of the many lakes. The purpose of this is to manage to stocks as the fish spawn very successfully there. It also gives him chance to de-silt the lakes. We had a jolly good old pickling time and managed to sneak a fish or two out. Winter arrived and I went back to an old stomping ground after Pike. Stauton Harold Reservoir is massive water with a huge head of good pike. The lads who fish it are a good crowd and it is always very social.

That winter I was invited to join Anglers Paradise's syndicate, the 5C's (Crazy, Crafty, Cunning Carp Catchers.... umm!) Which brings me to 1998 and a good year in which I have caught some nice fish and taken on some new challenges. I have gone back to one of my original Carp waters, the local gravel pit and caught a few. Most importantly I am now enjoying my fishing just by being there not because I am obsessed. So as I know look forward to 1999, I do not have any cunning plans, only to go and fish for any species I fancy, when I fancy and not to expect too much.

Humble Beginnings - Part 1: Some people are really lucky, I am one of those.

Widening the Horizons - Part 3: As a teenager I get into Carp fishing, but soon become obsessed.

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If you have any comments or suggestions email me at pickled.carp@btinternet.com