World Carp Classic 2018 official magazine by Angling Spirit

L 18 IA IR 20FIC EN N F V O O U ITI SOED

SEPTEMBER 2018

MAZING FOR THE A RIES MEMO

20 YEARS OF GREAT CHAMPIONS

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

122

INSIDE

IT’S MÜLLER TIME The first ‘Champion of Champions, Thomas Muller

98 MADINE THROUGH

TWO DREAMS AT MADINE.. AND TIM PAISLEY SURVIVED

A LENS .. Tim Paisley highlights some of his most memorable Madine moments

TO TELL THE TALE

WCC INFO THINGS YOU

SHOULD KNOW... 8 1998-2018 WINNERS A complete guide to the Classic’s history of Champions

71 TEMPUS FUGIT

AND ... SHEEP Reuben Heaton’s Andy Race recounts some of the more ridiculous goings on at the WCC

SPIRITUS MUNDI

A BIG THANKS TO..

Photography: Pete Castle & Dorien Van de Kuilen Official Magazine: Lucy Allsopp, Tom Lloyd, Steve Howard and Chris Leibrandt WCC Event Organisers: Thank you to all involved

140 ROB HUGHES:

The year was 1998 and I was on the crest of a wave

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Przemek Sydor shares a few Classic secrets including the night they almost killed Ross

141ROB TOUGH: MADINE IT .. DONE IT The emotional rollercoaster that have been 20 years at the Classic

30 2018 PRIZE TABLE

Over £70,000 worth of prizes up for grabs ..You know you want it!

34 2017 QUALIFIERS 32 WPC17 PARTICIPANTS 86 OFFICIAL GUIDE MAP TO THE EVENT The zones and sponsors

86 A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD MARSHALS

PLUS a brief guide to the rules

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

Welcome

to the World Carp Classic 2018

am pleased to extend a very warm and special welcome to everyone here at the Madine 2018 World Carp Classic.

I use the word ‘special’ as this is, of course, the 20th anniversary of the event and, staged here at Madine, the home of the World Carp Classic, it is set to be a great occasion. Nobody, least of all myself, could have envisioned in 1998 that we would be gathering here today, but here we are! As event founder, it makes me extremely proud to have brought such a long running event to the world of carp angling, but I can’t claim all the glory of a 20-year history here. It has taken teamwork of monumental proportions to achieve this. Plus it is an absolute necessity to mention the participants who, over the years, have brought such unmatched enthusiasm and energy which, in turn generates inspiration for everyone involved. To say this is appreciated is a massive understatement and I want to record a massive thank you here to everybody who has ever been involved over the past 20 years, including Participants, Sponsors, the Event admin team, Marshalls and Media… so much hard work goes on behind the scenes that without every one of you, the event would not be possible. There’s no doubt that you have each contributed to ensure that the WCC has such an esteemed place in carp angling history. With the many great friendships made along the way and the amazing stories we have all created together, when you look back at early photographs, you realise just how far carp fishing has come. Whatever your personal connection has been with the event, it’s been an exciting journey from its beginning in 1998. Far from resting on our laurels and moving forward, there is a lot more to come as we reach out into new areas and countries. Looking at the stats, it’s incredible that over the 20 years of the WCC there have been 43 countries represented by competing anglers! Many thanks to all of the event supporters and sponsors for 2018. And a special welcome to this year’s new event partners and sponsors; Dometic, Flambeau, Ridgemonkey, GNP Carpe and the Grand Est Region. It is also important that we all take a moment here to pause and remember the many friends of the WCC that have sadly passed on and to treasure the many fond memories of them. We must also remember to pay respect to the fact that Madine was the location of a huge battle that took place 100 years ago, now marked by the memorial atop the hill opposite HQ. This year’s event, however, is an occasion for celebration and not least for the Great Champions who have won the WCC over the years. These anglers are now part of a very special group who are eligible to compete for the Champion of Champions trophy each year. Here are a few other aspects to watch out for: As part of the Angling Spirit 20th Anniversary Legacy project, we are supporting the Madine 18+, where all fish of 18kgs and over, caught during the event, will have a photograph taken for the reference library that has been created. Hopefully, this move to monitor and track all of the fish over

18kg will help to highlight and fight any illegal fish movement. The Friends of Madine is no stranger and we will continue again this year with a full lake clean-up. Introduced in 2011, The Friends Of project began with “The Friends of the Ebro” – where we cleared over 52 tonnes of rubbish from the banks – and displays our commitment to respect and protect the environment. Our continued interest in the development of a fishing academy for children will be done in conjunction with the French Fishing Federation and in addition, the WCC Junior event will also hopefully stimulate the interest our next generation of anglers. Over our 20-year journey, we have a lot to feel very pleased about – not only creating friends and memories, but justifiably, we can take a great deal of pride in reaching this incredible milestone in the history of the WCC. So, let us all enjoy our time over the next few days and I hope that if you fish well, I will be rewarding your efforts with one of the many amazing prizes we have for the competition. And if you fish extremely well, I will take great pleasure in presenting you with the World Carp Classic Champions trophy! Thanks to you all for being here for the event’s 20th Anniversary.

TOURNAMENT FOUNDER

Far from resting on our laurels and moving forward, there is a lot more to come as we reach out into new areas and countries.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

DARYL HODGES

DYNAMITE SPONSOR

WELCOME BACK TO MADINE 2018 will probably be remembered as the year in the UK that we finally had a proper summer and the England football team did pretty well by our standards in the World Cup, but for one dedicated pair of anglers it will also be even more memorable as ‘their year’ at Lac De Madine! Twenty years Could it just be the first year that the is a big milestone title is retained? - I know that Tim to reach and the and Lee will be doing everything fact that we are possible and will not give it up easily! celebrating 20 For Dynamite 2018 will be years of World Carp remembered as a year of ‘record Classic is testament to Ross and his sales’ for new products in our 19 team for continually giving us an years (not quite 20!) even by July exciting competition each year and we had eclipsed the whole of 2017 every year…whatever the venue! new product sales! The likes of the It’s nice to be back at Madine Hot Fish boilie, Complex-T Pellets, though for the 20th Anniversary (glad Evolution oils and the new natural all that confusion got sorted – but let’s pulse & particles seemingly hitting not go there!) for what could be the the right spot for anglers in the UK best event ever, and as always we are and across Europe. really looking forward to it!

On behalf of all the sponsors a very warm welcome to what looks like being an extra special WCC this year.

‘‘

As I write, here at HQ it’s all about putting finishing touches to next year’s products and finalising packaging and catalogues! You guys as always will probably be the first to see them in September ahead of phased launches from January 2019. We look forward to seeing you all at Bivvy city where we will have the usual welcome gift with some pieces that just might come in useful. I wish you all a safe journey and of course home again, and that during the week you make many amazing memories. As always the best of luck to everyone in the draw, I can’t wait to see who will be the 20th WCC Champions! From all the sponsors good luck and have a great and exciting week. n DARYL HODGES Brand Marketing and Export Sales Manager

champions

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 1998-2018

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 8

On the cusp of the 20th Anniversary event, Ross Honey, the World Carp Classic founder and organisor reflects back on how his vision became reality. Who would have believed that this would be a good idea without any prior knowledge of carp angling? Not many, we would suggest, apart from the intrepid Ross Honey…

have always loved being outdoors. I guess that is why the two sports that I avidly pursued have been golf and fishing.

Having been sent to France for many summers as a boy, I gained a strong knowledge of the French language and on the strength of that, I got a job working for a French cross channel shipping company where I stayed for 19 years. I always had lots of ideas on how to develop different business opportunities or set up new systems and, the longer I stayed with the company, the bigger the ideas. One day I went to see my boss at the time, and said “I have done some research and I believe there is a great opportunity to set up a golf program from the UK to France” Eventually, I managed to convince him that it was not just an excuse for me to go and play golf but a real opportunity to create a good sustainable business. His words to me were “I will give you a desk and a telephone, but there is no marketing budget. Let’s see if you can make it work.” Three years later I had created a business taking over 10,000 golfers a year to play golf in France. Now, I have always been very principled, and after 19 years and on a matter of principle, I resigned from my position. With no company car, no expense account and no income, what was I going to do? I needed an office, but none of the rooms in my house were suitable so I went outside and passed the coal bunker. I found a big hammer and minutes later I was demolishing parts of the bunker and made my first office… It was just wide enough for a desk, a book case and a filing cabinet, I found an off-cut of carpet and drilled a hole through the wall for the telephone wires from my kitchen and I was ready to work. So, how was I going to earn a living? After countless ideas all based around events linked to golf, I thought: ‘hang on a moment, I like fishing as well as golf, how about a fishing event? But what sort of fishing event?’ You know about organising events, but you have never organised a fishing event before!’ I don’t so small, so I decided to contact Angling Times and run an international fishing festival. The plan was for English anglers to fish in France for 3 days, but not really knowing what type of fishing event to

Let the ga

run, I decided to run several at the same time. Imagine the scene; 140 anglers all transported on the same ferry to Le Havre, turning up at a locked gate to the entrance to some small ponds in Northern France and me, on my own, directing the Match anglers, Pleasure anglers and Specimen anglers scattered all over, simultaneously! The Match and Pleasure anglers had hotel accommodation booked locally. Meanwhile, the Specimen anglers asked where they should go, so I directed them to the woods and mounds and off they went, complete with tents, cooking equipment and vast quantities of alcohol. Later that day, at the start of the Match and Pleasure fishing event, the heavens opened up and the wind reached gale force. I will never forget the sight of the Match anglers, sitting a few feet apart on a totally exposed part of the lake, not being able to keep their lines in the water and having to make a hasty retreat as the waves pounded the shore. The Pleasure anglers, on the other hand, decided that they would be better off back at the hotel in the warm and dry. Two days later that first ever fishing event came to an end. Both Match and Pleasure anglers were totally miserable, probably due to the horrid time they had. The Specimen anglers on the other hand were really happy, caught some huge fish called ‘carp’, and had a great time… and what’s more, they were great fun to be with. Returning from that first fishing event rather battered and bruised – not physically but mentally – I questioned whether I wanted to repeat the experience. ‘Not likely! I will never organise another fishing event again’, I thought. A few days later, back in my coal bunker, several letters arrived from the specimen anglers asking when the next trip would be and that they had really enjoyed the event. I was really touched by this and decided I would further look into what carp angling was all about. Research led me to talking with lots of different people and companies, and as I believed carp angling was an up-and-coming sport, that’s when I made my mind up to create something special for carp angling that would be a true international annual celebration… and in 1998 the World Carp Classic was born.

My boss told me: “I will give you a desk and a telephone, but there is no marketing budget. Let’s see if you can make it work.”

ROSS HONEY, EVENt FOUNDER

ames begin ..

2000

1998 heralded a new, embryonic event ambitiously named the World Carp Classic, a bold and daring statement of intent, perhaps? This new event to the carp angling fraternity not only inspired anglers by its name, but backed up the audaciousness in being staged on the then, generally unknown but quietly reputed venue, Lac de Madine. Run as a singles match and fished from the bank only, the event was well supported and duly produced its first winner in the form of Paul Rayment of the U.K. Paul drove away after the prize giving in a brand new Rover car as reward for his efforts.

1998 Champion:

Paul Raymant, England Weight: 127.15lbs Best Lady: Cathy Bell, England Weight: 30.3lbs Biggest Fish: John Craven, England Weight: 49.5lbs

1999

champions

Crowning our first champion!

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 1998-2018

1998

2001 1999 RESULTS 1999 Overall Champions:

Dave Poxon & Mark Redding, England Weight: 188.10 lbs

Team Event Champions: Carp World, England

Biggest Fish:

Colin Champion & Martin Cronin, Wales Weight: 46.5 lbs

ith a successful and fruitful event now under its belt, the World Carp Classic became a pairs event when it returned to Lac de Madine the following year, in 2000, to further establish its presence on the world angling scene.

Madine had enjoyed a year of exposure following its raised profile, and the lake had become considerably more widely known attracting a steady succession of anglers from across Europe. The Opening ceremony was moved to the big sports hall, where it would accommodate an increased number of participants from around the globe, and the event took its first tentative steps towards becoming a truly international competition. To augment the occasion, a casting competition and throwing stick challenge was introduced, and Frank Warwick, sporting a dashing ‘porn-star’ moustache provided a casting demonstration. The world famous atmosphere that is now synonymous with the World Carp Classic may possibly have its roots linked with the Dutch contingent in attendance that year… By forming a ‘wagon-train’ style arrangement of bivvies and vehicles, the central area became the scene of a hog roast and the ensuing party from which it is reported, some participants are still recovering from! Fortunately though, the only poor soul not to make it through the barbeque, was the hog! When the event got underway a massive storm moved in over Madine, with bolts of

1998 What on earth is that mountain of

equipment? How the hell are we going to get that transported to the pegs in time for the start of the event?

1999 Let’s make the World Carp Classic a pairs event – that’s a much more friendly way to fish

lightning and crashing thunder, it was more reminiscent of a major war scene, not a friendly gathering of anglers! Such storms have become a familiar occurrence during the events that have been held there, but this one was ‘special’! A U.K. participant, Paul Harrison, broke an ankle during the event but carried on fishing, ignoring doctors advice and the pain, but he and his teammate Paul Watts were deservedly rewarded when they won the event from the small island, and the British had chalked up another fine victory.

1999 RESULTS

2001 Lac Amance… phew, we only

have to take 6 pairs to an Island, not 56 like at Madine. Shame it tipped down with rain and a lot of cars and vans got stuck in the mud!

2000 Champions:

Paul Harrison & Paul Watts, England Weight: 81.3kgs

Team Event:

Team Cobra/GB Baits, England Weight: 114.3kgs

World Carp Classic goes Dutch The event caused a stir in the world of carp angling when it was announced that it would be moving to a much talked about Lac Amance – a venue known by European anglers to produce some very big carp. At the opening ceremony, competitors were bemused by the presence of helium filled balloons suspended above each of their seats, but when asked to pop the said balloons, In a challenging contest, Stunnenberg and Bredenbeek from Holland became the first pair to win the event who were not from the UK and the Dutch team that they were a part of won the Pairs Event. A clean sweep of titles for the Dutch that finally broke the apparent English stranglehold.

2001 RESULTS 2001 Champions:

T. Stunnenberg & R. Bredenbeek, Holland Weight: 164.4kgs

Team Event:

Fisherman’s World, Holland Weight: 258.9kgs

Biggest Fish:

Sam Oakley & Barry Mann, England Weight: 21kgs (46.2lbs)

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 1998-2018

champions

2003 “Ross,there’s a big party on the little island and the mayor, along with other officials would like to go and see the huge fish that has been caught… it’s nearly midnight, its pitch black, it’s over the other side of the lake, its muddy and the ladies have high heels”… Ross: “Alright then, let’s go!”

2003

competitors know at the opening ceremony that there will be a lot of wild boar around the lake and to be careful at night… especially on one of the nights during the competition, as there is going to be a hunt.”

2003 Champions:

Mark Gardner & Jo Gardner, England Weight: 67.35kg

Biggest Fish: Hans, knees and.. the biggest fish. Happy times!

Hans Sissingh & P Vermeulen, Holland Weight: 21.6kg

A clean sweep for the Brits For the first time in its short history, the World Cap Classic announced a Title Sponsor. World Famous UK carp angler Rod Hutchinson placed his faith in the event and backed it by adding the weight of his renowned tackle and bait emporium. Mick Hinson and Tony Kirrage ran out as World Carp Classic champions 2004 and, in doing so, restored and reclaimed the bragging rights for UK anglers, much to the delight of the huge British contingency present.

2004 “I had better let the

2003 RESULTS

2004

2004 RESULTS 2004 Champions:

Mick Hinson & Tony Kirrage, England Weight: 85.35Kg

Team Event:

Birch Syndicate Carp Team, Wales Weight: 20.85Kg

Biggest Fish:

Brian Warwick & Michael Perry, Wales Weight: 11.85k

Rule Britannia.. English duo Mick Hinson & Tony Kirrage

2005

2005... And the Brits do it again! English pairs continued to dominate the event in 2005, as Keith Turner and Clive Hicks retained the title for the U.K., but not without a problem or two along the way. The early concerns for the English pair were eased with some better news, and as a result they set to work doing what they had hoped for, to raise the World Carp Classic trophy aloft. Team GB Baits put in a sterling performance to lift the Team Title for the UK based company. Not to be outdone, Mavis Unwin not only took on her compatriots but, also the rest of the competitors as she claimed the plaudits in banking the biggest fish of the event with a very nice Madine carp.

2005 RESULTS 2005 Champions:

2005 Ross: “You’ve got a good

camera Tim, would you like me to get you some shots of your swim from the air? Tim Paisley: “Sure, let me get the camera for you.” I then went off to a local airfield where I boarded a kite with a lawnmower engine mounted on the front and was strapped into a plastic chair with a bungee strap. I survived the experience and returned the camera to Tim. “Ross, you’ve broken my camera”. On closer inspection the camera was fine, but the entire memory card was filled with the 600 high res pics I had taken… Oops, sorry TIm.

2006

Keith Terry Turner & Clive Hicks, England Weight: 35.4kg

Team Event:

GB Baits, England Weight: 31.6kg

Biggest Fish:

Mavis Unwin, England Weight: 17.4kg

2006 RESULTS 2006 and love is in the air.. Team SBS celebrate the only way they know how

Overall Champions:

Mariusz Chiach & Jarowslaw Plochoki, Poland Weight: 80.85kg

Team Event:

SBS, England Weight: 23.5kg

Biggest Fish:

Eddie Matthews & Richard Bradley, England Weight: 23.5kg

2006 Peg draw.. Anyone remember ‘The Wheel of Misfortune’?!

2006 The mighty Orient in 2006 still

causes nightmares! A building site of a sports hall (due to have been completed months before), had to be made suitable for the opening ceremony. Floors had to steamed clean the debris had been swept off it, windows were missing and no electricity, so an industrial generator was hired, partially operating toilets and all before the event started. It was a very hot period so the sluice gates were opened to provide more drinking water for Paris… the water level could be seen dropping in front of our eyes and after 3 days and 1,000 lines in the water .. only one fish!

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 1998-2018

champions

2007

French connection.. victory for the host Nation as Jean Pierre Becker & Yves Hauk are crowned champions

2007 RESULTS Overall Champions: Jean Pierre Becker & Yves Hauk, France Weight: 22.100kg

Team Event:

Team Carpworld, England Weight: 20.8kg - 2 carp

Biggest Fish:

Jean Pierre Becker, France Weight: 22.1kg Leather Carp The second and final World Carp Classic held on the mighty and mystical Lac D’Orient turned out to be a long, gruelling test of endurance in every respect, with only a handful of carp banked during the entire course of the match. Fortunately, by far the biggest carp caught, by French Angler, Jean Pierre Becker, was a noteworthy and creditable fish. This victory

2007 A nutter in a plane flew so

low that one of his wing tips touched the water and then proceeded to wipe out some of the anglers rods, flying all over the place! Let’s go back to Madine!

2008

It would be a good idea to set up a radio station on site so that anglers can tune in and listen to what is going on… GOOOOOD MOOORNING Madiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!

2008

for the French pair of Jean Pierre Becker and Yves Hauk, was to be the second successive year and third in total that the title had been prevented from falling into UK hands, and provided winners for the host nation to celebrate for the very first time. Team Carpworld performed a minor miracle to claim the Team Event Title with an amazing two fish haul, from the only five carp caught overall in the entire event.

English pair 2008 RESULTS Overall Champions:

Andrew Judd & Peter Truckle, England Weight:140.40kg

Team Event:

Team Carpworld I, England Weight: 89.60kg

Biggest Fish:

Pascal Gallion, Luxembourg Weight: 23.7kg

Record holder .. Axel Wacker of Germany with the event’s biggest fish and current record of 28.9kg

2009

2009 RESULTS Overall Champions:

Rob Tough & Tom Duncan-Dunlop, England Weight: 347.50kg

Team Event:

Team Carpworld, England Weight: 366.60kg

Biggest Fish:

Axel Wacker, Germany Weight: 28.9kg (new record)

Truckle & Judd storm to victory Back to its spiritual home, Lac de Madine, for a second spell, it was immediately noticeable how much the carp had grown on. With the event now allowing and indeed encouraging the use of boats to place lines and bait, the subsequent results spoke volumes. Although it wasn’t apparent at the time, another aspect would come into the equation that would to some extent show the venue to be more ‘peggy’ than desirable.

But for now, this venue was viewed by most to be the perfect place to host the event. Peter Truckle and Andrew Judd of England ran out victorious from a peg in the forest on the big island to reclaim the Champions Title for England and the UK by some margin, maintaining the Brits 100% record of victories on the venue. Madine indeed seemed to favour the Brits who, by now had assumed unshakable belief that they or their compatriots would succeed.

2009 “Get the big boy scales out,

the standard ones are not big enough looks like we have a kipper over 50lbs” are words that I will always remember. That record stood for 24hours until it was broken again to the current record of 29.8kgs - the night that was and the day that followed.

2010

2010 RESULTS Overall Champions: George Csonka and John Roberts, England Weight: 216.2 kg

Team Event:

Team Renmar, Lithuania Weight: 167.7kg

Biggest Fish:

Mikulas Elek and Pavel Snevajs, Slovakia Weight: 27.4kg

2010

A richly deserved victory The unfortunate and courageous John Roberts from England had been a long term sufferer with chronic back problems, and when he aggravated his back when trying to clamber aboard the boat, further participation was difficult. From that point on, John was in so much pain that he could barely help George at all, let alone play carp! George battled on night and day, with John helping as and where he could.

With little respite and no help from the poor weather conditions, George somehow made it to the finish and somewhat relieved the pair had done enough to clinch a memorable victory. Meanwhile, Team Renmar was putting in an accomplished display on their first showing in the World Carp Classic. The team were involved in a severe test of their skills and mettle but, ultimately, they did enough to lift the Team Title for both Team Renmar and Lithuania.

2011

A massive storm provided a tremendous natural fireworks show followed by some big winds that blew one of the competitors Gazebo away, never to be seen again!

If the helmet fits ... Ross prepares for Gladiatorial measure at Bolsena

2012 Ciao Lake Bolsena, Italy! Now

this was a challenge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a new country a new lake 10 times bigger than Madine and fishing results that matched. With the exception of the biggest fish, every other WCC record was broken, more anglers than ever before caught and the record number of fish caught went from 140 to nearly 500 what an amazing venue! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so big that we need to build our own communication system looking forward to this year.

2011 RESULTS Overall Champions:

Jens Gassen and Thomas Muller, Germany Weight: 377.6 kg (*New Record)

Team Event:

Team Deutschland1, Germany Weight: 409.0 kg (*New Record)

Biggest Fish:

Aivars Rudzinskis and Varis Lazo, Latvia Weight: 25.3 kg

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 1998-2018

champions

2012

After an incredibly exciting event at the magnificent Lake Bolsena in Italy, Peter Micula and Norbert Pongracz are crowned champions. The carp in Lake Bolsena are strong Dark and Golden and really put the team to the test.The weather conditions were perfect for the event and the venue proved to be extremely popular with the anglers. Lake Bolsena is the largest volcanic lake in Europe and the water is crystal clear, meaning that the anglers needed to develop new tactics to catch the cunning carp. It was the first time that a team from Romania/Hungary had won the title and what great champions they were.

2012 RESULTS Overall Champions:

Peter Micula and Norbert Pongracz, Romania Weight: 329.9kgs

Team Event:

Thomas Vanek & Peter Hofierk, Cz Republic; Andrea Campanini & Filippo Mongrandi, Italy; Stuart Downing & Rob Nunn Weight: 382.8kgs

Biggest Fish:

First Ladies make WCC history For the first time in the history of the World Carp Classic an all ladies pairing won the event. The very popular lizette Beunders and Bianca Venema said, “The moment we won the World Carp Classic at Lake Bolsena had to be one of the greatest moments of our lives. “As the rocket fired closing the competition our hearts were pounding. There was a huge media crew present taking lots of photographs and filming everything for the TV program. When we saw the beautiful trophy and heard our names being called as the overall champions we got the biggest goosebumps ever and to hear the national anthem being played for us was tremendously emotional. “After winning the World carp Classic our lives changed. Back home in the Netherlands it was incredible to see the fantastic reaction on different news sites and we got calls from all the Dutch radio and TV stations – we felt we were famous and that was an amazing feeling.”

Peter Micula & Norbert Pongracz, Romania Weight: Weight: 22.5kg

RESULTS Overall Champions: Bianca Venema & Lizette Beunders, Netherlands Weight: 366.5kgs

Team Event:

Andre Pieters & Craig Wood, Bianca Venema & Lizette Beunders, Netherlands. Wim Hanegraaf Dave Kesseler Weight: 366.5kgs

Biggest Fish:

Krzysztof Mroz, Poland Weight: 22.6kgs

2013

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 1998-2018

2014

2014 RESULTS

champions

Overall Champions:

Suspense to the end for Polish Champs

Team Event:

The final moment of the event could have been used in a suspense thriller for the eventual winners from Poland.

Andrzej Walczak, Gabriel Starzec & Krzysztof Chamusko, Poland Weight: 166.2kg Carp R Us, Poland and Czech Republic Weight: 181.8kg

Biggest Fish:

Brit Terry Houghton of Spomb – WCC record common carp caught to date Weight: 23.9 Kgs

Half an hour before the end of the event a film crew appeared with Ross Honey holding a flare, which is normally lit at the peg of the unofficial winners. The Polish team had their hearts in their mouths as they dreamt of winning the event. But when a call came through on the radio for Ross Honey, he and his team dashed off without saying a word. For the three Polish anglers, who just

moments before were convinced they were about to be notified that they had won the event, were left standing in silence looking blank and confused at their rods. A painstaking 15 minutes passed after the rocket announcing the end of the event had been launched, before the whole crew of WCC organisers appeared from round the corner and rushed towards the polish Anglers to let them know that yes, they were in fact the 2014 Champions. The mood swing moved the anglers to tears out of sheer emotion, relief, excitement and joy.

Hans finally makes the Connection 2015 RESULTS Overall Champions:

Larysa Switlyk, Hans Sissingh Mattie Curfs, USA/ Netherlands Weight: 61.6 kgs (3 biggest fish)

2015 supporting the next

generation of angling has always been of great importance to Angling Spirit, so the World Carp Classic Junior event was established and now runs annually. The free-to-enter competition is based on the main event. The Inaugural winners were a team from Italy,

Team Event:

Team Carp Connections Weight: 61,6kgs

Biggest Fish:

Viktor Lehrner, Austria Weight: 26.2kgs

After numerous years of performing well in the event, with Biggest fish at Lac Amance in 2003 and second place in Italy, this was to be the year for Carp Connections’ Hans Sissingh and his new team of American Larysa Switlyk and fellow Dutch, Matti Cruffs.

Initially, they were all very happy with their peg at the draw, but had a slow start – with the Polish team that had won

the event at Lake Bolsena the previous year quickly getting a 50lbs plus carp onto the leaderboard. Tensions grew as the battle then began with former 2013 Champions, also at Bolsena, the all girls’ team of Bianca Venema & Lizette Beunders closing in, closely followed by an Italian team landing great fish from different parts of the lake. However, in The end Hans, Larysa and Matti held their nerve to claim the prestigious Champions’ title.

2016

Competition heats up in Czech Republic The 2016 World carp Classic took place in the Czech Republic for the first time and on home soil the spotlight was on the Czech teams. Lake Novomlynske proved to be very demanding on the anglers – with steep banks on one side and concrete steps and boulders covered in tarmac on the other. Having been a flooded river, the lake also holds the remains of forests and huge quantities of razor mussels. Add to this temperatures exceeding well over 30degrees for most of the event and you can imagine the challenge. On one side of the lake there were numerous fish caught while on the other virtually none. In the end the hard work paid off for the Chech team captained by Karel Nikel, Jan dadak and Jakub Kumstahe, who by the end of the competition were crowned worthy 2016 Champions.

2015

2016 RESULTS Overall Champions: America goes Dutch.. Hans and Larysa team up for the first time to take the 2015 title

Karel Nikl, Jan Dadak and Jakub Kumsta from Team Czech Republic Carp’R’Us Weight: 58.6kg

Team Event:

Team Carp R Us Weight: 94.1kg

Biggest Fish: Jacek Wojciuch Weight: 21.6kg

2017 CHAMPIONSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s STORY BY TIM PAISLEY

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 2017

champions

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Destiny isn’t bound by the laws of probability Robert Santelli

HUTCHY, JACKO&TWO DREAMS AT MADINE

got a good draw at the first World Carp Classic singles event in 1998, as did my current Classic partner Lee Jackson, and we both caught, which turned out to be two practices we have not made a habit of at Madine down the years (drawing well, and catching).

I love Madine, but by 2017 I was starting to get the feeling she didn’t love me. I’m getting older, big-water events were starting to beat me up, and after the World Carp Classic in the Czech Republic in 2016 – when I was suffering a rare health setback – I felt enough was enough, and that it was time to retire from the WCC scene. Then the event returned to my favourite WCC venue, Lac de Madine, for the 2017 event, and I had a change of heart. 2018 would be the 20th anniversary of the first WCC, also scheduled to be held at Madine, which meant I’d have to give it a couple more shots. Partner Lee Jackson was definitely up for that. Ever the eternal optimist (I’m more of a realist where Madine is concerned), he Confidently suggested that we would win it in 2017, and return to defend our title in 2018. Whatever… In fact there was more to it than the WCC anniversary. September 2018 is, of course, almost 100 years on from the end of the First World War, give or take a few weeks. The Butte de Montsec, which overlooks Lac de Madine, commemorates the Saint-Mihiel salient, one of the last significant battles of that dreadful war, as does the extensive American Cemetery, just outside nearby Nonsard. It was the significance of these two very different anniversaries that strengthened my weakening resolve and influenced my decision to go back to Madine for one, maybe two, final times. I may be ‘good for my age’, but the logistics of these big-water events are extending me. Good for my age isn’t enough. If I can’t compete against the others on a level playing field then I shall retire from the fray. Your short-term fate is decided by the draw in all matches, especially on the big inland seas where an unfavourable draw means the fish may not be within half a mile of you. Over the years Jacko and I have gradually got slightly better at draws when we have been fishing together, but at Madine we have never drawn a swim which gave us a realistic chance of winning the event. Elsewhere we had enjoyed a modicum of success. John Lilley and I had come third at Amance, and when I drew the line at making a second pilgrimage to Italy Jacko fished with Rob Tough (a former Madine winner) and they came second.

‘‘

TIM PAISLEY

2017 CHAMPION

Even at Madine we had managed to catch the odd fish without actually threatening to win the event, our best joint effort being a section win. On the other hand Team Carpworld had won the team event on three separate occasions. You have two draws at Madine, one at registration to determine the order in which the actual draw will take place, and then the actual peg draw at the opening ceremony. I drew the ‘order’ number, which was 82, meaning 81 pegs would have been drawn (out of about 100) by the time we drew. I’ve come to dread those World Carp Classic draws. You sit with the map in front of you ticking off the pegs as the draw is made, and just hope that there is something meaningful left when it comes to your turn, and that you draw it! In fact this time around the early stages of the draw were fairly promising, with many of the ‘Oh no…’ pegs having been drawn by the time our turn came round. I didn’t trust Jacko, or me, with the actual peg draw and left it to ‘third angler’ Benji, Jacko’s Austrian friend. He drew 76, which didn’t register for a few moments, but when it did it could only be construed as good news: it was on the ‘reserve’ end of main island. The bad news was that this meant going through the upheaval of relocating our worldly goods and temporary homes by boat: the good news was that the peg was in an area of water that had produced two previous winners, our friends Rob Tough and Tom Duncan-Dunlop in 2009, and George Csonka and John Roberts in 2010. This was the ninth time Jacko and I fished Madine, and the eighth time we have had to relocate by boat. The fact that we

A waiting game ... You sit with the map in front of you ticking off the pegs as the draw is made, and just hope that there is something meaningful left when it comes to your turn: Jacko pensive, Julie looking on, and me feeling nervous.

To being at the beginning… The pre-event party in 1998 being filmed for the one-hour TV film which was made of the event. (above). Looking back at the pictures on file from the initial event in 1998 two things struck me. One was the low key pre-event group picture (inset) compared to the 2017 splendid array of organisers, competitors, third anglers, helpers and national flags.

Madine is my favourite by a country mile. The place invariably beats me up, but to a far lesser extent than all the other WCC venues I’ve fished might be on fish was a cause for some celebration, however arduous the logistics of getting to and from the swim, and actually fishing it. The WCC event has developed from a singles event of two nights in 1998, through to a pairs’ event the following year, through to the current format of a five-night pairs’ event, with a ‘third angler’ and/or helper permitted. The third angler being permitted to go out in the boat with one of the actual anglers has been a significant and meaningful change to the rules, and was invaluable in the big winds of last year’s competition, especially to those anglers in swims like ours where the shallower water and tree stumps extended for 30 yards or so from the edge of the reeds. The rods themselves were positioned 15 yards or so from the bivvies. Looking back at the pictures on file from the initial event in 1998 two things struck me. One was

the low key pre-event group picture compared to this year’s splendid array of organisers, competitors, third anglers, helpers and national flags. The second was the shot of a number of us going out to the main island in the steel sheep-carrying barge, which was apparently back in use in 2017. The pictures bear witness to the fact that one angler fishing two nights was a far simpler exercise than a team of three or four fishing five days and nights! When I posted the picture of us relocating from mainland to island on Facebook I think the scale of the event came as a shock to many people. The boat chain in the background is one team, headed for swim 65, a well-fancied draw after it produced the winners the previous year. Our mountain of gear and bait is waiting to be loaded onto two boats, while in the background former winner Rob Tough is making his team’s preparations to relocate to a distant swim.

On this occasion the boat trip felt perilous in the freshening wind, and my heart sank when I got the first sight of our swim, not because of its location, but because of its topography. There were fifteen yards of cut reeds between the water and the wooded bank, and another 25-30 yards of tree stumps beyond the reeds out into the lake. The significance of that was that it made using the boat very difficult, which was made even more difficult when it transpired that the boat we had hired had no oars or rowlocks. Help! Late on we got the required oars and rowlocks, a real necessity because of the need to raise the engine well before you got near the tree stumps. The depth of water to be negotiated before you got into the boat presented us with another problem. The night before the start Jacko had commented that his chest waders had been eaten by mice during the previous year’s event. My heart sank. I hadn’t checked mine, which I’d left on the garage floor during a bait-drying session when their hanging hook was otherwise occupied. When I checked on opening morning I discovered that the mice had eaten mine, too. The SOS was now for oars, rowlocks and chest waders. Thanks to the organisers, the generosity and efforts of Rob Hughes, and the kindness of marshal Gavin Gilbert, I was supplied with the necessary

2017 CHAMPIONS

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

TIM PAISLEY

The second big change .. a number of us, including Paul Forward and Steve Briggs, going out to the main island in the steel sheep-carrying barge in 1998, which was apparently back in use from the main port at Madine One in 2017. Compare this low-key embarkation to the scene in the next shot! waders on the second day. Their waist measurement made me feel quite slim for the first time in about 50-odd years. It rained, torrentially, throughout Tuesday, and with the wind in our faces the bivvy doors were down for the day. By midday Tuesday the German team of Sebastian Brandau and Florian Helder in Peg 87 had already landed two 50lb+ fish. One more of those and the rest of us were fishing for places! There was a boat ban in force on Wednesday, for safety reasons. Uncomfortably the 60-mph winds had uprooted meadows of Canadian pondweed, which had to be cleared from the lines. The gale-force wind started to ease late afternoon, and the boat ban was lifted early evening. I was in chest waders, and life-jacketed prior to going out to redo one of the weed laden rods. Early in the weed-clearing process I stumbled over a tree root, struggled to keep my balance, tipped over, and went under, filling the chest waders with lake water, and inflating the life jacket! Jacko, in waders, had at least one similar ducking over the next couple of days, and Benji at least one when he was taking possession of my chest waders from the supply boat. (My eagerlyawaited chest waders had arrived in my possession full of lake water.) No one said it would be easy. To say it was an uncomfortable Wednesday afternoon is an understatement, but it was the darkest hour before the dawn. While we were busy wrestling with the weed and tree stumps Jacko was away! The timing was providential. The boat ban had been lifted half an hour before, and there was no way we could have landed a fish from the 300-yard mark without the use of the boat. Jacko and Benji set off in pursuit while I continued my sodden weed-clearing operation, prior to guiding the boat back in, a duty

The Butte de Montsec.. on the hill opposite our bivvies was a constant reminder of what those poor sods went through exactly 99 years earlier.

I was more than happy to undertake on three more occasions prior to the final hooter. Our intrepid duo came back with a mirror of 41lb+: we were on the score sheet, and the extreme discomfort of the previous two days paled into insignificance. I was able to make a complete change of clothing from supplies, but Jacko was less fortunate: he had left his clothing suitcase in the van back on the mainland! (It was eventually brought out to him on Thursday morning.) And to put Jacko’s first fish, and what followed, into perspective this was his first Madine fish since the first night of the inaugural event in 1998. The outcome of the event is decided by the weight of a team’s three biggest fish. Early in the event the German team in unfancied Peg 87 had landed a brace of 50lb+ fish, which meant that with another decent fish they were going to be very difficult to beat. A couple of teams, including the Dutch guys in Peg 75 to our right, were on three fish early in the event, and hoping to improve their total with subsequent captures of bigger fish. Unfancied Peg 84 was also producing, for the previous year’s Czech winners Karel Nikl and Jan Dadak, and captures from unfancied areas were quite a feature of the 2017 event, giving hope for future draws. Previously swims 84 and 87 on the back of the main island were both ‘Oh no’s’! This time around they finished up third and second respectively. Having fished the back of the island in four previous Madine matches the change in fortunes for the area was of great interest, apparently brought about by the new distance ruling (and some great angling, obviously) Somehow you get through the uncomfortable days and nights, eat, sleep, wait, clear weed, fall in, dry off, conjecture, hope – and dream. In carp fishing, there are always the dreams of what might be, and then usually what might have been. In matches it is slightly more urgent than in ‘pleasure’ sessions because there is no second chance. At my age the need to succeed is even more urgent because you just don’t know if there will be another time. Through Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday I wasn’t even sure that I wanted another time! I say that but the Butte de Montsec on the hill opposite our bivvies was a constant reminder that what we were going through, even in the in the most uncomfortable of moments, was absolutely nothing compared to what those heroic poor sods of all nationalities went through in the trenches, prior to being blown away. There is a particularly poignant wall at the nearby American war cemetery listing the names of the countless young men from the USA whose remains had never been found. I have read the war poems of Wilfred Owen, from Shropshire, who was killed just seven days before the end of the First World War. His line ‘The poignant misery of dawn

The boat chain... in the background is one team, headed for swim 65. Our mountain of gear and bait is waiting to be loaded onto two boats, while in the immediate background former winner Rob Tough is finalising his team’s preparations for relocation to a distant swim.

In matches it is slightly more urgent because there is no second chance. At my age the need to succeed is even more urgent because you just don’t know if there will be another time!

I was supplied with the necessary waders on the second day. Their waist measurement made me feel quite slim for the first time in about 50odd years.

‘Don’t you dare, Pete Castle…’ Click! Thanks Rob Hughes and Gavin Gilbert for supplying me with well-needed waders

2017 CHAMPIONS

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

TIM PAISLEY

End of the line ... They found a whopping great carp sitting in a weedbed on the end of Jacko’s line! It weighed 25.6 Kilos, putting us in eighth place, or thereabouts begins to grow…’ struck a chord with me, and comes back to me often. Dawns are a thing of beauty, but not in a war when daylight hostilities were about to be resumed. I guess the fact that Wilfred Owen will have been familiar with the verdant Shropshire pastures in which the carp waters I run, Mangrove and Birch Grove lie, sharpens my appreciation of his work, and the futility of his death. The reminders of the conflict of this battlefield of 100 years ago are still strongly in evidence at Madine. The 60 mph winds eased, but strong winds prevailed throughout, and you just hoped a boat ban wouldn’t be re-implemented when there were other teams well ahead. Fortunately Wednesday evening was the last of the bans, although it must have been marginal at times, and drifting Canadian pondweed on the lines continued to range between being a problem, and a nightmare. Jacko had an occurrence during Thursday night which necessitated him and Benji going out in the boat to investigate. They were soon back and I thought it had been a false alarm, but not so. They had found a whopping great carp sulking in a weedbed on the end of Jacko’s line! It weighed 25.6 Kilos, (56lb+) and put us in eighth place, or thereabouts. There was a gathering of the great and the good in the swim the morning after a capture, which included the worthies pictured here. I am indebted to my old mate Pete Castle for some of the pictures, and to Rob Hughes for making good use of my camera on the final morning. Oh yes, that final morning… We went into the final night with two fish, and among the near-miss also rans. Soon into dark one of Jacko’s rods roared off into the night, and Jacko and Benji set off in pursuit. They were gone for quite some time, while I did my imitation of a heron, out in the lake, waiting to guide them in through the other lines. They made it back, with another absolute whacker. We requested the early presence of our long-suffering marshals, Greg and Martin, from the other end of the island (strange arrangement, but that’s a long story, as well as being a long walk!). We guessed that by now kilos were going to be significant and we wanted the fish witnessed as soon as possible. They duly turned up and put a weight of 25K on the fish. A second 25K fish! Wow, or, in modern parlance OMG. We were on 69.2k, and didn’t know whether we were in the lead or not. We knew that we were ahead of the guys to our right, but didn’t know the exact weights of the teams in swims 84 and 87. To confuse matters further I had a text in the early hours, at 3.15am to be precise, which tersely announced, ‘The Germans up here have just had a fish of 21.6 kilos’. I still don’t know who sent the text, and as it didn’t specify which Germans, or which peg, we could only hope that it wasn’t the guys in 87. As it

turned out later, it was! Our two previous darkness fish had come well before 2.00 am so when we restlessly, and wearily, reached that time we felt that we were on a wing and a prayer regarding the sums, and the outcome. In fact we had just put our heads on our pillows around quarter to three when Jacko’s redone rod roared off again, once again heralding a successful pursuit by Jacko and Benji. This was the lovely scaly fish, and while we couldn’t come up with an exact weight with my scales, we knew that at a weight of 21.K+ it improved our score by about 3K. We sent an urgent summons through to our friends Greg and Martin, and once again they tramped the length of the island to do the honours. It was well after 4.00 a.m. by the time the fish was confirmed at the official weight of 21.7K, and with just a few hours to go the weary marshals stayed with us for the rest of the night. I sent a text through to Ross confirming that we had fish of 25K and 21.7K sacked up for the morning photo shoot, and his reply implied that this might be enough to edge us ahead. He later confirmed that it had been a very tense night at HQ, with the Czechs jumping into the lead, only to be overtaken by the Germans two pegs away, whose improved weight was, in turn, eclipsed by our final fish. My rods had been quiet until after the last fish when one finally roared into life. Benji and I set off into the darkness in pursuit, but 200 yards out into the lake the line slackened off, and I reeled the end tackle in. The 12oz lead was still on so whatever had occurred hadn’t been a take; possibly a line trailer from one of the lake’s big cats that had been lost during the event. The HQ and media teams showed up at around 7.20 a.m., with 40 minutes to go. Our marshals and HQ were represented in the swim so we would know if there was a final change in the leading weights. We thought we were past feeding time and felt nervously confident, but Madine had been so cruel to Jacko and me in the past that celebrations were firmly on hold until the 8.00 a.m. fireworks signalled the end of the match. Then euphoria set in, and we celebrated amid the silent whirr of film cameras, and the click of camera shutters. It wasn’t until we discovered that the Germans’ final weight was 69.4 kilos that we realised that we had been 0.2 of a kilo behind until the 3.00 a.m. fish improved our weight to our final total of 72k+. (In fact the Germans’ last fish and ours must have been caught at around the same time, certainly within half an hour of each other.) The lateness of the resolving of the outcome was tough on the second, third and fourth placed teams who were all in with a real shout right up to the final seconds, but we’ve all had our share of put-downs at Madine, and elsewhere, and could only celebrate

Close call ... I sent a text through to Ross confirming that we had fish of 25K and 21.7K sacked up for the morning photo shoot, and his reply implied that this might be enough to edge us ahead: Jacko’s extraordinary brace from the final night which eased us in to first place with just four hours to go.

There was a boat ban in force on Wednesday, for safety reasons. The 60 mph winds had uprooted meadows of Canadian pondweed, which had to be cleared from the lines.

2017 CHAMPIONS

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

TIM PAISLEY

‘Give it the big un!’.. they said after the fireworks heralded the end of the match – so we did! (Right) There was a gathering of the great and the good in the swim the morning after a capture, which included the worthies pictured here. From left, back: Ross Honey, Jacko, Pete Castle and yours truly. Front: Rob’s cameraman, Robert Kiss, Rob Hughes and Benji. our good fortune. (My piece in the 2017 WCC magazine was titled The Fickle Finger of Fate, bemoaning a cruel stroke of bad luck in the 2015 Madine event.) At the end our neighbouring Dutch friends from swim 75, who had fished a great match in a very difficult peg for fourth place, came down to our swim to join in our celebrations, a much-appreciated gesture. The sting in the tail was the packing up and return to terra firma. It took us four weary, arduous, seemingly endless hours to get everything packed away and precariously crammed and roped on the boat ready for transportation to the mainland. Then, when you get to the disembarkation area, you go through the earlier tribulations, in reverse, in competition with a number of other beleaguered groups going through the same process. My phone was hot, not with congratulations (they had started, and accelerated later) but with Ross persistently ringing to ask us where we were, as they couldn’t start the presentation ceremony without us! We allowed ourselves ten minutes back at the gîte to try to make ourselves half-presentable for the joyous awards ceremony, which we were rather enthusiastic to take part in after 19 years of trying. The ceremony itself was as joyous as it was meant to be, and Jacko and I sang along enthusiastically (if a tad tunelessly) to the national anthem. I said in a recent look back at my carp-fishing life that the greatest day had been the final day on the St. Lawrence in 2005, when Steve Briggs and I knew we had won our second World Carp Fishing title. If the outcome at Madine hasn’t eclipsed that memory, it has at least equalled it. You fish against the world’s best in these events, and many of the teams spend their lives fishing via the use of a boat. You can feel in awe of the reputation and capabilities of many of these guys and gals at the draw. Watching them go out from the landing areas to their swims to do battle, they look as though they know exactly what they are doing, while your own efforts can feel distinctly amateurish at times. But we know enough about the big waters to get it right when it matters, as Jacko did in spades this time around, in particular at the eleventh hour when those extra three kilos tipped the balance in our favour. It was memorable, and if it proves to be my last major success of any sort in carp fishing it will be a hard-earned one, a carp fishing successes should be. Thanks Jacko and Benji for making the outcome possible in extremely trying circumstances. Jacko is the greatest in the world at taking carp-fishing adversity and set-backs in his

stride, and simply awesome at staying upbeat no matter what the circumstances. To wrap it up there was an unexpected link between Hutchy, the making of his Dream at Madine videos and our World Carp Classic victory. Jacko’s second fish on the final night, the lovely scaly mirror which I got to hold in the morning brace shot, was one of the fish I caught during the making of the Dream at Madine video all those years earlier. Not wishing to sound too corny I think I could rightly claim to have taken part in two Dreams at Madine, one Hutchyinspired and one Jacko-inspired. It was an awesome occasion, ultimately made possible by Ross Honey’s 90s’ vision, his organisational ability, and the committed admin teams and helpers he comes up with year after year. The World Carp Classic has come a long way from that first comparatively low-key event of 1998, and to talk to Ross you get the feeling that ‘We ain’t seen nothing yet’!

TIM PAISLEY

‘If a picture paints a thousand words…’ The Butte de Montsec memorial is in the background to the trophy shot of this 22lb scaly mirror, one of the fish I caught during the making of Hutchy’s Dream at Madine videos. This is the 21.7K fish that clinched the World Carp Classic for us in the early hours of the final morning almost twenty years later!

On Reflection .. The expression Saint-Mihiel salient (meaning spur), and the scale and significance of the local memorials, finally prompted me to find out more. The history of the battle stopped me in my tracks, and moved me to tears. The battle took place in extremely wet and windy weather from 12th -15th September 1918. Overall casualties across both sides totalled 6,500 killed in action, 8,000 wounded in action, and 15,000 prisoners of war. There is moving archive film footage of the hostilities, and the dedication of the memorial, on the Saint-Mihiel Salient internet site, and the 1927 film ‘Wings’ was based on this battle. 550,000 US troops and 110,000 French participated. Conditions were so extreme that many tanks were rendered useless, and in places foot soldiers were up to their knees in mud. The historical facts made me feel very guilty for having had the odd moment of feeling sorry for myself during the some of the extreme weather we fished through. The fishing took place from 11th through to 16th September, exactly 99 years on from the time the battle commemorated by the Butte de Montsec raged across the area. The battle embraced Madine, and the surrounding area, including nearby Heudicourt, where we enjoyed our celebratory after-match dinner. When you fish these events winning is what you strive for, but on reflection, sometimes it is enough just to be alive, and to be part of the multi-national carp fishing family in a generation which hasn’t been torn apart by a third futile world war.

Fame waits for no man ... We had ten minutes back at the gîte to try to make ourselves half-presentable for the presentation ceremony, which we were rather enthusiastic to take part in after 19 years of trying. The ceremony itself was as joyous as it was meant to be. 19 years on we finally laid hands on the special World Carp Classic trophy.

Back to reality... Jacko’s drenched in it, and I’m drinking it. Jacko has been teetotal for a number of years now so, heroically, I had to toast the occasion for both of us. I’m still doing so, a year later… l Special thanks to my friends Pete Castle, Tom Duncan-Dunlop and Rob Hughes for their generous support with the photography.

PRiZE TABLE

WORLD CARP CLASSIC 2018

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 30

CHAMPIONS OF CHAMPIONS 2017... After nailing the 2016 Championships, the Czech team went on to take Champion of Champions 2017 trophy ... what will they achieve this year?

E L B A T E Z I R P M U L M A N O I MINI T A N R E T N I BE AN World Carp Classic 2018 Champions n Title: “Champion of the 2018 World

Carp Classic” trophies with a £15,000 cheque. n Plus! personalised boilies rolled to their own recipe by Dynamite Baits Champions will receive boilies to your own personalised recipe to the market value of €2000 RRP* n Plus! Unique golden Reuben Heaton scales, Lowrance fish finders and equipment, Carp Spirit prizes, Dometic products, Flambeau Products and Eagle Claw Products. n Plus! A year of international PR and Marketing as the World Carp Classic Champions, Invitations to have guest appearances at international anglings shows, a 4 page feature in the 2018 Official magazine and promotional video made about a year in the life of the WCC Champions 2018. * For Dynamite prizes follow the link to get details and T&C’s

Second Overall winners n Trophies and a £3000 cheque. n Plus! Dynamite products up to the retail

value of €1,000 RRP*.

n Plus! Lowrance fish finders, Reuben

Heaton Competition scales, Carp Spirit prizes, Dometic products, Flambeau Products and Eagle Claw Products

Third Overall winners n Trophies and a £2000 cheque. n Plus! Dynamite products up to the retail

value of € 500 RRP*.

n Plus! Lowrance fish finders, Reuben

Heaton Competition Scales, Carp Spirit prizes, Dometic products, Flambeau Products and Eagle Claw Products

plus SURP ! RI VIP P EGS FZE ROM DO LOWR METIC. A RIDG NCE AND EMON KEY

2018 EVENT ITINERARY

Friday 14th September n 10:00: Bivvy City at Lac de Madine opens its

doors to welcome WCC18. (By sports hall at 55210 Heudicourt Sous Les Cotes)

n 15:00 – 19:00: On-site Participants

Registration

Saturday 15th September n 09:00 – 18:00: On-site Participants

Registration

n 18:30 onwards: Pre event welcome party

. . S U L P ! 0 0 OF £70,0 R A YEAR! O F R A T S L Second Place

Team Event Second place Trophies Plus! A holiday at Fishing Resort Du Der from Carp Connections.

with catering and look back through the years with WCC family and friends

Sunday 16th September n 09:00 – 12:00: On-site Participants

Registration n 16:00: Official Official Picture followed by official Flag Parade n 17:15: Official Opening Ceremony n 17:30: Official Peg Draw

Third Place

Team Event Third place Trophies Plus! A holiday at Fishing Resort Du Der from Carp Connections.

WCC18 Biggest Fish

WCC18 Biggest Fish Trophy Plus! Dynamite products up to the retail value of €600 RRP*

WCC18 Champion of Champion Trophy 7 Section Winners n Trophies and sponsors’ products from

Section sponsors Ridge Monkey, Karpela, Carp R Us, Dometic, Jochym Marine, PB Products, Dynamite and Carp Spirit

WCC18 Sportsmanship Award Trophy

VIP Peg Prizes

‘No Fish Prize’ Dynamite Baits

n Prizes from Dometic,

n Any anglers

Lowrance, Ridgemonkey, Dynamite and Carp Spirit

Team Event Winners First Place Trophies Plus! A holiday at Fishing Resort Du Der from Carp Connections.

unfortunate enough to ‘blank’ during the week will have a chance to be drawn at random to win €300 RRP* of Dynamite Baits from their full product range.

Monday 17th September n 07:00: Anglers invited to go to their swim n 14:00: Start of the competition – 114 hours non

stop (from WCC17 defending champions’ swim)

n 20:00: Broadcast of daily event up-date

Saturday 22nd September n 08:00: End of competition n 14:00: Closing Ceremony followed by Prize

Giving.

WCC 2018 PARTICIPA AUSTRIA WCC18-013 WCC18-023 WCC18-027 WCC18-031 WCC18-043 WCC18-051

WCC18-060

Captain Markus De Buigne Bait-Service Austria Andreas Gumilar Patrick Paier Michael Loser Dominik Faist Manfred Paar Jasmine Schuster CarpSpirit

DENMARK Vice Captain Andreas Papesch

3rd Angler Stefan Strasser

Hubert-Johannes Wiedner Stefan Darnhofer Michael Moche Patrick Grasser Josef Ruthofer

Stefan Eisenberger Dominik Kreiner Johann Medlitsch Philipp Hohenwarter

Rene Jauker

AUSTRALASIA WCC18-088

Captain Milan Vukosavljevic

Vice Captain Aaron Andrus

3rd Angler Julien Scherrer

Vice Captain Frederic Laroche Stephanie Dennison Christian Gilbart

3rd Angler Jean-Pierre Capitte Laurent Mortellet

Johnny de Pooter Neils van Vooren Koos Megens

BELGIUM WCC18-014 WCC18-036 WCC18-038 WCC18-056 WCC18-065 WCC18-071

Captain Joel Wauthia Jean Marc Errolen Frederic Van Rysseghem Hainaut Peche Tom Mertens James De Koker Dimitri Fannes

WCC18-085 WCC18-097 WCC18-098

Ken Vangeel Thierry Podevijn Charles Deconinck Deconinck Peche

Laurens Wagemans Rony Geens Daniel Thouillez

WCC18-106 WCC18-108

Mike Lamberts Martin Sterckx

Kenny Bruijnaers Tom Sterckx

Stefan vd Pluim Davy Sterckx

BULGARIA WCC18-058

Captain Pencho Zlatev

Vice Captain Peyo Peev

Captain Andrew Walker

3rd Angler

ENGLAND

WCC18-001

Captain Vice Captain 3rd Angler Tim Paisley Lee Jackson Benji Fisherlauser Defending Champions

WCC18-004 WCC18-005 WCC18-006 WCC18-007 WCC18-008 WCC18-010 WCC18-015

Tom Ison Chris Wilds Tim Swain Andy Swain Francis Pavey Paul Butler Paul Sharman Keith Turner Jonathan Hughes Champion 2005 Jasper Giles Justin Giles Stephen Payton Lee Goldfinch Bryan Houghton Lee Merritt Terry Houghton

WCC18-020 WCC18-028 WCC18-029 WCC18-030 WCC18-033 WCC18-057 WCC18-062 WCC18-076 WCC18-079

Jon Scoffield Lee Ranson Rob Tough Champion 2009 Jochym Marine David Coates David Pendegrass Richard Hughes Nutrabaits Michael Mack Jack Lamb Thomas Wright

WCC18-081 WCC18-092 WCC18-110 WCC18-113

Robert Saunders Bruce Larg Gary Fordham Alex Lister Dynamite

Tom McKeown Paul Roach Tom Duncan-Dunlop John Tadgell Champion 2009 Graham Loft Dale Masterson Darren Hilton John Stembridge Sebastiaan Schuurman Scott Holland Ben Hodgetts Brian Byford Darren McLaughlin

John Lamb

Josh Boyes Mick Coxon Steven Fordham Dean Fierro

Miles Carter Mark Strevens

WCC18-016 WCC18-037

Captain Anthony Garcia Steven Albenesius

Vice Captain Charles Monet Jeremy Meyer

WCC18-055 WCC18-078 WCC18-0 WCC18-0

Ludovic Bourgoin Pascal Trehoux Deconinck Peche Jean-Marie FroÑ&#x2018;liger Philippe Hermal

Jonathan Moser Frederic Langlade

Romain Chevrier Fabien Hermal

Jean-Louis Canitrot Alexandre Tauvel

WCC18-041 WCC18-049

CZECH REPUBLIC WCC18-024

Captain Frantisek Slingr

WCC18-050 WCC18-069

Tomas Slavik Petr Korbicka Karel Nikl Jan Dadak Champion 2016 Champion 2016 Carp R Us

Michal Savruk Jakub Kumsta Champion 2016

WCC18-070

Robert Rizman Carp R Us

Josef Fasko

Vice Captain Per Ogar Hansen Anders Pehrson

FRANCE

Vice Captain Jarryd Monoham

Vice Captain Jan Rott

Captain Ken Pedersen Erik Bilde

3rd Angler

CANADA WCC18-073

WCC18-084 WCC18-095

3rd Angler Miroslav Brchl

Frederic Ducros Younes Gonzales Deeper Jean Philippe Prajsnar Yann Sirot Granjean

3rd Angler

FRANCE Cont. WCC18-080 WCC18-090 WCC18-091 WCC18-093 WCC18-101 WCC18-105 WCC18-111

NEW ZEALAND

Captain Vice Captain 3rd Angler Jean Pierre Becker Lilian Joly Champions 2007 Grand Est Christophe Courtois Eric Debourtois Laurent Fougeras Media Carpe Stephane Gentile Jean-Baptiste Roussel Grand Est Lionel Braun Remy Ensminger Fabrice Winterstein Jauffrey Dalstein Lionel Meier Bertrand Capuano Thomas Natale SPIE Julien Kehlert Jonathan Rothe Michel Rothe

GERMANY WCC18-002 WCC18-019 WCC18-026 WCC18-032 WCC18-035

Captain Stefan Oberhauser Thomas Muller Champion 2011 Kai Pommeranz Franz Rettenbacher BaitFabrik Timo Koppermann

WCC18-040 WCC18-046 WCC18-047 WCC18-074

Pia Petsch Jochen Petsch Michael Mosbacher Axel Wacker Hermann Kreidenweiss Horst Wacker Biggest Fish since 2009 Jens Kleine Markus Hippchen Hans-Ludwig Gadke Dastin Runge

WCC18-099

Emir Caro Ridgemonkey

Vice Captain Max Brandmaier Stephen Freeland

3rd Angler

Dirk Schumacher Patrick Buhr

Christoph Baacke, Uwe Shore

Simon Wichert

Bernhard Kilian

Captain Krisztian Pacsuta

Vice Captain Peter Gal

3rd Angler

Vice Captain Jacques Niehaus

3rd Angler

POLAND WCC18-009 WCC18-022 WCC18-034 WCC18-044

Captain Krzysztof Mroz Marcin Mizera Leszek Ataman Marek Krawczyk

Vice Captain Leszek Rutecki Ryszard Mizera Lech Luczkowski Adam Brzoza

3rd Angler

WCC18-052 WCC18-054 WCC18-064 WCC18-066 WCC18-086 WCC18-100

Jacek Wojciuch Karol Olejnik Karol Majewski Jaroslaw Gulej Henryk Kolender Krzysztof Charmuszko Champion 2014

Dariusz Kulczycki Grzegorz Turowski Piotr Janusz Jaroslaw Dabrowski Tomasz Krupa Andrzej Walczak

Slawomir Wasilik, Dariusz Bomba Artur Grajek Robert Budzinski Wojciech Kedzierski Dariusz Cios

WCC18-107

Marcin Garbarz Tomasz Janula,

Champion 2014

Gabriel Starzec Tomasz Wasniowski Champion 2014

ROMANIA WCC18-104

Captain Lucian Mocan

Vice Captain Adrian Horatiu Tirlea

3rd Angler Tudor Brie

Vice Captain Evgeny Kiselev

3rd Angler

Vice Captain Keith Borthwick

3rd Angler

RUSSIA WCC18-011

Captain Aleksei Tretiakov

Captain Vice Captain Gioseph Spagnolo Tolber Loris Torni Giorgio Rigucci Andrea Riggucci Riccardo Battisti Daniele Colapicchioni

WCC18-102

Captain Gavin Riddell

SLOVENIA

ITALY WCC18-039 WCC18-087 WCC18-109

Captain Marius Koekemoer

SCOTLAND

HUNGARY WCC18-077

WCC18-063

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

ANTS list

3rd Angler

WCC18-017 WCC18-068

Captain David Primozic Damijan Pucnik

Vice Captain Bostjan Bercon Marko Vivod

3rd Angler Simon Fale Ljubo Vivod

WCC18-094

Denis Zizek

Ales Salamun

SPAIN JAPAN WCC18-089

Captain Masayuki Aono

Vice Captain Hisayuki Fusejima

3rd Angler

LITHUANIA WCC18-025

Captain Andrius Milonaitis

Vice Captain Andrey Bazhutkin

3rd Angler

Captain Alvaro Hernandez Dominguez

Vice Captain Antonio Salvado Gonzalo

WCC18-053 WCC18-059

Roberto Royan Ruiz Alfonso Corchado Berjano Andrew Macgregor Frank Granados Angel Bonal Dynamite Baits

WCC18-112

Iban Villarroya

Juantxu-Arias

3rd Angler

SWEDEN

NETHERLANDS WCC18-003

Captain Sint Brouwer

Vice Captain Willem Perridon

3rd Angler Ronald Brink

WCC18-018 WCC18-045 WCC18-048 WCC18-061 WCC18-067 WCC18-072 WCC18-082 WCC18-096 WCC18-103

Hans Sissingh Champion 2015 Carp Connections Richard Van Leeuwen Olaf Simons Maarten Gommers Carp Connections Daniel Van Noord Marc Verhagen Jacob Bakker Lars Bood PB products Nico de Vries

Mattie Curfs Champion 2015

Hans Kuijten

Dennis Nijland Brian Charles Raats Daan Uijen

Sander van Triet,

WCC18-042

Captain Janne Bohlin

Vice Captain Martin Wihlstrand

3rd Angler Gert Samuelsson

3rd Angler

TURKEY

Captain

Vice Captain

WCC18-075

Umit Saribacak

Ahmet Hakan Sariyildiz Yilmaz Ender

Vice Captain Denys Fylyppov

UKRAINE

Randy vd Haterd

Chris van de Coevering Marco Bottenberg Jan Van Esch Hendrik Bos Albert Baarssen Peter Hillebrand Marco van Poelgeest

WCC18-021

WCC18-012

Captain Pavlo Matviienko Karpela

3rd Angler Iurii Usyk

Rik de Vries

CANADA LONG SAULT, ONTARIO

Canadian Bounties The first ever WCC Qualifying event in Canada took place in 2017. The winners would gain entry to the WCC 2018 on its 20th anniversary in France. My partner Jarryd Monohan and myself knew the stakes were high â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to be the first Canadian team to represent our country

2018 WORLD CARP CLASSIC

QUALIFIERS

CANADA LONG SAULT, ONTARIO

We had prepared as much as we could leading up to the WCC18 Qualifying event, knowing that some of the absolute best Canadian Carp anglers would be present in Long Sault, Ontario for the 53-hour long tournament.

‘‘

All the teams gathered on the Thursday evening at the local Pub, for a review of the rules with the event coordinators, as well as getting the muchanticipated peg draw under way, so we knew where we would be fishing the following day. After everyone had a bite to eat, there was time to get a good chat in with the opposition – trying to find out what pegs everyone wanted and what some of their winning strategies were. After going over the rules it was simple. Every team was to catch as many carp over 10lbs as they could in the time limit provided, with only one rod per person and teams of two people. The time had finally arrived for the peg draw and we knew out of the 15 available swims there were only a handful of swims we wanted – 2 swims side by side called the “Pines” that we knew had a very good chance of producing a lot of fish. Everyone drew numbers to see the order that we would draw the pegs. As for the selection of the pegs, we were allowed to pull a ball which was represented on a map. If we didn’t like it, we could choose a second ball and peg choice, but you were then stuck with what you picked the second time. We were 4th to choose and when it came our turn I went up with confidence, knowing no matter what, we would have a great time and catching fish would just come with time and effort. If we put the proper work in, we would have a place in the standings. I reached into the bag, grabbed my ball saw that it was unlucky number 13 – the swim my partner and I wanted more than any other swim in the tournament ... the infamous “Pines”. We went to bed not long after, as we knew we were allowed to show up at the swim at 5am and could begin fishing at 7am. We arose to our alarm clocks bright and early, with enough time to snatch up a few Tim Hortons

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Coffees, get over to our swim and set up all our gear and site for the two and half days. We were rather confident with where we were fishing due to the fact that I had fished this swim previous years around the same time of year, which gave me an understanding to the bottom structure and to where the fish would be staging at different times of the day. The swim was a large flat in front of about four feet of water for 80-90 metres out, where it hits the current edge and the main river channel. The casting had to be very precise within the 90-100 metre range. Too short of a cast was in thick green weeds and too far you would be in strong current where the lead would not hold and it would just roll along the bottom. We had nine 5-gallon buckets of maize to spod for bait along with 10kgs of boilies. We decided to use a panko\oats with corn pack bait on long Blowback rigs with Pineapple/pineapple snowman rigs. When 7am arrived, we had everything ready and we got both rods in with no hesitation. We had now put out close to one full bucket of maize and had been seeing a fair amount of carp rolling in our swim. Well, it wasn’t ten minutes into the tournament and an alarm was screaming. It wasn’t ours, but the team that was directly to our right on the up current side. They landed what looked to be a nice low twenty pounder. Jarryd and myself looked at each other and said here we go again, not another tournament of being next to the winning team.We couldn’t of been more wrong... Our first rod screamed off as I ran down the small embankment to grab it. Then the second rod was going crazy. I picked up the rod thinking the first fish had picked up the second line but no, we had a double. Both fish were landed and this was when the magic started. Jarryd and I began working like a well-oiled machine. Working to each other’s strengths, with Jarryd being fairly new to carp fishing, he would allow me to cast to ensure we hit that magical one that the fish were feeding in. Jarryd prepared the method balls as I casted out the new traps and picked up the spomb to get more bait out. I only had the time to get three spombs out and we had another rod away. Jarryd picked up and landed the fish and slipped the 3 of them into holding sacs as I continued feeding. As he got the rod prepared to get it back out again the second rod melted off. It wasn’t even an hour into the tournament and we were onto our fourth fish.

I reached into the bag, grabbed my ball saw that it was unlucky number 13 – the swim my partner and I wanted more than any other swim in the tournament ... the infamous “Pines”.

The whole first day continued like this with us having over 28 fish landed in the first 12 hours of the tournament. A lot of teams had still not yet landed their first fish. When the marshals left us, we had confidence going into the first night, knowing that we had a substantial lead over our competitors as well as having some high 20-pound fish keeping us in the lead for the big fish prize. As they left, the Marshals said if we started to have too many fish through the night, just to call and they would come from the motel, if not they would be seeing us in the morning at 8am. The night didn’t miss a beat.We didn’t have any time to sleep, let alone barely eat or drink. The only time we weren’t catching fish was when we had our rods out to tie rigs because we had none left that were tied or we had to rebait up our rigs. At 6am the next morning, the marshals arrived after we had to call them because we had all ten of our keep sacs full with 3 or more fish. We had now been fishing a little over the 24-hour mark and we had over 50 fish and both looking for some kind of break. Too tired to cook, I decided to pull my rod and allow Jarryd to fish one rod as I went for a breakfast and coffee run. In the time I got away, I got to drive and see a few other teams. Everyone was having a very hard time producing little to no fish. The south east wind seemed to be blowing a lot of food and warmer water into our swim – it was the opposite affect on almost all the other swims. I came back after nearly an hour to find Jarryd was still hauling fish and my wife had arrived to help assist in cooking for us and doing other basic tasks she could help out with. We had lots of visitors and other teams that left their dead swims to come watch the action where we were. We even had to call in reinforcements when the pod I was using blew in half from the now more than 70-80 savage runs that we had leading up to this point. By the second night, the bite still hadn’t slowed at all. We had upwards of 90 fish and well over the 1000lbs mark all together. Jarryd has beaten his personal best twice, first with a 29lbs common and later on to have a 30lbs

common. The winds were still relentless in our faces with much of our time being spent in the water in wet clothes and wet shoes, we were spent. We really had no time to take any pictures of our fish other than the nicer fish from 31 to just under 28 pounds. This is when we decided to finally call it a night at midnight of the second night with 95 fish and only 12 hours left to go. I awoke at 7 am the next morning to the sound of Jarryd talking to the team beside us. They had caught a good amount of fish through the night. Jarryd then came over to tell me that he was going to put our rods back out to see if we could catch a few more fish and to say we surpassed the 100 mark in a session. I was still in bed, so left it to Jarryd to get the rod as it screamed off only minutes after he had put it out. I asked him if he needed help and he began to reply that he would be ok, when the second rod began to melt off and I knew I was going to have to get out of bed. We landed the double as well as 7 or so other fish in the following to hours to come. At 10 am we popped a bottle of champagne knowing that we had 105 fish for 1877lbs of carp. We only had time to pour the second glass of champagne when the rods were off again. We never did get to drink any more champagn! We went on to win 1st place, with more fish and weight than the other 13 teams combined and had secured our chance at the 2018 World Carp Classic in France.

‘‘

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 38

CANADA LONG SAULT, ONTARIO

The whole first day continued like this with us having over 28 fish landed in the first 12 hours of the tournament. A lot of teams had still not yet landed their first fish.

17 Danish teams, from all over the country, came together to compete in the official Danish WCC qualification over two great lakes.

Part 1: Sorø Lake

25th - 27th MAY 2018 For the second year, all teams would participate in two qualifying events in two different lakes. The first part took place at the famous Sorø Lake with a size of over 220 hectare and carp up to over 40 pounds. This year it already had been warm and sunny for several weeks and most of the fish had finished spawning. After the peg-draw at 3pm all teams set out to find their pegs on this beautiful, sunny and warm day. The first night brought some fish on 4 different pegs and Team “Bait Me” took the lead with 2 fish on the Saturday morning, but Team “Danish Big Game” overtook during the second night. 7 of 17 teams caught fish in the first part of the qualifying.

MoJo, who were ahead until Sunday morning and had also caught at Sorø lake 4 weeks before. However, things changed into the morning of Sunday and team “Arvingerne fra Næsbygård” started catching fish, in fact so many, they gained as many points as Team MoJo. Four other teams also caught fish at Tuel Lake. Team “Bait Me” caught fish in both quailfiers and got a 3rd place overall. With the last fish being landed only 30 minutes before the end of the competition, the two leading teams ended up with the same points. As the competition must be determined on the total weight of fish, the champion’s title went to Per & Ken, beating “Team Mojo” with 100g and winning this year’s WCC qualifying in Denmark. Great Danes .. So close and yet so far away, Team Mojo’s hopes (below) are taken by team ‘Arvingerne fra Næsbygård’ (top), by100g

Part 2: TUEL Lake

22nd - 24th JUNE 2018 Only 14 of 17 Teams arrived to the second part of the WCC qualifying in Tuel lake, only 4km away from the Sorø Lake. Tuel is a 180 hectar and an interesting lake with many fishes. The teams set out to the swims after the peg draw at 3pm on Friday. But the stormy conditions made it really difficult for a lot of teams to prepare their pegs and get the rods out. With not less than 100g, Per & Ken, also known as team “Arvingerne fra Næsbygård”, succeeded and took victory from Team

With the last fish being landed only 30 minutes before the end of the event, the two leading teams ended up with the same points

QUALIFIERS

Getting their Mojo back: Per and Ken snatch Danish title by a mere 100g

2018 WORLD CARP CLASSIC

DENMARK Sorø Lake & Tuel Lake

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

SPAIN Horno Tejero

Where there’s a will.. Spain’s Carlos and Alvaro with one of their first specimins caught at peg 20, despite the extreme weather conditions.

he Spanish qualifying event in May this year was organised by Andy Mcgregor and Team CARPdiem Spain and took place on the 282 hectar lake, Horno Tejero, situated close to Cordobilla de Lacara, in Extremadura, Spain.

A total of 24 pairs participated in the event with teams traveling hundreds of miles from all over the Spanish peninsular to compete. With a maximum of 36 swims, the lake was divided up into four different sections for the sponsors Shimano, Dynamite, Lowrance, and Nutrabaits. Massive Fish and close season Although tricky, Horno Tejero is home to some massive residents with almost all fish caught being over the 20kg mark. Making this a truly incredible place to host the event. After just three hours of the event starting, a total of four fish had been caught including a cracking wild common carp of 21.800kg, caught by Oscar Viñas and Jorge Serrano Menendez from Madrid. This fish was caught from the Dynamite Section of the lake, Peg 8. Jorge Sacristan and Raul Gonzalez, also from Madrid, quickly caught the first fish landing a stunning 19.200kg common carp signalling that this was going to be an incredible event. The weather for this time of the year was incredibly mixed – competitors had just a few hours to get their bivvys set up before a

FAST AND FURIOUS!

torrential storm swept in. The rain fell hard, but it did not dampen spirits as alarms were sounding all around the lake. It was clear the fish were active with many male carp visible to the eye in the margins. During the first night, more carp were brought to landing nets, with the Nutrabaits section Peg 21 (a young Team Saul Santos and Sergio Perez), landing four common carp – the best three where 7.5 15.6 and 16kg. In the same sector, at Peg 20, team Juan Jose and Jorge Camino also managed to land a stunning 13kg common. The lake is known to be difficult and from early on, no-one could clearly spot a feeding time for the fish. As different sections produced day and night, there was no clear pattern. During the first 24 hours, twelve fish were captured. and emotions where high as no-one knew what was going to happen next! After the explosive start the second night

and day was much calmer, some fish were hooked but escaped and only one more common carp made it onto the unhooking mat. This was the second fish caught from Peg 20 in the Nutrabaits section. More storms came and went, as did the sunshine, but at the end of the day there could only be one winning team. With 13 fish being caught by the end of the competitioon and an average weight of 15kg, Oscar Viñas y Jorge Serrano Menendez from Madrid, snatched the winning result with a total weight of 45.100kg. Second place went to Sergio Perez Carvajal & Saul Santos Toledano with their total catch of 39.1kg. An elated Oscar said; “I couldn’t believe it, it was like a dream – one of the best days of my life!”. The pair will go to Lac Madine in France this September and fish the final with other competitors from around the world.

QUALIFIERS

2018 WORLD CARP CLASSIC

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

NEW ZEALAND Lake YASS DAM, AUSTRALIA

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Hosted by Bank Angler Australia, the stunning natural surroundings, exciting atmosphere and the competition itself created fond memories and friendships that will last a lifetime!

Competitors came from far and wide including New Zealand and Western Australia. One of the most incredible shows of commitment to the sport and our competition was the team of Joe Cavalli and Doug Anderson from Western Australia who drove 3600km to be part of this awesome event. What makes it even more impressive is the fact that Doug is 73 years “young”. This unbelievable effort was at least not in vain as they finished 2nd overall with Doug winning himself the trophy for second biggest fish. The team who finished third was our Father and son combo, Anthony and Daniel Seel. Aged 15, Daniel was our youngest competitor and walked away with the trophy for the 3rd biggest fish. This is one of the beauties of our sport, no matter how old or young you are, you can always be a part of it and as competitive as you want to be.

History was made this year, as the first World Carp Classic Qualifier Australasia took place on the beautiful banks of Yass dam, situated 40km north of Australia’s capital, Canberra.

However, the overall winners of this year’s inaugural event was one of the highly capable and very enthusiastic New Zealand team consisting of Marius Koekemoer (Team Captain) and Gareth Edwards. The pair represented New Zealand at the highest level of fishing at the World Carp Classic 2017 in France. The winner of the Biggest Carp and also a Personal Best went to a deserving Gareth Edwards who, if I may say so myself, caught the fish using Bank Angler Australia bait. Bank Angler Boilies actually accounted for most of the big fish caught during the competition and as sponsor I am very proud of this. Results of the fish

The long haul:

We were pulled over for speeding in France. In fact, we were going so fast the cops wanted to take our car!

Our disasterous journey to the WCC2017 began in zurich. Gareth had to go to hospital because of a really bad salivary stone in his mouth and needed urgent surgery – he couldn’t eat for two days and the pain was unbearable. €1100 later, we headed for Madine. With a GPS malfunction and a bit of “we’re lost, aren’t we?” we were pulled over for speeding in France. In fact, we were going so fast the cops wanted to take our car! Luckily the local police knew all about the WCC and

POLAND SZACHTY LAKE The Plish Qualifing competition took place on June 6-10, 2018 at Szachty Lake in Poznan. 20 teams started, of which 14 caught carp. The fight lasted between 5 teams. In the general classification, winners, Marek Krawczyk and Adam Brzoza, also caught the biggest fish of the competition - 22.6 kg carp. They will also go to WCC 2018 to Lake Madine in France. As an additional reward, they received Lowrance echosounders Hook 7, Carp Spirit accessories and Dynamite Baits products. The general sponsor of the event was Normark Polska, a distributor of Carp Spirit, VMC and Dynamite Baits. Sector sponsors were: BaitZone, Bandit Carp, Carp Gravity and Invader.

Top Five Polish results:

caught were sent to Hookit & Bookit who managed our live leaderboard. This allowed competitors and followers of the competition the opportunity to stay updated with how the teams were doing. The World Carp Classic Qualifier Australasia competition will now be an annual event with more similar competitions added to the calendar. Sponsorships is a very important part of hosting successful competitions and we are thankful to the businesses who partnered with us on the inaugural event. We will appreciate it if you can take note of these names and make use of their services where possible: Bank Angler Australia (Fishing events, Bait and Tackle), Hookit and Bookit (Live Leaderboard and online Fishing app), FishingSA magazine (prominent South Australian Fishing Magazine), Fishing Arena (EBay shop for all kind of fishing), Mango Travel (Based in New Zealand- Excellent service), Jochym Marine (Specialist boat manufacturers), Reuben Heaton UK (World renowned scales as well as incredibly strong and sharp TroKar hooks). We hope to have

them on board for next year’s competition and urge any other business who want to be part of this prestigious event to get in contact with Bank Angler Australia. Adding to the significance of the Australasia Qualifier is the fact that this year’s final event the World Carp Classic in September in France will be the 20 year anniversary, meaning it will be bigger, better and more festive than ever before. We as Australian and New Zealand Carp anglers will be cheering on Team New Zealand and encouraging our fellow countrymen to do the same. Until next time…..Tight lines!!!

1st Marek Krawczyk & Adam Brzoza, Weight: 54.4kg 2nd Mateusz Sobczak & Maciej Niemiec Weight: 52.9kg 3rd Robert Wolak & Jacek Świętek, Weight: 45.5kg 4th Arkadiusz Zaremba & Roman Kubiak Weight: 45kg 5th Andrzej Walczak & Krzysztof Charmuszko Weight: 44.1 kg

After five years of planning NZ finally make the WCC17 realising that we were from New Zealand, they let us off with a warning and actually helped us with directions. At last, we arrived at Madine safe and sound. It was great to finally to put faces to the guys I had been talking to for so long. We shared the tour bus with Lars Bood and the PB Product team (without our sponsors BP Products and Jochym Marine, we would never have been able to enter) which involved a lot of drinking, very little sleep and Timmy Trumpet Savage constantly. Welcome to Madine!

From the opening ceremony to the peg draw, it was an experience money can’t buy. We drew Peg 30 – not the best, not the worst peg on the lake with the biggest carp in history been caught on the beach Peg 32. The weather played havoc. We lost two bivvies to the storm overnight, which had to be replaced in the morning. We were the lucky ones however, as some teams had to go home after losing everything. We caught probably the most fish in our section but unfortunately no Carp. Only two

carp were caught in our section during five days of fishing. In the end we walked away with the “Sportsmanship award” for all our efforts – through the wind and rain we never stopped fishing and gave it our best. We gained so much experience from the WCC that year, we ended up winning the WCC Qualifier in Australia in 2018. Thank you to all our sponsors and all our new friends for making this a success story for New Zealand.

QUALIFIERS

2018 WORLD CARP CLASSIC

ENGLAND HORSESHOE LAKE

n May 2018 we at Horseshoe played host to the English qualifying round of the World Carp Classic.

Out chairman Derek first approached me about the possibilities of us holding the event at Horseshoe some time ago now and put me in touch with Ross at World Carp Classic. Following a few email exchanges and a visit from Ross, we decided to go ahead with hosting the qualifier. I was a little uncertain as to the suitability of Horseshoe for ‘Match fishing’. We had tried it once in 2013 and that didn’t work for us but having spoken to Ross and had the format explained, I was a bit more optimistic. The format of the competition means the winners are the team with the highest total weight of their 3 biggest fish. So even if someone dropped onto the fish and had 20 or 30 they could still be beaten by another team who say only had 3 fish. I liked the idea of that and thought it would work on Horseshoe so we agreed to host the event and a date was set. The days leading up to the event were quite concerning as the weather became better and better and I was hearing reports of fish spawning in the surrounding area. The fish hadn’t spawned on Horseshoe and I was very nervous that they would spawn just before the event, which would have been a nightmare and more than likely would have meant cancelling the match. Given all the preparation that had gone into getting things ready, both by us and Ross and his team, that was definitely not a decision I was looking forward to making. Ross and a couple of his guys arrived on the Wednesday evening and we made a start on the buildup, we got a few bits and bobs done and went through the swims and decided on how to peg the match. Thursday morning we were all up bright and early and following a couple of Bacon and egg sandwiches we were soon back at it. Unbeknown to me Ross is a bit of a vexillophile and it wasn’t long before we had Horseshoe looking like the last night of the proms, Sheldon would have been ever so proud. Not before long, the competitors started turning up and walking round the lake. Ross had arranged a hog roast and BBQ for the evening and brought a few beers and wines with him and a very pleasant evening ensued with anglers and organisers socialising and generally having a nice time. Ross, Martin, Janis and I then went round the lake and pegged 15 swims – not the easiest of tasks given we’d left it till dark, fortunately though, Janis had her trusty torch so all was good. We had pegged the lake in such a way that I felt everyone would be in with a chance but the draw was still going to be interesting. My pre draw prediction was that ‘The Lawns’, swim 73 on the Horseshoe map would win the match, I also said 70lb would win it. The draw was made early Friday morning and the anglers took their tackle mountains to their respective swims and awaited the hooter for the official start. Two of ‘Our Lads’, Josh Boyes and Rob Saunders had entered the competition and had been drawn in swim 21 on the Horseshoe map, that’s on the Winter Bay Road Bank for those of you familiar with Horseshoe. It’s a decent swim that does produce fish but it wouldn’t of been mine, or Rob and Josh’s pick of swims, so they were up against it in my opinion. They would have been slightly encouraged

With 5 minutes left it was still anyone’s to win. The smallest fish in the lake would have swung it .. it was that close. Josh and Rob were a bag of nerves, as we all were

though when the first fish of the match came from swim 15 (Winter Disabled). Slightly less encouraging though would have been when the guys in ‘The Lawns’ landed a good mid-20. Swim 5 also landed a fish so it was definitely game on as I eventually called it a night and went to bed about 10 o’clock. I was woken about 4.30 the following morning with a message from Rob saying they had one in the net and were waiting for the Marshalls to do the honours. I think this fish was mid 20 so that put them in second position behind the guys on ‘The Lawns’. The guys in the split swim though by this time had landed a couple of good fish that had put them in first place. The pair in ‘The Lawns’ then landed another mid 20 that leap frogged them into first place. It was all getting real now, the nerves were kicking in and it was still all to play for. Anyone of the 15 pairs could have still won as I went to bed Saturday evening. There

It was fingers crossed all the way as my ‘lads’, Rob and Josh, fought to the end ... who says Horseshoes aren’t lucky!

was fish in both Summer and Winter bay, the only place I hadn’t seen fish was up in the 50’s where a couple of pairs were fishing but hadn’t landed a fish yet. I’d fished up there the previous week and whilst I was setting up, the guy opposite landed 7 fish in less than a couple of hours so these guys were every much in with a chance, they just needed a few fish to get up there. From what I could tell they were fishing it well, it was just a case of would the fish get up there before the match ended at 9am the following morning? Nail biting stuff. I was up early doors the Sunday morning and just missed Rob and Josh land a mid double that pushed them into the lead. There was 4 hours to go now and only 6lb separated the top 3 positions. I walked round the lake and there deffinatley didn’t look to be the amount of fish in Summer Bay as there had been the previous 2 mornings, but there was still fish there. Would the guys on the lawns or the Springs get that 1 little fish that would take them to Madine? Would

the guys in the 50’s eventually get on to fish? There was fish in the channel as well now so it was quite feasible that any of the pairs would catch in there. It couldn’t have been any closer. Although I was rooting for our boys (Rob and Josh), all the other pairs were good lads too, so I had mixed feelings. But I really did want Josh and Rob to win. I went to their swim for the last half hour and we all waited nervously as the clock ticked down slowly. Boy, did it tick down slowly. With 5 minutes to go Ross and his team turned up behind the swim but even with 5 minutes left it was still anyone’s to win. The smallest fish in the lake would have swung it, it was that close. Josh and Rob were a bag of nerves, has we all were. After what seemed a lifetime, the final 5 minutes were up and the hooters blasted out the end of the match. Rob and Josh were champions, they were going to Madine. Awesome result and richly deserved

Keep off the grass.. The guys on ‘The Lawns’ fished well to pinch 2nd place.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

LUCK OF THE DRAW

High Society: Promoting and respecting the art of carp angling The Carp Society founded by Tim Paisley and Greg Fletcher was formed in 1981 with the primary aim to develop and promote Carp angling, today the organisation still abides by the founding principles, as well as developing the Carp Society for the future. l Promote the sport of angling l Provide facilities for teaching, taking part in and enjoying the sport l Encourage anglers to treat all fish with respect and provide waters to ensure protected fishing l Promote and organise educational, sporting and social events l Maintain and develop our lakes l Represent the interest of carp anglers in all matters

Why join the Carp Society? To have a political voice: l Carp Fishing needs a voice. We are the only carp fshing organisation with a political interest. We also have links to other Carp groups in both the UK and further afeld. l We are afliated to both the Angling Trust and the Predation Action Group, we support both groups via fnancial contributions and some of our board sit on the PAG committee.

Carp Angling Fishing Events:

l Discounted entry to our excellent Carp Fishing Winter Show at Sandown Park. l An annual open day event on Horseshoe Lake, with trade stands and activities. l Free entry to the frst ever Carp Fishing Museum that we are currently creating and will be based at our headquarters. l Junior Carp Fishing events each spring at an affordable cost

Access To Premium Waters:

l You will have access to Horseshoe Lake our headquarters in Lechlade which we own. A safe secure 68 acre lake with toilets, showers and home to the Carp Society office. l The opportunity to apply to our syndicate water Farriers Lake. Home of large common carp up to 50lb. Plus, access to book our holiday venue lake Little Farriers (same site as Farriers Lake)

Other Benefits:

l Our fisheries officer is a trained and licensed otter trapper, our l akes are fenced against predation. We can offer other advice on both issues.

QUALIFIERS

boys and for yours truly as well. Yes you read that right, I shall be joining Rob and Josh as the 3rd angler or Super Sub as I shall now call it. I’m not 100% sure what the 3rd angler is allowed or not allowed to do, but either way it’s an honour to be asked, so thank you very much Rob and Josh for asking me. I think with both your fishing abilities and my flukeyness, you never know, we could pull off a surprise. Having said that and looking at Madine, we are all well out of our comfort zone. Madine is 26 mile round with all sorts of islands and obstacles, not to mention the waves when the weather gets up – it won’t be unlike an episode of Deadliest Catch if the weather’s rough. There’s something like 120 pairs from all over the world competing, teams from Japan, Australia, America, all four corners of the world really, so just to be there is going to be fantastic. But we are going there to win and if we don’t it won’t be for the lack of trying. However, there will be some serious competition, so hopes and expectations are probably miles away from reality but it’s pointless going expecting to lose. One thing I do know though is win, lose, or draw, we

2018 WORLD CARP CLASSIC

because they fished hard and they fished well from a swim that they didn’t really fancy. In fairness to the other guys, I think what swung it was home advantage. Both Rob and Josh have bags of experience on Horseshoe – although neither had fished it much for a couple of years as both are on Farriers now – I definitely think prior knowledge of the lake was a great help. With the match over, the anglers gathered outside the lodge for the presentations followed by the customary soaking for the winners, then it was clear up time and home for a well-earned sleep for everyone. From being a bit unsure about the event at the start I can honestly say that I’m so glad we took it on. It really was a fantastic, friendly weekend and a credit to everyone that took part either as a competitor, marshall or helper. Ross and his team run a very professional outfit without sacrificing the fun. You might think that’s easy but I know from my own experience it’s nowhere near easy and I take my hat off to Ross and Marianne and all their team. Well done all of you. So then, it’s off to Madine next for the

2017 Benelux Cup Qualifiers.. Team Ken’t Lou’s, Laurens Wagemans and Ken Vangheel, took the trophy last year at the stunning Paalse Plas (below), with eight catches overall – a total weight at 55Kg.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

BELGIUM PAALSE PLAS, paal

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

ach year during the first week of October, the “Paalse Plas” changes into a fishermen’s battleground. Anglers from Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg (although there has never been a competitor from Luxembourg so far) gather on the grounds of this beautiful site in Belgium’s province Limburg to compete in the Benelux Carp Qualifier. The “Paalse Plas” is a unique setting in Paal, more than 250 acres including a golf course, restaurant, playground, beach, surf club and of course a 100 acre lake! The L-shaped lake with different bays has lots of interesting depth changes with a maximum depth of 11m. Although being a public lake, the “Paalse Plas” is known for its huge amount of big fish, with lots of thirties, forties and even a few fifties. The lake record, a sixty common, has passed away a few years ago, but local anglers know that it’s just a question of time when the next sixty will be caught.There’s also quite a large number of grass carp populating the lake, with the biggest reaching fifty pound and more. Thanks to these grass carps there is almost no weed or under water vegetation which makes fishing a bit easier but on the other hand also more difficult. Fish can be found everywhere and due to having been fished on for the past 30 years, especially the bigger fish are known to be hard to catch.

Night fishing isn’t normally allowed, nor are baitboats or rubber boats, but during the Benelux Carp Qualifier, all other water sports are banned from the lake and anglers are allowed to use rubber boats. This, and of course the night fishing, makes a big difference in why there are usually a lot of fish being caught during the competition. The Benelux Carp Qualifier starts on Saturday, a day which is filled with registrations, product demonstrations, casting games and superb food and of course the peg draw. But the moment everybody is waiting for must be the opening party on Saturday evening. This party brings all anglers together and with the sound of a live band on the background, plans are being made on how to take home the title and of course the tickets for the World Carp Championship. Being an official qualifier for the WCC, the top 3 teams win a free ticket for the next year’s World Carp Championship. But next to these tickets the Benelux Carp Qualifier is well known for it’s huge prize table and all-in formula. Anglers are taken well care of, 3 times a day meals are being delivered on the bankside by a caterer. So anglers just need to bring their fishing gear and enjoy the week. The prize table is really astonishing! Of course there are prizes for the total ranking but you can also take home some prizes for biggest fish, first fish, first bream, biggest grass carp and more! But that’s not all!

Super pegs, super food, super time and super prizes.. All in all, the Benelux Qualifying event is full of surprises Organizer Bob Cuyvers, owner of Gills & Scales, has put a lot of effort in his “Super Pegs”. What’s so special about these Super Pegs? Super Pegs are pegs that already contain a prize package. So when you draw one of these pegs you’re already a winner! Super Pegs in past years were a complete equipped JRC peg with tent, bedchairs, rodpods, and more, but there was also a Super Peg with 2 Raptor boats and motors, a Super Peg with some high end Jarocells batteries. Last year there were 5 Super Pegs, and Bob has already confirmed that the 2018 edition will be even better! Benelux Carp Qualifier 2018 will be held from Saturday 29 September till Saturday 6 October at the “Paalse Plas”, Holststraat, 3583 Beringen. Don’t hesitate to bring them a visit! www.beneluxcarpqualifier.com

QUALIFIERS

WORLD CARP CLASSIC

Maple relief! Maxime Theriault & Sidi Rachid Lalami managed to leapfrog Peg1 and win the event with 108.02lbs.

For the second year, the Canadian WCC Qualifying Event was held at St. Lawrence River Parkway in Long Sault, Ontario. Teams from all over Ontario and Quebec competed in the hope of winning the chance of automatic entry into next year’s World Carp Classic 2019. On the evening of Wednesday, May 23rd, 16 teams arrived for the official peg draw and to receive their welcome package from our great sponsors Coleman Canada and The Fish’n Canada Television Show. The event officially started on the Thursday morning, with each team able to start setting up at their peg at 5am and ended Sunday, May 27th at 12pm.

Day 1

As usual, the day started rather slow but gradually picked up with Peg 4, Maxime Theriault and Sidi Rachid Lalami, taking an early lead. This was then followed by Peg 1 and all other pegs (except Peg 7) Zachary Lima and Armand Poulaski getting on the board. But was early days and there were still three more days to determine the outcome.

Day 2

The action picked up and many pegs were into good numbers of carp with only a few pegs struggling to catch. Peg 13, Arthur Walowski and Michel Dumont, took the lead by putting over 20 carp on the mat with four in the mid 20lb range.

On day three: the winds changed, as did the temperature and pegs that were struggling were now starting to see good results

Peg 4 put over 50 carp on the mat but at this time fell into 2nd place and Peg 1, Martin Boulanger and Lucas Malouin, were steadily putting carp on the mat and moved to 3rd place at this point. It was still anyone’s tournament to win, any peg could turn on and put four big carp on the mat at any time.

Day 3

By day three, the winds changed direction, as did the temperature and some pegs that were struggling earlier in day were now starting to see some good results. Peg 16, last year’s winners Andrew Walker and Jarryd Monahan, now had four fish over 100lbs. Peg 2, Eddie Idilio Cestra and Vince white, were catching consistently and had bagged close to 100lbs. Peg 16 , Dave Pendlebury and Clint Murray were close to 100lbs.

Fish’n for the 2019 Title

Peg 1 (Martin Boulanger & Lucas Malouin) had taken over the lead with just over 106lbs with Peg 4 in second with 104lbs and Peg 13 now in 3rd with just over 102lbs. It was beginning to look like we were in for an interesting last-day sprint to the finish line.

DAY 4

as had been expected, we entered the final 12 hours with 5 teams over 100lbs and 3 teams over 90lbs. Once the dust had settled, Peg 4 (catching over 100 carp total) managed to leapfrog Peg 1 and win the event with 108.02lbs. Congrats to Maxime Theriault & Sidi Rachid Lalami on their great angling. They win an entry into World Carp Classic 2019 with all travel expenses taken care of, a $5000.00 cheque and 50kg of Dynamite Baits.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

CANADA ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Second place fell to Peg 1, Martin Boulanger & Lucas Malouin with 106.04lbs and 3rd place to Peg 6 – last year’s winners Andrew Walker and Jarryd Monahan with 102.11lbs. Peg 13, Michel Dumont & Arthur Walowski took 4th with 102.02lbs closely followed by Dave Pendlebury & Clint Murray, Peg 16, in 5th place. Big fish winners came from Peg 5, Nathan Cutler & Matt Eatough, with a carp weighing in at 32.7lbs. Overall this event was a great success with excellent results. Many thanks to all the great sponsors that support us each year! Looking forward to next year and wishing our team of Andrew Walker and Jarryd Monahan all the luck at the World Carp Classic 2018.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

THINKING

Hans Sissingh and Ross Honey have a lot in common

February nineteen ninety eight. It’s Friday morning, sevenish. About a hundred anglers are waiting in line to enter the first Dutch Carp show in the IJssel exhibition hall in Zwolle, Holland. A show organized by a Big man called Mick Paine, a man who aims for a large crowd, in a huge hall, who’s style is thinking BIG.

One of the men in line, ready to kick off his brand new business, was Ross Honey. The purpose of his visit was to launch the first Big carp endurance event ever, the World Carp Classic, to be held in France at a Big lake called lac de Madine. Ninety eight was also the first season of a brand new holiday company called Carp Connections. This first Dutch carp holiday agency was aiming for French destinations – venues with Big fish in them. Their stand, a Big mobile home truck with a luxury airconditioned office, toilet and bar in it, driven right in to the exhibition hall, explained very well how this company approaches the market. Owner Hans Sissingh was aiming for Big French carp, thinking Big for their business, as the fish they had to offer were Big. I remember my first acquaintance with Ross. Then, we were already in competition… a competition to see who was the most enthusiastic about his company and view at the future. Carp Connections signed up to become the exclusive agent for the WCC in the BeNeLux and Germany and a long-term business friendship was founded. Ever since then, I have been involved with the organization, sponsoring and participating in the WCC. Some of the readers will remember the Gladiator games, the team event and ‘Gooood morning madine FM radio’ and the flashy orange colored Carp Connections team aiming for the trophy. A team that got close to the title and became second in Amance 2003, did this again in Bolsena 2014 and finally won the Classic in 2015.

In the last twenty years some things haven’t changed. These men behind their businesses are still ambitious, still going for Big. Carp Zwolle has become one of the biggest angling shows in the world, aiming for 20,000 visitors for February 2019. Carp Connections is no intermediary agency anymore, but owns and manages their holiday destinations and has become a tour operator. We once organized the first WCC Qualifier ever, in 2009, at the 70 acre venue Sloterplas Amsterdam centre. Now it’s held at our 100 acre Big Fish venue ‘Fishing Resort Du Der’, which is used as a magnificent Flagship. Ross Honey has become the Biggest angling event organizer and is still aiming to get bigger. The future of the sold out WCC is bright. The World Final’s exclusive venue Madine, is situated in the Grand Est region North of France, as is my Fishing Resort Du Der. Somehow Ross and I, each individually happen to work the same area’s. Politically and business-wise, boiling hot area’s with influencial people on top and a limitless amount of opportunities. The WCC Qualification events are in place, grow and become more and more popular and are being fished on mature Big lakes with mature Big fish in it. For instance, Lago di

Over the past twenty years I have seen many enthusiastic starters who thought they could do it all even better. The result was just a weak remake of the original ... a bad cover

Bolsena used to be a Finals venue, now it’ll become a qualifier site. More exiting details at this stage can’t be announced, but believe me, within the next few years, you want to qualify yourself several times for the same event for the venues are so awesome to fish! For sure, Carp Connections has not stood still in the last twenty years. Amongst others who used the WCC as a marketing tool to build a name within the Carp angling industry, trying to stay innovative was our main goal. What has been achieved is more than just making money, it’s about contributing and writing history together and we are not finished doing so yet. Over the past twenty years I have seen many enthusiastic starters who thought they could do it all even better. The result was just a weak remake of the original, a bad cover. I feel sorry for those who desperately try to copy other men’s work they like so much. However they will have a really hard time doing it, for what has been achieved already is very unique. Copying only slows the creative process of the original creators down, it doesn’t make them quit. So even if you manage to copy, you also need to hold up with the new developments. Competition makes you sharp, invites you to improve more and encourages you to get even bigger and better. Within our mutual hobby of carp angling and it’s Big competitions it works the same. Fish with style, turn your angling into an art and be a good sport. Try to compete by being original, creative and innovative. It simply is impossible to copy and do what others already have done for it will never make you the new World Champion of a former year… Hope to see you, I‘ll be around the next twenty years!

Hans Sissingh:

G BIG!

n ... and we’re not just talking carp

Team building! Han’s Carp Connections team got close to the title and became second in Amance 2003, did this again in Bolsena 2014 and finally won the Classic in 2015.

SUCCESS EQUALS THE POWER OF THREE

ack in 1998, most anglers didn’t think big carp angling was any good for events. Small carp were great for match angling, but fishing the bigger lakes was too much of a risk and those who won the lottery took the prize.

Another issue back then, was angling in pairs. Why would you call angling a team sport? Well, we know now. It can be hard work and better achieved together. Even trio’s, with a third angler instead of a bankrunner, has proved to become more efficient! How is it possible then, that some of you still believe a team of three can make a difference when it comes to winning a team event? How do make three work together? Well firstly, teams make for happy sponsors – more shirts make more exposure. Stick together and the shirts work as one huge banner. Also, a team of three anglers, acting as a team, implies that the sponsor has done their job well and their team are loyal, proud and united. But technically speaking, how do you work together, how can you help out another team that’s two miles away? You can, by sharing information, sharing baits and tackle, for example. But also, if one of you speaks the local language and can chat with the local anglers before the match, another could be arranging a pizza sponsor on the bank so no cooking!

One of you may be good with handling the media, the other can write and the third takes great pictures. All of these can lead to loads of media attention for your sponsors, without even having to catch any fish. And if you do catch fish, and you get yourself in a top ten position, you’ll be grateful that the other team members have handled these side jobs on your behalf! Personally, I think the team event is the the best way to bring people together and make the most of the WCC. A good and motivated team is definitely the best marketing tool for sponsors. A professional sponsor expects publicity in exchange for sponsored baits and tackle etc. The media will take you more seriously too. Many think sending in a few lines of copy does the job, but then wonder why the magazines never publish anything. Guess why? Carp Connections is always inventing more marketing tools to get attention – the pre-event Gladiator games are a great way to enter a team and get the camera’s on you, without having to catch any fish. You won‘t win the trophy this way, but you will please your sponsors and more important, future sponsors, if you get their name in the press. See it like this, the Gladiator Games separates the lazy anglers from those who want to get involved, in shape and are eager to get into a winning groove! So will you match yourself with another trio and subscribe as a team?

EMIR CARO

I am very proud to be a part of the 20th Anniversary of the WCC in this year and I want to thank Ross Honey, Paul Gety and Daryl Hodges and all my sponsors for inviting me to this very special event !

Maybe some of you know me from reportings from different magazines all over the world. My name is Emir Caro and I first started fishing as a child even before I went to school. My first steps in fishing were on a small river in Eastern Europe where I went every summer on holiday to visit my grand parents. By the 1990’s I was addicted to the sport having caught 30 plus carp from the river “Neckar “with my own home made boilies Since then carp fishing changed my way of life and later I became the first angler in history to catch two and then later, three different carp over 80lbs plus. Two years ago, I managed to catch my fourth 80lbs plus carp, again from Germany. I also made history in Germany when I became the first angler to catch10 different carps from over 30kg plus, which a lot of people don’t actually know. So far this year, I am on

Hitting the big time! 12 different 30kg plus carps from Germany and there will be more to follow ... for sure! My next aim is to catch a 40kg plus – maybe from Germany again or maybe, Lac de Madine? Lac de Madine is a fantastic venue – I fished it in the 1990’s and 2000’s. It contains some big and beautiful carp and the stock of big fish there is incredible – it seems that the carp just keep on growing. I am excited to be able to fish this lake again – especially at the 20th anniversary of the WCC. This Event is definitely the No.1 Competition for Carp Fishing with teams from all over the world coming to fish, compete and enjoy this incredible occasion. I am sure this year’s will be a very special event and big history will be written. Let’s have a great time at this fantastic 20th

Anniversary of WCC and let’s catch a lot of big Madine beauties. See you there Boys and Girls, I wish you all the best so let’s go for it ! WCC we are coming!

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

THINKING BIG AT MADINE

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 54

After a SPOT of bother, 2016 Champs pull it out of the bag to

CZECH US

take Champion of Champions 2017 title

OUT!

‘‘

A year had passed since our 2016 victory and the team were all together again in Kolín, on our home soil in the Czech Republic – where we were the first Czech team in WCC history to take the title. Now we were preparing to leave for the 2017 World Carp Classic with one goal – defend the title.

ur team has been the same for the the past three years Karel Nikl, Jan Dadák a Jakub Erhart Kumšta.

The decision was to set forth a day before the draw – not easy for anyone, because of our jobs, but nevertheless, on Friday we loaded up the car with all the essentials, Karel finished writing his last few emails, then we said goodbye to his daughter and wife and headed for our long journey. Last year it was decided to move the World Carp Classic to the place where it all began 19 years ago - Lac De Madine in France. Our journey went well, we took turns driving and arrived at about 4am. We were welcomed at Madine by strong winds and heavy rain, so we quickly built the Trakker Superdome bivvy where all of our three bedchairs could fit and while Kuba was already snoring loudly, the rest of us slowly fell asleep. The weather when we woke was better – occasional showers but sunny here and there. After registration, Karel drew number 50 – our order in the big peg draw which was right in the middle so that was okay. For the Opening Ceremony, Ross Honey had done a brilliant job. The food was delicious and the hall where the festivities took place was beautifully decorated. This was the best ceremony I’d seen so far. And, as always the inaugural party was big. Sunday came, the boat check in the bivvy city passed calmly and we chatted until the afternoon’s big event – the handover ceremony of the cup back to the organizers. We were given the honour of riding in a carriage in front of the flag parade – it was a wonderful experience. Now the all-important big draw was about to

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 56

We were told by experienced guys like Rob Tough that not a single fish has been caught there throughout all of the WCC events on Madine ... awesome!

I found my Krill ... This carp shifted us into first place 16 hours before the end of event!

take place. As I’ve already mentioned, we were fiftieth to draw. It is often said that Madine isn’t the best venue for a competition – despite the fact that it is a wonderful lake and a lot of big carp live there – because historically, there aren’t many pegs you can win from. So, the draw is very significant at Madine. As the draw took place, some teams were happy and some were not. Each team had its preferred pegs where they would like to fish in but also pegs they wouldn’t like to draw at all. There are loads of pegs on Madine where not only has no team ever won, but also not a single fish has been caught. Now, it was our turn. The defending champions of the WCC were called on to the podium. Karel reached into the net and drew one of the balls. I opened it and bang! Peg number 84! A really bad peg on an island close to a forest. Our hopes were crushed and the mood dropped. Experienced guys like Rob Tough, Tom

CZECH US OUT!

CHAMP OF CHAMPS 2017

Spotting a winner ... One of three 20kg carp who were all caught on one spot including a box in which was a controller from an underwater camera ...what a great start! The wind continued to be still really strong and it rained from time to time. We quickly erected the Superdome and stacked our whole tackle inside. The wind was blowing from our right-hand side – from the reserve where a team had won the competition in 2015. But it was way colder than had been in 2015 and we were convinced that the fish would be swimming in the open water outside the bays. After the competition began we placed a marker pole on the left edge of our sector. The lake bed in our sector wasn’t anything special – after the marginal weed it started gradually falling with mud everywhere and a hard bottom was only on the edge of the weed. We were placing our rigs in different depths to cover as much space as possible. But because of the wind, there was a lot of weed floating on the water surface wiping our rods out.

Duncan Dunlop or Rob Hughes told us they were sorry, but not a single fish has been caught there throughout all of the WCC events on Madine ... awesome! Karel said that nothing is impossible, that it might be different this time and we could be the ones who will make history. Kuba and I didn’t believe it but what could we do? We all went to bed slightly disappointed and woke up to rain in the morning. The English guys next door informed us that we didn’t have to hurry as the boats from the marina were leaving slowly one by one, because of the wind and there was now a proper queue. We were packing everything up nice and slowly when it stopped raining, so we headed quickly to the marina, loaded everything on to a boat and likable Frenchman named Jacques, transported us to our peg. It was really windy on the open water and the water got into both of the boats. After we arrived we found out a lot of our tackle was wet,

As it later turned out, this spot was crucial for us and it was the first spot we had placed a marker pole on after the competition had started.

We didn’t catch anything during the night except for a bream, but Karel’s rod went off the next day and he landed a wonderful 18kg common! Something happened! We didn’t believe it would happen, but man, we hoped for it. Catching that fish filled us full of new energy. It could be the only one we catch, but who knew at this point? Our energy and motivation levels were hitting the roof. The carp took Devil Krill Criticals boilies, which Karel really believed in. The water was getting colder and this bait is the best in cold water. Catching this carp was a big deal in itself, because it was the first carp ever to be caught in this peg. There were several small underwater stumps where the carp got caught and you would probably overlook them using a low-quality echo sounder. The stumps were actually small, but the fish seemed to like it there. There weren’t many of them, they came round regularly in the morning and in the afternoon. We were catching only catfish throughout the night. As it later turned out, this spot was crucial for us

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

CHAMP LIVING OF THECHAMPS DREAM2017 and it was the first spot we had placed a marker pole on after the competition had started. Sometimes destiny is unpredictable and interesting, to say the least. Karel was baiting the spot using two sorts of fishmeal boilies - Devil Krill and Gigantica. He changed the appetite of the carp just for the last night and used sweet-flavored boilies - KrillBerry. These tactics payed off and Karel caught an old experienced carp weighing over 23kg. Carp’R’Us end tackle, especially Carp’R’Us hooks, have been helping us reach our goals on many occasions during the years and this year was no exception. Our spot produced three carp over 20kg – 20kg, 22.9kg, and 23.1kg! We were absolutely dominating despite being in the middle of the island and surrounded by other teams. It was on Charm offensive ... A lucky talisman the Friday, about 16 hours before the end of my girls gave me (above) obviously the competition that we caught the 23.1kg worked ... thank you Lord! (main) carp – our biggest carp. Karl and Jakub tried to get it out of a snag for about 20 minutes. We were convinced we had lost it but then we managed to get it out of the snag and land it. As Karel was playing the carp our adrenaline levels were hitting the ceiling and once landed, the euphoria was incredible. This fish Shock and awe... For the first time in the competition’s history, a Czech team won, and, had moved us into first place at this point. We were happy, but knew it wasn’t over yet. on home soil. Unbelievably, it was us! The last night was ahead of us. Nothing much happened in our peg and we heard that Lee Jackson and Tim Paisley had caught a fish over 25kg. This was a crushing blow.

Also, the boys from Germany caught one last fish which shifted them into second place. By morning, we weren’t sure how it would all end up. We knew we didn’t come first, but we hoped and believed that we could come third. Karl’s great dream was to become the Champion of the Champions. A very prestigious title that Ross Honey described as a competition above the competition – a contest between former champions and we managed to win it! It was incredible to win the WCC 2016 title, but to win the Champion of Champions title a year after? In addition, we came third and won the Carp’R’Us Team competition for third year in a row together with our Polish colleagues Andrzej Walczak and Kris Charmuzsko. We don’t know this for sure, but we don’t think that anyone has ever managed to do that in the team competition. Last year’s WCC was an amazing experience and for me, this event remains to be the most prestigious carp fishing competition in the world. Finally, I’d like to thank everyone for their support – to our families, all of our friends, acquaintances, sponsors and to all who cheered for us and wished us luck. We truly appreciate it and you can bet we’re going do our best this year ... you bet!

‘‘

58 14

CZECH 2016 CHAMPIONS US OUT!

The Simpsons, Buffy, Google, The Teletubbies a

‘

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

The World Carp Classic can now be seen as a grown up competition, but way back in 1998, what was happening in the world? Chris Lebrandt has found some interesting stuff about the year that saw the launch of the world’s greatest carp competition along with a brief history of the tournament’s last19 years…

To the millennials around the world, it hardly seems possible that there was a world without the World Wide Web and mobile phones, but there was. In 1998, only 9 years after the invention of the WWW, the world’s biggest online commerce site eBay, changed its name from the ‘AuctionWeb’. This colossal internet machine is a website industry that is now impossible to live without. Along with that monster of commerce, another commercial giant that has changed our lives forever was founded: the search engine Google. The biggest company in the world, yet another internet and computer giant, Microsoft was valued at $ 261bn, but not without its problems. It launched Windows 98 in June, but also has a massive AntiTrust case brought against it by the US Government, that it subsequently shook off to benefit its founder, Bill Gates with the title of the world’s richest man. In the same year, the other great computer manufacturer, self-appointed leaders of the style council, Apple Computers unveil the first iMac. I had one, and still have the current version which I am typing on right now. In less serious news, but clearly not to the winners, The World’s Sexiest Man in 1998 was none other than ‘Indiana Jones’ or ‘Han Solo’, Harrison Ford, who is still fighting the Empire to bring peace and harmony to another galaxy far, far away. The World’s Sexiest Woman, on the other hand, was ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Who spent her time working to rid the world of the undead. Buffy, as it happens, was amongst the top TV shows of the year, along with a host of sci-fi offerings like the X-Files, Stargate SG-1, whilst ‘trekkies’ got to enjoy Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The real heavyweights of the small screen included the intellectually challenging Teletubbies, King of the Hill, the Simpsons and the biting satire of South Park. In pop music, women and girl power are ruling the roost with the Spice Girls, All Saints, Celine Dion, Madonna, Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain and Janet Jackson featuring over more old school acts like Green Day, Marilyn Manson, Metallica and Aerosmith. Onto the film world and a number of

and that infamous black dress! Do you remember ...

Hard to swallow ... in 1998 Alanis was still angry at everyone and released her fourth album Suposed Former Infatuation Junkie the big box office hits were disaster movies, like Armageddon, Titanic (that went down well), Godzilla, and Deep Impact, presumably in the future, we’ll have one made about Brexit. The biggest selling action movies included Saving Private Ryan, Lethal Weapon 4, the Avengers and The Mark of Zorro. A Bug’s Life was the big cartoon hit of the year whilst Something about Mary added a certain something to the world of hair gel.

The sports news of the year was dominated by the Soccer World Cup where France beat the favourites, Brazil, 3-0 in a lacklustre display from the South Americans. The world’s ‘greatest’ player Ronaldo suffering from a rare bout of lethargy that left many of the soccer fans watching somewhat bemused.

Real Madrid beat Juventus to win the Champions Cup, Chelsea won the Cup Winners’ Cup, Inter Milan won the EUFA Cup. In the UK, Arsenal were the Premier League Champions and FA Cup winners. In other sports news, The 18th Winter Olympics took place in Japan with snowboarding and women’s ice hockey making their debuts, with Germany, Norway and Russia winning the most medals. France were victorious in the (then) Five Nations rugby tournament were they went on to beat England (2nd), Wales (3rd), Scotland (4th) and Ireland, in fact every other team to secure their Grand Slam. In cricket, England’s batsmen were savaged by the West Indian fast bowlers on a ridiculous surface that, after so many dangerous deliveries, the match was abandoned on safety grounds. The groundsmen at Sabina Park, Jamaica managed to create the first pitch in 122 years of test match cricket, that was so bad the match was abandoned. Some of the more serious news of 1998, involved some of the political leaders holding power that are household names, not all for the right reasons. The notable statesmen being Boris Yeltsin, who was unfortunate to be in office where he oversaw the Russian banking system meltdown. On the other side of the Atlantic, Bill Clinton was suffering at the hands of Monica Lewinsky, although

Big flicks! Something About Mary came with a warning to parents that it was a ‘Gross-out movie that features rampant, shocking and inappropriate behaviour to elicit laughs

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

DO YOU REMEMBER 1998? YEAR OF THE CLASSIC

Making big news... England’s Terry Hearn and Dean Fletcher (above). Fletcher still holds the record with a catch of 30.87K

‘So what about carp fishing?’ I hear you ask, and quite rightly.

Love is in the air...Nelson Mandela, and Tony Blair were also in power and working hard to bring some peace and harmony into a troubled world

he denied it, later being impeached for his part in the scandal. Nelson Mandela, and Tony Blair were also in power and working hard to bring some peace and harmony into a troubled world. A heady mix of politicians that certainly changed the world in one way or another. India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998, and in the Balkans, after nearly 10 years of conflict, Serbian troops target ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, there are, however, some big events in the world of peace negotiations and legislation. Despite the Good Friday Agreement being signed, with referenda thereafter approving the measures, efforts to derail the Northern Ireland Peace Process with the notorious Omagh bombing still couldn’t deflect the Irish people from its eventual inception in 1999. The other big news in Europe was the establishment in Strasbourg, France as a permanent fixture of the European Court of Human Rights. Originally created as a temporary measure in 1959 the ECHR oversaw basic rights like freedom of speech and the right to a fair trial. Staying in Europe, the European Union agrees to create a ‘unifying’ currency, the Euro Dollar, or Euro. It has not, in the intervening 20 years been the overwhelming success that its participants had hoped for.

In the UK, home of modern carp fishing, the carp record stood at 55lb 13oz (25.32Kg) at the beginning of the year, held by legendary carp angler, Terry Hearn. In September 1998, another huge fish a few ounces bigger, again from Wraysbury was weighed in by Kevin Cummins at 56lb 6oz (25.57Kg). Today it stands at 68lb 1oz (30.87Kg) caught by Dean Fletcher from the Wasing Estate in Berkshire. In 1998, not only did the UK carp record change, but the world of carp fishing also changed forever, when the first ever World Carp Classic event took place at the mighty Lac du Madine in France. Back in those days, the event was weighed in imperial pounds and ounces (lbs and oz), great for the old codgers amongst us, it changed quickly enough to kilograms in at the very next tournament. Englishman Paul Raymant was the first champion, weighing in 127lb 15oz (58.03Kg) of fish over the course of the tournament. The competition was dominated by English teams for the first 12 years, with 9 wins, the last being in 2010, before they regained the trophy in 2017, a total of 10 wins in 19 tournaments. The European element was not to be denied, with teams from The Netherlands winning 2, Poland 2, Czech Republic 1, France 1, Germany 1, Romania

1 and we’ve also had a transatlantic winner in the USA with 1. Winning weights have been variable and clearly some years were tougher than others. The French lakes have been variable in their results, with some years some pretty tough fishing and fishing conditions. Three years, stand out as producing mammoth results, in 2011 Madine produced a bumper win with Germany’s Jens Gassen and Thomas Muller amassing 337.6 Kgs. Following a move to Lago di Bolsena in Italy in 2012, Peter Micula and Norbert Pongracz won with 329.9Kgs. It was at the same Italian venue the year later that the biggest win was registered, the competition being rocked by two Dutch ladies, Bianca Veneema and Lizette Beunders who hauled in 366.5Kgs still the World Carp Classic record weight. The biggest carp ever landed in the competition goes to a man whose name meant he was born for the role, Germany’s Axel Wacker set the bar in the 2009 tournament at Madine with a huge 28.9Kg whacker, maybe this year his record will tumble? Who knows what will happen in this year’s tournament? One thing we do know is that there will be no lack of effort, preparation and determination to become the Champions, every last detail covered, checked and checked again. We’re all looking forward to the next 20 years of the contest, but in 2018, the 20th anniversary year, as they say in sport, there’s everything to play for.”

What a Wacker!

The biggest carp ever landed in the WCC goes to Germany’s Axel Wacker in the 2009 with a huge 28.9Kg

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

s anglers, you’ve probably heard the name Flambeau mentioned by predator anglers, kayak and boat anglers, sectors of the market where they are justly famous.

Flambeau is set to reignite the fishing luggage market in a bright new move that sees them teaming up with Angling Spirit and it’s World Classic event programme. Carrying the torch for high quality, great-valuefor-money products that are built to fish, built to last, they continue to push the envelope in luggage and plastic storage innovation for anglers on the international stage. Chris Leibbrandt takes a look at the WCC’s exciting new global partner.

I’ve been using their storage boxes for well over 30 years. Carp angling, however, is an exciting new venture for the brand, and make no mistake, now that this company has set its sights on this special sector, they’ll become not only invaluable, but highly popular. Why? This is a simple truth: they listen to what anglers want, and then act on it. Flambeau is here to be your partner in every angling adventure.

Who are Flambeau?

So, who are Flambeau, and what are they going to do for the exacting and demanding carp sector? I make no apologies for quoting from their corporate literature: “For over 70 years Flambeau has been designing, engineering and making products that meet and exceed the needs of businesses, professionals and hobbyists for a wide range of applications requiring technical expertise in plastics. Early in its origins when W.R. Sauey coined Flambeau’s original motto of “Shaping the products of tomorrow in plastic”, he had no idea that the company would be going strong after 70 years. Flambeau’s first product was a fishing lure and from very humble origins the company combined good, old-fashioned ingenuity with perseverance and created a company built to last, just like our diverse line of fishing tackle products that meet the most demanding needs of fishing enthusiasts everywhere. Flambeau remains an industry powerhouse still owned by the Sauey family. In addition to applying sensible business practices, Flambeau is guided by its core values, resulting in a dedication to providing

Get tough... Tuff Tainers are available in a host of sizes, but they also feature adjustable dividers to make an almost infinite collection of variants.

Built to fish

Built to la

lasting value for our customers. Our 70 years of business success is testimony to the relevance of our offerings to the many industries and customers we serve. For anglers worldwide, Flambeau products always have been and continue to be Built to Fish. Built to Last™.” Today, they’re a huge international manufacturing company that produces fabulous fishing tackle storage solutions that is employed, enjoyed and appreciated the world over. The beginnings, were, however, a little different. Way back in 1947, shortly after World War II, two brothers, based in Wisconsin, USA, William and Ed Sauey, pooled their limited resources to buy a piece of the future. Taking their combined savings they bought the parts to build an injection moulding machine. Their original plan was to start their own company and build plastic toys, some of us would say that their first product ticked all the boxes, as their first ever plastic product was a topwater fishing lure, the Halik Frog. The Flambeau product line for anglers

ast

quickly expanded beyond the topwater lure and turned towards the international need for tackle storage solutions. Regardless of your preferred angling style, the passion for catching fish requires proper preparedness, organization, and the maintenance of gear, all of which are crucial to a successful day on the water. Flambeau’s tackle storage options are specifically designed to be your partner in success. With that notion, this legacy brand has flourished. The company was named after the Flambeau River, where William and Ed used to swim in their youth. The river was named after the torches that the indigenous Ojibwe Indians used when night fishing. The Flambeau corporation is now both huge and hugely successful, not only because of its successful acquisitions, but also because of its core values, its great products and its focus on innovation and value. Perhaps not a widely known statistic, there are carp in 49 of the 50 American states, seeded by the government as a food source

in the late 1800s. Unfortunately for the carp, they have always been seen as a commodity, rather than an angling resource. There are some pioneering anglers who benefit from their sporting qualities, but they are few and far between, with little commercial and retailing infrastructure to become the angling phenomenon in the states that they are around the rest of the world. This is slowly changing, and though the progress is slow, the small pockets of enthusiasts do, however, benefit from having a continent of carp fishing at their disposal.

Why the Carp Market? So, why has Flambeau decided to take the strategic commercial step and enter the international carp market? For one thing, they are in a fairly unique position in that they have manufacturing and distribution premises in the UK, and in the very heart of the carp county, Kent. This affords them the capability of having a foot in both camps: one in the demanding world

of US Elite bass angling and the other in, arguably, the home of carp angling in the UK and Europe. Mark Spain, Flambeau’s European Manager commented: “Carp anglers, similar to the USA’s elite pro bass and competition predator anglers like Flambeau sponsored Mike Iaconelli, demand the very best. Their gear needs to be perfectly stored in regimental order to save vital seconds in a tournament situation, something that can mean the difference between an also-ran and a champion. With the amount of money and kudos now riding on getting things right, every little competitive edge that the angler can benefit from is important. We have the storage solutions to make that happen, fishing through the night as carp anglers do means you have to be confident in how you have your essential gear on hand.If the carp turn on or turn up in your peg, you need to maximise every opportunity. Flambeau is delighted to be teaming up with Angling Spirit and its world class events. In particular,

Get tough... Trapped moisture in containers can be a problem, especially where metal hooks, pliers and tools are concerned. Flambeau’s exclusive and patented Zerust anti-corrosion technology will protect these items from rust

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

FLAMBEAU

BUILT TO FISH. BUILT TO LAST

we are especially excited to be delivering our complete new range of carp fishing storage products to the demanding angling audience thatWCC caters to” Along with rod carriages, fly boxes and live bait containers, a quick scan through the 2018 Flambeau Fishing catalogue reveals a whole 32 pages of various tackle boxes. Covering lure, boat, sea, fly, street and kayak fishing, from the ‘classic’ cantilever to the ultra-modern ‘Ultimate Tuff Tainers’. The Tuff Tainers have been around for years, and once you own some, you’ll see why they last for ages. Not only are they available in a host of sizes, but they also feature adjustable dividers to make an almost infinite collection of variants. The Ultimate Tuff Tainers take the basic concept another notch up in tackle security, not just in terms of keeping your gear safe, but also keeping out water, dust and dirt thanks to the silicone ‘O’ rings that are sealed with the cam locking latches for full waterproof protection. Of course, if you can keep water out, you can if you’re not careful, seal water in, especially when you stow gear before it’s fully dry. In any other brand of box this could be a big problem, quickly rusting any of the contents containing metal, in particular hooks, pliers and tools. Flambeau has this base well and truly covered with what is probably their most impressive unique selling proposition (USP), and that is their exclusive and patented Zerust anti-corrosion technology. Zerust is a VCI, a volatile corrosion inhibitor, that is moulded directly into components of Flambeau products. VCIs are a class of chemical compounds that protect against rust by releasing an invisible, non-toxic, non-reactive and odourless corrosion-inhibiting vapour. The vapour coats metal surfaces and components in an undetectable film and protects various metals including aluminium, brass, copper, iron, nickel, steel, and silver for up to five years. The image of the test boxes, with and without Zerust, clearly show the benefits. Cleared by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as safe for use with foodware, Zerust exceeds US federal test requirements and is used in many manufacturing industries. First developed in early half of the 20th century, VCIs were initially employed for limited use on few specific items, but it wasn’t long before the fishing tackle trade

recognised its potential. By owning the exclusive right to inject Zerust into plastic products, the value of Flambeau’s storage solutions to the angler who wants to best for their precious gear is indisputable. Carp and specialist anglers looking through the Flambeau catalogue will probably be concerned that the boxes, although excellently built for quality and value, do not really ‘fit’ the carp angling persona. Many of you will be wary that what they see as an American fishing tackle box company will not be able to understand the needs and wants of the specimen carp angling scene. You needn’t worry. Flambeau is investing heavily in a complete range of carp products designed in the UK, with the help of both UK and international carp angling consultants. The range won’t simply be the best boxes re-engineered, but will contain a complete range of brand new modular storage solutions, specificallyluggage and soft sided bags. There is also on the drawing board versions of their super-tough, waterproof satchel cases that will feature the cam locks, ‘O’ ring seals and a complete colour scheme to reflect the stealthy approach and need for a carry-all solution built for the very best of carp anglers. Look for these new boxes, satchels and modular storage systems to have the exclusive Zerust technology, keeping tools in tip-top shape and hooks in needle sharp condition. The final word on this exciting new range and its development goes to Mark Spain, European Manager of Flambeau, who concludes: “Flambeauhas always been willing to take on a challenge. We are well aware of how demanding specialist carp anglers are, and we’re looking forward to surprising not only those anglers, but also the trade in general. You’ll find that we are totally committed to ensuring that we bring products of great value to the market, both robust and innovative in design, and most of all, products anglers come to trust as ‘Built to Fish. Built to Last.’”

We are well aware of how demanding specialist carp anglers are, and look forward to surprising not only those anglers, but also the trade in general

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 70

REUBEN HEATON ANDY RACE

‘‘ A

pparently, it’s been 20 years since the World Carp Classic was born. I know this because its founder, Ross Honey has been reminding me at every possible opportunity ever since the 17th September 2017, less than 24 hours after the 19th running of the event ended.

For the commitment and enthusiasm that he possesses he should either be commended or he needs to be referred to a specialist, either way, you have to say that this is no mean feat of achievement for a bloke who used to do golf events. As one of the original few who embarked upon this voyage of discovery with Ross back in 1998, have been tasked with describing a journey which after 20 years, finds me right back where it all started, Madine. I originally bought the firm of Reuben Heaton (Scales) Ltd as it was then in 1989 as a one-man operation. By 1998 we were still a small two or three-man business making hand-built Specimen Hunter and match fishing scales. In deed it was the now legendary Specimen Hunter scale that first drew the name of Reuben Heaton to the attention of one Ross Honey as he made his first foray into the world of angling competitions. I vaguely remember getting a phone call from a bloke who seemed to know a bit about golf and golfing competitions and not so much about angling. He wanted to start a big carp fishing event and he needed some match scales. He had been told that Reuben Heaton scales were the best on the market and that “I was the chap with whom he should speak”. He talked of his golfing exploits hiring cross channel ferries, cruise ships and aeroplanes, and how he might apply this burgeoning talent to the creation of a legendary angling competition.

TEMPUS FUGIT & ... SHEEP

Flying portaloos, girls dressed as hippos, exploding boilie launchers, ‘Swimgate’, pickled pig’s penis, sheep and more sheep. Just another year at the WCC for the Scales King, Andy Race .. you couldn’t make it up and he isn’t!

I pictured loads of drunken carp anglers on a cheap flight to Spain and grinned. My qualifications in fishery management and sciences would also be of benefit I was told, in helping to create what was bound to be a legendary event in the future. I pictured a crowded cross channel ferry full of carp anglers singing and dancing to Ibiza-style music it bobbed its way across the English Channel like some 20th century pirate ship. This was going to be emotional as they say. Despite my misgivings, he seemed quite serious and on the promise of global domination I was going to sell a few scales so I decided to go along with it and the dates were set. Some months later I was driving across France with my then girlfriend (now wife) Andrea on what was as a week’s holiday and adventure in France as far as she was concerned. We loaded up the car with match scales, weigh slings, the hundreds of pegs and peg boards I had sprayed the night before, and some specially made gold scales for the winners and we set off for the ferry. As we neared the lake, the route was marked out by the hundreds of small fish shaped signs that we had made the week before. Some were upside down but most were pointing in the right direction and we eventually got to the hotel. Ross introduced us to the manager, a guy who we never saw again other than to argue with about how late we were for dinner. Little did we know, the simple life balance of night time sleep, daytime work would not apply to us. That first event was run with about five people plus a couple of volunteer marshals. A baptism of fire is one way to describe it. The overall plan seemed to be a sound one but as the event wore on, none of us really knew what might happen next. Communications were not what we have today. A combination of driving round the lake – a lot – some flashing lights and I think some primitive mobile phones, we managed to get through the event despite the marshals getting drunk on the complementary beer and falling asleep. Despite the promise of a holiday, my girlfriend worked like the rest of us day and night existing on one or two hours sleep every 48 hours and a diet of stale croissants, cold meat and champagne left out for us by an increasingly irate hotelier. We wandered

Worth the weight! The ten-tonne cast iron barge that handled like a pig in a bath (top); 1998, WCC’s first Champion, Paul Rayment (above) and some pre-millennium signposting at Lac de Madine round the lake in the middle of the night handing out complementary whiskey to all the competitors, many of whom were already drunk and tried to chat her up. We slept on site, somewhere I can’t remember where, and ferried hundreds of anglers from the mainland to the islands in a boat the size of a bait bucket. In the end a rather tired English chap by the name of Paul Raymond won a large cheque and a dodgy metallic red left hand drive Rover car. Job done. The drive back was an interesting one. Successive World Carp Classics seemed to come around very quickly. We ran Team Reuben Heaton for a few years including some big names, we ate drank and fished our way through many hours and tried to catch something. After the 1998 debrief, we decided on a few upgrades and committed to making the second event a roaring success. Ross decided to employ a toy train to help ferry the anglers around the venue and we pressed the French authorities for more boats to combat the “Normandy and Dunkirk” effect of transferring anglers and their vast armoury of gear to and from the now legendary islands. Aside from a ten-tonne cast iron barge from WW1 that handled like a pig in a bath, our efforts were in vain. Endless hours of ferrying became a feature of the event. People celebrated birthdays and shaved at least twice between queuing up and departure. One angler wanted to know how long I had been involved with the event. “A couple of years now” I said, “right” he said, “you weren’t here when we started queuing then” Efforts were made to coordinate the mayhem that ensued when transporting competitors. Remembering my business training I implemented the KISS formula (Keep It Simple Stupid), and using some abandoned string and iron pegs I installed a system of queues and “zones” in the assembly area to alleviate the situation. “Busy isn’t it” one angler said with a sarcastic grin as he surveyed the turmoil, “glad to see you’ve got it all under control” he said. “Just trying to get some regulations in place” I said, “where would we be without rules and regulations eh?” “France that’s where” he replied”. Ahh the islands, the scene of so many memories, how do you sum up the islands. Well if I could sum

up the islands in two words, one of them would be sheep. The second word is a choice between pain, emotional and portaloo. I have navigated around them in the dead of night on many occasions both by boat and on foot. Why were you driving a boat on the lake in the dead of night you ask? well the short answer is probably because something had not gone to plan and we were desperately trying to fix it. Well we were learning as we went. I remember being asked to take some French dignitaries out to the small island. It was dark, they were half cut and all dressed in evening wear including one lady wearing high heels. “Andy, can you ferry this lot out to the small island” says he “you’re having a laugh” says I, “six people in a boat no bigger than a bath at this time of night, forget it”. Undaunted, Ross trotted off into the night with his six VIP’s now wearing life jackets glasses in hand”. This is too good a thing to miss I thought. I downed my beer and followed them down to the boat. They all piled into the tiny boat and set off with the water lapping over the hand rails. Absolutely priceless, if smart phones had been around, this would have gone viral. Two hours later they all reappeared covered in mud and grass, shoes missing like survivors from the titanic. I later wrote about these many near death experiences in the 15th Anniversary magazine. “Imagine you are motoring across the vast expanses of a huge freshwater lake in the dead of night, guided by a mental map (only 24 hours old) of a 4000-acre lake complete with islands, weed beds, 200 or more anglers’ lines, rocky outcrops and other such hazards. Your head is lying on the side of the boat so that you can silhouette the bank against the moonlight in a bid to find some reference point that will give you some idea of where you are. “Any minute now we are going to hit something” I say, “but we need to get over to the reception” says the ever-enthusiastic Ross “the town elders and all of France will be there” he says. “Bugger the reception, I can’t see anything”, “yes, but you know where you are, roughly don’t you?”, “Somewhere in France” I suggest. Finally, we round one of the headlands and luckily the lights are still on in the bar at the side of the

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

REUBEN HEATON ANDY RACE

marina “that’s where we’re going” I say, “we really need to go to HQ to get the car to go to the reception” comes the suggestion. “Isn’t the reception in the bar?”, “No” “Well you’re on yer own then”. Finally, after the reception we return to the hotel at some ungodly hour and after some 72hrs with little or no food, we consume the only sustenance available, champagne.”

As things progressed, improved communications appeared in the form of some toy-town walkie talkies that operated via line of sight. We spent the next few days talking to each other by standing on headlands waving to each other, hanging out of trees and or just shouting really loudly from any other high vantage point. Two small portaloo’s installed on the island to improve facilities were full before the boat that brought them there had even left. The subject of who would be tasked with emptying them was already in the minds of many and was avoided at all costs as we waited for the sword of Damocles to fall. Two days later a French bloke turned up with a pumping truck. He asked where the offending articles were. We pointed to the island. That same year, besides the usual big cheque and pile of prizes, the angler catching the most fish won a purpose built mega-bivvy with double bed courtesy of Hippo installed therein. Apart from being a total novelty, the marketing angle apparently, was that someone catching loads of fish would, by definition be tired by the third night. The two Hippo girls lying on the bed when the bivvy was opened, were obviously on hand to help said knackered angler with his boilies and wipe the overspill off his spod. Answers on a postcard or to #wannaplayhungryhippo if you are a millennial. Sadly, it turned out that the two young representatives demonstrating the bed were not part of the prize but then as Mick says “you can’t always get what you want”. As head marshal all I wanted, was some decent bloody boats, you live in hope. It later turned out that the bed had to be hurriedly replaced after it was mysteriously soiled and decided to break itself. The fact that that is wasn’t on the island meant that we could dismiss the incident as being sheep related. The fact that someone had obviously taken it for a dry run, no pun intended, was brushed aside and Ross managed to find a new bed and install it ready for action. As the Millennium was ushered in, the World Carp Classic progressed into a new world era and was the first event to use the Specimen Hunter Millennia series scale. The 2000 running of the event was dominated by high winds which blew bivvies and tackle far and wide, with pegs on the dam wall particularly exposed. The weather did nothing to dampen spirits - unless you were on the dam and had your bivvy destroyed or you had been blown off the island portaloo and trampled to death by the sheep – and the carnival of events including casting competitions, live bands, barbeques and the annual group photo started to cement their places in the piscatorial collage that we now know as the WCC. Oh yes, and the unexploded WW1 bombs, I forgot about those.

As fate or karma was now obviously involved in the draw, I surmised that anyone who drew a swim like the ones in “death on the Orient” must have done something bad in a previous life

Two years at lac Amance followed and the event continued to grow despite teething problems with 250-yard casting restrictions and gas-powered boilie launchers. With the onset of health and safety, policing of boat checks was stepped up and plastic toy trumpets for use as a rescue aid were banned. Then there was the usual WCC type occurrences, the students who were marshalling crashed the minibus and we dined out on pickled pig penis. Just a normal day at the office for the WCC like having no water. Yes, you heard me right, no water. I arrived at Amance one year to be greeted by a slightly stressed Ross who advised me we needed to re-position a few swims. In one particular instance two opposing swims had so little water and distance between them that you could have walked out and shook hands with the opposing team. “Where’s the water?” I asked, “exactly” says Ross. I imagined an angler returning to WCC HQ to complain about his swim in a Monty Python style sketch...

Broken tree stumps littered the banks like World War two tank traps making trips to the rods very tiresome,

I didn’t make this up... (clockwise from left) “What’s on the barbie ... pig’s what?!!!”; Tree stumps and mudflats at Lac de Orient; The words, Students and minibus – say no more! A couple of gifts for the lads; The infamous ‘Wheel of Misfortune’; WCC Millennia Scales

Registrar “Can I help you sir?” Angler “I’d like to make a complaint about this swim that I drew not half an hour ago” Registrar “What’s the matter with it?” Angler “It’s bleedin’ dry, that’s what’s the matter with it” Registrar “No it’s not, it’s still moist, there’s at least 3cm of water 150 yards out” Angler “I’m sorry my lad but slightly moist and 3cm at 150 yards won’t cut it” Registrar “Anyway, French fish swim on their sides in low water. Very cunning these French carp, they adapt to their surroundings, they blend in” Angler “Blend in!!!” “the only reason they are on their side is because they’ve got nothing to swim through” Registrar “anyway, the water will be back up by Friday” Angler “and how is that supposed to help, the bleeding event will be over by then!” Still grinning I said “I’m assuming the water was there when you originally cut the swims?” I asked

Ross sarcastically, “Obviously”, came the reply. “So where’s it gone?”. It soon became apparent that aside from someone letting water out of the lake, a third party had been involved in “swimgate”. Even factoring in a slight drop in lake levels, this someone obviously thought fish were amphibious and or didn’t want to get his leads wet. We toyed with the idea of making that section pole fishing only, but the absence of anything other than frogs put paid to that. Needless to say, the swims were duly moved and, disaster avoided. We went and did what we normally did after such a problem, we went on to solve several more problems until the middle of the night. At which point we went around the local restaurants at stupid-o’clock in search of food and wine. Tomorrow is definitely another day. A few years later at Lac de Orient followed. VHF radios in hand we were the kings the airwaves. Climbing up trees to fit mag loaded aerials, and base stations to boost the signals was but a minor

inconvenience. The fact that someone subsequently nicked the base station however was. Low water and acres of mud and tree stumps did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm. The fact that some teams had to walk half a mile from their bivvy across mudflats to get to their rod pods seemed to be part of the challenge. I pondered on the mentality that drove these guys to fish those swims. I watched as they squinted, trying to focus on the water line that hovered in the distance like a mirage. Broken tree stumps littered the banks like World War two tank traps making trips to the rods very tiresome, and, when you actually make it to the water’s edge you needed to cast over the horizon to find more than foot of water. I wondered if the curvature of the earth and crosswinds actually needed to be factored in to the cast that far. You might as well cast as there wasn’t enough water for the dinghy anyway. Aside from long casts, we were entertained by the hired photographer’s attempts to fly his light aircraft under some of the lines that were out on the lake.

One of the images showed a rather astonished angler looking straight at the aeroplane camera. The fact that he was on his bed chair looking straight out from the back of his bivvy at the time showed just how low the plane was. Moments later the pilot collected a braided line with his wing tip and cut the aforementioned angler’s bite alarms in two, just before returning to the airfield to be arrested by Le Flick (that’s the Plod to you and I). By this point an angler’s destiny was determined by the wheel of fortune a groundbreaking twist to alleviate the yawn making event that was the peg draw. As fate or karma was now obviously involved in the draw, I surmised that anyone who drew a swim like the ones in “death on the Orient” must have done something bad in a previous life. Still, undaunted by the fact that only five fish bothered to turn up for the event, we returned home with our complementary JRC seat boxes happy that we had survived another year.

By 2008, we were back at the old stomping ground of Madine, with its islands and sheep. The boats were marginally bigger and we celebrated the 10th anniversary with a wall of scales one for each competitor, the stuff of legends I thought.

The following year 2009, Madine again. More sheep, solid gold bite indicators and a great win for the Brits with Messer’s Tough and Dunlop achieving a glorious victory that shall be remembered throughout time and only marginally eclipsed years later by the Godfather of carp Tim Paisley. A couple more years at Madine followed, all action packed of course but after watching a portaloo take flight in a gale and seeing a bite alarm cut in half by a low flying aircraft towing a braided line, it all tends to pale into insignificance. Company commitments and the rapid growth of Reuben Heaton conspired against me

Time weights for no man... (Clockwise from top) ‘The Wall of Scales’, 2008; Special edition scales for both the Italian WCC for the 15th anniversaryat Bolsena and eventually after some 11 years of mucking in, my relationship with the WCC had to take a back seat. Whilst Reuben Heaton scales have been present at every event, I was absent for the Italian job at Bolsena, the trip to the Czech Republic in 2016 and the brief flirtation with Madine in between, but this year I’m back. I am looking forward to the 20th Anniversary, to seeing the old lake and some of the old faces, to reacquainting myself with many happy memories and raising a glass to those who are no longer with us. I guess after nineteen years of running the WCC, Ross and his crew will have ironed out all the old wrinkles and we can look forward to a trouble-free event that runs like a Swiss watch. I’m sure that when I stand on that stage and present the gold scales to the winners, it will be an emotional moment and the festival atmosphere of the WCC will once again have manifested itself. Many more memories will have been created and many new friendships will have been made because this after all is what the WCC is about. It is ironic that great as the prize table is with the money definitely a factor, the

memories are the most valuable (apart from the gold scales of course, they are awesome). I am for my sins a big fan of endurance racing. I have been to Le Mans nearly as often as the WCC, and to me, the two are very similar. Both are endurance events and no matter what your level of preparation, you still have to survive the test as well as compete in the event. Like Le Mans, the WCC has grown into a celebration of its respective sport and man’s (and women’s) natural desire to challenge against the odds is pushed to the limit. Elements like the weather and fate play a big part and in amongst the heat of battle wheels fall off and sheep invade your bivvy. Granted you can’t get drunk and compete at Le mans, but there has to be limits sometimes. I’m sure as we complete the last of the 20th Anniversary scales here at the factory, I will start thinking about the event to come. I’ll probably look back at the original idea behind the event, which was to create a true international festival of angling, drawing the best carp anglers from all corners of the globe in a celebration of angling and the spirit of friendship. I will laugh about the past and look forward to looking back at this year’s events.

ANDY RACE

‘‘

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

REUBEN HEATON ANDY RACE

Hot off the press... Reuben Heatonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Special Edition scales celebrating 20 years of the World Carp Classic .... you saw them here first!

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Just do it! As one of the few women competing in the

Never give up.. on a good thing Hi Guys, my Name is Jasmine Schuster, I am 26 years old and live in beautiful Vienna.

The heavy weather conditions last year didn’t make it easy to land a carp. But we did!

Double act ... Jasmine and partner René Jauker, who ignited her interest in carp fishing

I had my first fishing experiences in my childhood, but carp fishing started to be part of my life when my relationship with René Jauker began. From then on, I knew it that was my passion and I would spend the Rest of my life with it. For me, fishing is all about combining ambition, the beauty of nature, relaxation, spirit and generally just having a good time. That is why I love to be part of competitions. Yes, it may involve more work, but in competition you have to stay focussed to be successful which is essential when competing. The variety is great. The biggest lake I was able to fish was Lake Balaton in Hungary, where I have been part of the IBCC three times over the years. The length of this lake is amazing at 118km and the fishing there is very impressive and diversified. It was here that I gained new experiences and learned about fishing big lakes. Everyone should at least fish there once – I know I will be back. Another adventure in my life, which

I will never forget, was my first time competing at the World Carp Classic WCC at Lac de Madine, France, last year in 2017. Madine is unique with its Big Island in the middle, the many bays in the south and west side and especially the beautiful big carp. It’s perhaps one of the most difficult lakes I have ever fished, but also one the greatest. The heavy weather conditions last year didn’t make it easy to land a carp. But we did! This is why it’s so important to stay focussed, because by the last night we caught a beautiful mirror Carp with more than 19kg (42lb). It was such a great feeling to be part of the 25 teams in the catch report out of a total 97 teams. That’s why our mission statement is “never give up“. We are very happy about our result last year and are looking forward to this year’s 20th anniversary of WCC again at Lac de Madine! Overall, I am very grateful that women are so well received in this fishing community. So take it from me, Ladies, if you are interested to try out fishing and to feel the spirit … do it!

Jasmine Schuster

WCC, Jasmine Schuster urges more ladies to get on board

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Tales of the

unexpect It hardly seems possible that its 20 years since the first World Carp Classic, it has been a wonderful competition for carp anglers on the type of venues that I love to fish ... big, wild, challenging venues like the Mighty Orient, Bolsena and Madine that test the angler to the limit.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

ted I

remember coming across Ross for the first time at a Carp Society show he was on a stand with the late Kev Green of Angling Times and they were promoting the first competition.

I knew Kev as he was fishing my syndicate and was trying to get me to fish the competition knowing that I was fishing the large public French lakes like Madine, but I wasn’t interested in fishing matches and politely declined the invitation and moved on. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t really take any notice of the competition after that for years, there would be bits and pieces in the likes of Carpworld magazine but it wasn’t for me. From the late nineties onwards for many, many years there was really only one lake on my radar and that was a lake not that far from Madine it was Lac d’Orient – the mighy Orient. I was hooked from the very first moment I saw the lake and some of the massive carp it contained not least the awesome Bulldozer a huge common, I dreamt of catching and holding one of its very special residents. It wouldn’t be easy though the lake was one of the toughest and hardest lakes in all of Europe; 6000 acres in size, littered with forests of tree stumps and in the autumn which was the best time, falling water levels, mud and more mud, storms, big winds it was the ultimate test. To make matters worse there was a vidange in the late 90s which meant the lake was drained to almost nothing so that the dam wall could be repaired, and it was feared that many of the big fish were lost. Still this wasn’t going to deter me when the lake filled back up again I would be back. After the vidange I fished for a week or two on the Orient if I could get time of work during the autumn months of 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 catching plenty of nice carp as lots of young fish had been restocked into the lake to replace the ones lost. I was still looking for my first orient 20kg and so in 2003 I decided a longer session was necessary to try and achieve my ambition. It always felt that just I was getting to grips with the lake and catching more carp I would have to pack up and go back to work, very inconvenient and I would then have to wait for another year. Fishing Orient in the spring was tough, with high water levels and the

Orient expressed ... The Mighty Lac d’Orient had me hooked for the very start especially as it contained some massive carp like this 70.08lb – my first special Orient carp carp invariably in the trees, I tended to give it a miss and also my spring sessions during 19982004 tended to be spent on another big, tough water chasing monsters - lake Raduta but that’s another story. So, the autumn of 2003 and the first week of October, saw me back on the Orient with my mate for three whole weeks, excited doesn’t even come close. Having spent the previous years on the third point of Michelin this year was different and we set up on the first point, having secured it from two French brothers who were going home the next day. Franck and Stephane had caught some nice carp and the fish were definitely in the area and they have become good friends with a fair few carp parties since. It was a great session with some lovely fish to mid-thirties but still nothing bigger, had all the big carp really gone, there was a few other carp anglers fishing the lake during this time but it was hardly busy. At the end of the session another French lad took over from us and it would be another angler who would become a good friend Pat Zambeau. I was still hunting that Orient monster and becoming more and more obsessed, so the next plan I came up with was to retire from my job as a bank manager – a job I had done since leaving school 22 years before. On the 19 September 2004, I retired from my job at the age of 40 and the very next day the car was loaded up with all my tackle and 100kg plus of Nashbait Sting boilies and I headed in the direction of the Orient! I sat there on the first evening with a glass of whiskey waiting for the first point to start coming out of the water, thinking I must be

mad and could I even do a six week session on the toughest lake there was? I slowly got into the session. It was hard the first three weeks and eventually I caught and was thrilled to get my first Orient 20kg. By the second half of the session I had moved from Michelin to the famous bivvy city and the rest is history, as I managed to catch and incredible number of carp including fish of 54lb, 55.04lb, 57.08lb, 58lb, 58.08lb, 62lb and topped them by a monster of 70.08lb ... my Orient dream had come true. The catch had received quite a lot of attention in the media over the previous few weeks and I had many anglers who were fishing the World Carp Classic across the road at lac Amance drop in and wish me well. At the end of the session I had agreed to pop in to Amance on the way home and say hi to my good friend and WCC stalwart Tim Paisley. This was my first introduction to the event proper and seeing how it was set up and run. A pleasant afternoon was spent catching up with Tim, but before long, it was time to catch the ferry. With all the publicity the catch received and the knowledge that the Mighty Orient still held many of its big fish, 2005 was going to be a busy year. I changed back to fishing the third point at Michelin and had 50 odd carp during the session, with Tim fishing with me for the last couple of weeks – this was when he had his first Orient carp. The WCC was still on Lac Amance that year but Ross was in negotiations to hold the 2006 edition of the event on the Orient – the carp world was buzzing with excitement. I was writing for International Carper magazine who had entered a good number of teams for this special WCC and having so much

Still hunting that Orient monster and becoming more and more obsessed, the next plan was to retire from my job as a bank manager knowledge and success on the lake I was invited to take part! It would be the one and only time I would fish the competition. There was a real buzz around Mesnil as we awaited the start of the event. It was a very close call getting the sports hall ready for the opening ceremony but Ross just managed it. Everyone drew their peg numbers and then a wheel was spun to see which section they would fish, the wheel was spun (well almost) and we found ourselves down Geradou bay somewhere. It soon became apparent there were a few problems with the organisation as even though I knew the lake, I couldn’t find our peg! So frustrated, we gave up for a few hours and found a local bar, had a few beers, until eventually our peg was found. Luckily the guys either side of us decided not to fish which gave us more room as the pegs were very close together. It was an uneventful week with no carp being caught anywhere near us and many teams went home early. Thankfully, I was staying on after the event and moved up to Bivvy City to fish throughout October. The event was again to be on The Orient in 2007 and I was somehow talked into helping out with the organisation of the event – doing the pegging etc., Ross had also enlisted the help of another Orient legend Leon Hoogendijk, to deal with media and photographs and with us both having arrived early it was a nice evening in a local restaurant sharing stories. Having never done anything like this before, it was a bit nerve racking but being able to use a little petrol engine I enjoyed going off in my little boat each morning and exploring every inch of the Orient. Slowly but surely I came up with

a plan for all the pegs and, my intention then and in all the subsequent matches, was to give everyone a fair chance. The next challenge was to get everyone to the pegs at the start of the competition. With many being taken by boat, it was a real eye opener as to how much tackle, equipment and bait some teams took. It was a tough competition and from memory only five carp were caught but it also meant every team was in with a chance of winning right up to the final minute. Everyone seemed happy and it was declared a success. And somehow, I got the job of Head Marshall for future years to come! The following year the competition was back at Madine, the spiritual home of the WCC. It had somehow escaped my attention over the years. What an eye opener it was, to visit the lake on a cold, wet winter’s day and to look at how the pegging would be done; it was an interesting lake what with all the islands and bays. Again, like the Orient with many pegs on islands, getting teams out to their pegs was always a challenge, but there was always a sigh of relief once everyone made it to their pegs and the competition could begin. It wasn’t always easy being Head Marshal, but it was made easier by having a great team of marshals at the events to look after the competitors, weigh carp etc., My main job was to make sure I looked after the marshals, kept them fed, ensured they had radio communication etc., because if I kept them happy they could do the task of looking after competitors. Over the following years of Madine I made some great friends and have been invited to fish in countries all over Europe. To name just a few would include Przemek Sydor and Kurt Grabmeyer who insisted I come to Austria and do a slide presentation at his show. He looked after me like a king. The Jetfish team of Jaroslav Tesinsky and Peter Simonic also made me feel so welcome when I fished in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and of course

Matus and Silvia. There was four years of great competitions on Madine with some terrific carp caught in that time, but all to soon it was time to find a new venue. I can still remember the phone call from Ross saying that the new venue in Italy was huge and that there would be no problem in fitting 100’s of pegs around the lake – he always says that!! The reality was slightly different, but there was no doubt Lago di Bolsena was huge and also very special; the first sight of the lake was simply stunning. It was so big, it would take hours to drive around the lake and pegging such a venue was a real challenge. However, thanks to the help from the likes of Ricardo Battisti and Daniele Colapicchioni, my life was made easier. It was all worth it though, as the lake became a firm favourite with many of the competitors – the weather, the Italian food and the awesome common carp that were caught during the events made it a very special venue for three years. 2015 would see the WCC back at its favourite home Madine and it was surprising how much the lake had grown up again, it was as if we had never held a competition there before. Once again, the swims in the remote areas had to be cut back. It was a massive job and a huge thank you must go out to local angler Sylvain Schumacher and his team who did a job I didn’t think was possible in preparing the lake for another fabulous competition. It was also to be my last year as Head Marshal – after some 9 World Carp Classics, 1 Junior World Carp Classic, 2 World Catfish Classics and 1 World Predator Classic it was time to call it a day and hand the job over to someone new so I could concentrate on my own fishing. It was an awesome ride whilst it lasted with so many new people met and places visited. Thanks to my wingman Pete on many of the events and also the best chef in the world, Terry, for feeding us (nice one Ace!), the ever hard working Marianne and of course Ross – here’s to the next 20 years!!!

ANDY CHAMBERS

‘‘

after the WCC 2007, I caught this 73lb

ANDY CHAMBERS TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Personal best... Fishing

HEAD MARSHALS

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 82

‘‘

JEM COCKER & DANNY COOCH 2018 and the 20th anniversary of the World Carp Classic is back at the majestic Lac De Madine, the competition’s spiritual home. One hundred and fourteen hours of non-stop fishing for the biggest andmost prestigious title and trophy in carp fishing. Established back in 1998 the competition has grown and become bigger and better each year and is now followed by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people from across Europe and around the world. We often get asked by anglers and followers of the event if the competition will be moving to a different location, lake or country in the future. Part of the popularity of the WCC is that it has the foresight and courage to move from different waters and countries. In future years we are sure the WCC shall be on the move again but who can argue or deny that the landmark 20th anniversary should not be held at Lac De Madine. Last year’’s competition proved just what a fantastic venue this is. With the very “Carpy” conditions from Monday onwards the fish started to succumb to the baits and were soon being weighed and recorded by the marshals. The competition was on fire with the lead changing hands every few hours. As the week progressed the amount of big fish coming out was great to see and the amount of 20 kilo plus fish was absolutely amazing, not only for the anglers, but to us guys involved in the marshalling team, the event team at HQ and the various media teams too. Big fish on the bank with big smiles from the anglers is something we never tire of seeing. Lac De Madine lived up to its name as a big fish venue that’s for sure, although Axel Wacker’s WCC record 28.9 kilo fish, caught here at Lac De Madine in 2009 is still the one to beat. Maybe this year one of you will finally be the angler to beat it. The eventual winners last year, Tim, Lee and Benji proved that age has no boundaries and we cannot remember there being any more popular winners than these three fantastic ambassadors for our sport.

The success of the WCC at Lac De Madine has not gone unnoticed by the organisers of a different, much smaller, competition. Word soon spread that this organisation had supposedly secured the sole rights to hold their competition at Lac De Madine despite it being common knowledge that our 20th Anniversary event was going to be held at the home of the WCC. Many of the WCC family, the anglers, sponsors and followers, as well as the carp community as a whole were soon to show their feelings of such a low act. The overwhelming support for the WCC is something that shall not be forgotten and is truly appreciated by us and everyone involved in the WCC. In the end common sense prevailed and the powers that be made sure that the WCC was indeed coming home for its 20th birthday. Those of you that were at last year’s competition shall remember the wet and windy weather conditions from Monday onwards. Although this made it difficult for quite a few teams it was agreed that the use of boats wasn’t going to be a problem. This however changed on the Thursday and after an early morning meeting and very short safety discussion a boat ban was to be put in place due to the increase in wind speed and more importantly, gusts that could easy flip a boat over. Having a boat ban is not something that anyone wants, but as always, safety is paramount. On the subject of boat safety let us remind you that fastened life jackets must be worn at all times when on the water and at least one team member must be on the bank watching to be able to raise the alarm should anything go wrong. Two teams received yellow cards within minutes of the start last year due to being over eager with both team members going out on their boats without having anyone on the bank to raise an alarm should any difficulties arise. Boats shall not be allowed on the water unless they have received a boat pass. Boat checks shall be carried out in the boat check area close to registration. Please have your boats and all correct

equipment, as stated in the rules, ready for inspection. Last year for the first time the distance that the anglers were allowed to fish was increased from 250 metres to 300 metres. We believe that this was beneficial to the fishing as those pegs in areas which were previously considered to be unfavourable also started to produce good size fish. We must remind you that 300 metres is the maximum distance and anyone caught fishing beyond their allocated range shall be considered cheating and will receive a yellow card and a 24 hour fishing ban. Most of you have GPS on your boats so you know if you have gone out too far - you have been warned. Whilst on the subject of boundaries please agree with your neighbours, prior to the start of the competition, where halfway is. If you cannot agree then please speak to your marshal. On the tighter pegs the distance markers will also mark the boundary on either side of the swims. If you are not sure about where your boundary is then please contact your marshal as soon as possible so we can get any problems rectified. Fish care is vitally important for all, so to avoid stress please ensure you use wet unhooking mats and only keep fish out of the water for a minimum amount of time. If waiting for a marshal please use a retaining sling, keeping the fish in the water. Whilst weighing is taking place please keep a bucket of fresh lake water available in order to keep the fish wet and comfortable. Seeing fish swim away in perfect condition ready to fight again another day is something we must all strive for. Remember to take care of the facilities around the lake for the benefit of the environment and everyone who uses it. Litter and debris left in swims is not acceptable. Please keep your own peg environment tidy and clean up after the competition has ended. Please do not leave rubbish for someone else to find - you will be named, shamed and banned from any future event.

WCC strives to promote fair play and sportsmanship to make this such a great annual event. Anti-social behaviour towards marshals or fellow competitors will not tolerated and therefore will be dealt with accordingly. We are not afraid to issue red cards and fishing bans for future competitions if deemed necessary. With that said, please keep it friendly, respect your fellow anglers and the environment at Lac De Madine. The very best of luck to you all - wishing you tight lines, Yibbida Yibbida !!

Axel Wackerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WCC record 28.9 kilo fish, caught here at Lac De Madine in 2009 is still the one to beat. Maybe this year one of you will finally be the angler to beat it

PLEASE SEE PAGES 86 & 87 FOR OUR BRIEF SUMARY OF THE RULES

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 84

TROKAR: THE SHARPEST HOOK ON THE MARKET

hile the majority of the world’s fishing tackle is made in China it is good to know that there are still products in some sectors of the angling market that are still manufactured in the West.

We know that British company Reuben Heaton is famous throughout the world for its UK based scales manufacture. The company’s manufacturing roots lie in deep in the UK soil and can be traced back right to 1857 and to its founder Reuben George Heaton. Wright & McGill Co, America’s only hook manufacturer has a similar heritage of manufacturing in the US and it was no surprise when Reuben Heaton turned to Wright & McGill when sourcing hooks to match the quality of their British made lures. The reputation of the Eagle Claw brand is well known as the only remaining fishhook manufacturer in the USA and like Reuben Heaton, Wright & McGill have a very similar ethos. The vast majority of their products manufactured on home soil in the US, and we can begin to understand the reasons behind their appeal to manufacturers like Reuben Heaton. It also makes sense when you look at with the manufacturing history of Wright & McGill Co. in the US that dates back over 90 years beginning to two young fishermen in Denver, Colorado who would go on to found the business. In the late 1920’s Drew McGill and Stan Wright formed the Wright & McGill Co. The innovative hook company that is now Eagle Claw all started when McGill was spending time doing what he loves most, fly fishing the upper Colorado River. That morning’s fishing had not been as good as it could have been, and it seemed that even though the rainbows and native trout were rising, they were difficult to hook. As he rested, Drew noticed the effortless flight of two large eagles flying above him. As he sat quietly enjoying the pine and sage-scented wilderness around him, one of the eagles slowly spiralled downward and landed in the top of a dead cottonwood, its sharp pointed talons pierced effortlessly through the weathered wood. McGill then recalled the eagle’s amazing ability to catch fish in its talons mid-flight over water and his thoughts turned to the penetrating power of those lethal claws, in comparison to the penetrating power of the fishhooks he was using. McGill was intrigued by his newfound insight and felt compelled to test his own fishhook by dragging it over the leather strap of his creel. While the hook left a mark on the bag’s strap, it did not penetrate it. McGill then used pliers to bend the hook to resemble the specific shape of an eagle’s talons and retested the hook on the leather strap, this time the hook punctured the thick leather. McGill went on to alter the rest of his hooks that day and with new hope returned to the water to fish away the morning until an afternoon storm rolled in. The results of McGill’s hook alteration spoke for themselves as he had a creel full of fish and a new prototype in mind. McGill quickly began work on his new and improved hook shape incorporating a razor-sharp tip and the curved design inspired by the eagle’s talon. When Wright and McGill sat down to name their new product, what else could it have been except Eagle Claw? The design swept the country,

as it offered the first improvement in fishhooks in hundreds of years. That’s the remarkable story of the bird that built a fishhook business. In 1938, the Wright & McGill Co. officially registered Eagle Claw as a company trademark and Wright & McGill Co. continued to expand, producing a line of flies, fishing lures, and the Eagle Claw fishhooks. Eagle Claw fishhooks were in high demand and Wright and McGill knew that they had to find a way to produce the Eagle Claw fishhooks more efficiently, which lead to the development of machinery to create the fishhook products. Over the next several years, the company would break new ground in developing one-ofa-kind fishhook machines. Today Eagle Claw is rightly considered the most innovative fishhook brand in the world constantly on the lookout for the next best thing in a bid to improve their product range to meet the needs of modern anglers all over the world. Some products can remain virtually unchanged for years but the Eagle Claw brand doesn’t have that mentality. The greatest example of this continued drive for perfection

Trokar hooks use a special wire created specifically for the Trokar range to provide the unique properties required from the finished hook.

Trokar hooks use Surgically Sharpened Technology (SST) to produce a three-sided symmetrical point that is scalpel sharp.

in recent times has been the Trokar range bearing a surgically sharpened point. anew definition of sharpness, the Trokar hook with its geometric triangular point is designed to penetrate faster and easier dramatically improving strike-to-hookup ratios. Once the sharpness was dialled in, the Trokar design was built using higher carbon, cold forged steel and a bolstered shank design for added strength during aggressive hook-sets. This steel is then put through a unique heat-treating process that adds impact resistance and just the right amount of flex to resist breaking when fighting a fish close the boat. The result: The most extraordinary fishhook ever made. It was the superior Trokar formula that Eagle Claw in conjunction with Reuben Heaton used to develop hooks for serious carp anglers. “When Wright & McGill approached us to develop the Magnum carp range, there was no other logical choice but to start with the Trokar blueprint.” “I have been an angler for over forty years and amassed some knowledge in that time, but I have learned a lot about hooks over the last couple of years.” “In one sense, they are no different to the highly developed specialist scales that we make here at Reuben Heaton. The most important component is the main tension spring which must be made to the most exacting standards and out of the best steel available so that the tempering processes achieve the right results, otherwise we don’t get the calibration and performance we need.”

“Top level hooks also rely on high spec metals and processes in the same way. Without these properties, neither quality or performance is consistently achieved”. “To do their job correctly, hooks must flex. The action of hooking and penetration is only a part of the whole process. Phrases like “impact resistance” don’t appear in the technical information of most hook brands and there is a reason for this. Without this ability hooks will not flex under load in the correct way, they will either snap or, if the metal is not of the correct quality, simply bend out.” The reliance of hooks on material quality is such that Wright & McGill developed their own unique high-carbon Q741 steel in order to achieve the required results. It is the same Q471 steel that also facilitates the advanced sharpening process unique to the Trokar hook and allows the complexed heat treatment and fine tempering processes to be applied to the hook point to make it as durable as the rest of the hook. Trokar’s revolutionary hook point design bucks the current trend of sharpening hooks for the “ultimate” sharpness. The emphasis being that ultimate sharpness and penetration can be achieved with stouter stronger point and advanced point geometry, rather than resorting to an ultra-thin, ultimately weaker point design. To develop Trokar, Eagle Claw worked hand-inhand with one of the world’s leading manufacturers of surgical grade equipment to develop and

engineer a point specifically designed to reduce the force threshold required to penetrate, allowing Trokar hooks to gain hold in the smallest window of opportunity and with the least amount of force. “Essentially Trokar hooks were made for the hard fighting bass and saltwater gamefish markets so we know the construction is up to the task. Wright & McGill knew that they needed to make specific products for UK and central European markets and the Magnum carp range is the first product of our relationship with them” says Andrew. The feedback from carp community including well known anglers has been overwhelmingly positive and it is reassuring to know that the products are highly thought of. Considering there is almost 250 years of combined manufacturing heritage in these hooks, should we really be that surprised about the reaction to their performance when we know what goes into their construction. Such performance doesn’t come cheap, but when you consider the levels of dedication in this sport and many Euros spent on carp gear and getting to the right venues to access the best fish, why scrimp on the one item that connects you to that potential fish of a lifetime”.

www.reubenheaton.com See us on Facebook and Twitter

Official Eagle Claw brands distributor

2018 OFFICIAL MAP

20th Anniversary Event

20th

Anniversary Event

GETting ON BOARD It’s disgusting the way some competitors think they can leave their swim after the competition and if I had my way every single one of them would be banned for life and from all competitions Founder Ross Honey

As with any major competition, there has to be rules .. not only to ensure fair play, but most of all safety. One of the main aspects of this is boat safety as Madine is a large and sometimes unpredictable lake so it is imperitive that your boat is up to the job

n The Rules The most important one of all is that you read and understand all the rules before you start competing; the set of rules provided to each team is comprehensive and covers everything you need to know. If you break one of the rules and try to come up with the excuse that you hadn’t read or understood the rule, that will not be acceptable. You will no doubt have come a long way and spent a lot of money, so don’t jeopardise your place and earn an early exit by disqualification. n Distance One of the most important rules for the competitors, as it dictates how much area you have to fish, although in the case of Bolsena distance is less important given the depths of the lake. The further out you go the deeper it gets and the carp will simply not feed there. I think it is a mistake to think you have to go out as far as you can, as carp prefer to feed in the shallower water.

The allowed distance for competitors to fish has been raised this year, so I will be very strict on anyone who thinks they can go beyond this limit. I have rangefinders and night vision for myself and my team of marshals so be aware. n Peg Markers Your peg marker indicates the spot where you must place your rods, and you have discretion to have them no more than 3 metres to the left, right, front or back of the peg. Any further than that and you will be asked to move them. There may be an exceptional reason why this is not possible and in that case you must get the okay from the Marshal who is looking after your peg. n Markers Competitors may use up to six permanent markers in their swim and no more, these must be removed at the end of competition. The markers must be placed within the confines of your swim; Some competitors try to extend the boundaries of their swim as much as possible into the water of other pegs. If you cannot sort out the boundary of your swim with your neighbour and I have to be involved in a dispute, then I will cut down the amount of water you are able to fish considerably. So it’s simple, sort it out as you really do not want me to come and do it for you. There will also be competition markers out in the lake marking the maximum range you are able to fish. If you remove any of these markers you will be disqualified immediately – you have been warned.

n Rods Competitors may only have four baited rods in the water at any one time and two reserve rods, but these must be broken down. Each rig used by the competitor must only have one hook. All hooks must be micro barbed or barbed, which is generally the case these days with hooks from the major brands. n Respecting Madine Lake Madine is a beautifully well-kept and clean lake and we want to keep it that way. It is disgusting the way some competitors think they can leave their swim after the competition and if I had my way every single one of them would be banned for life. There is no excuse for this – remove your rubbish and put it in the rubbish bins or the designated rubbish areas which will be signposted. If you’re still not sure, ask your Marshal.

Safety first on the water n Boats

Lake Madine is big and even an average wind can create very choppy water. Your boat needs to be up to the job and it needs to have all the safety equipment that is required. We have been having boat checks for long enough now that you should all know you need to have proper lifejackets, horns, bailer, anchor and anchor rope plus, of course, oars to row the boat should the battery run out for the electric outboard. So make sure you have a boat to do the job as the guys at the boat check this year will be much stricter. n Boat Checks

To ensure that all of the boats/ security equipment to be used during the competition has been checked and approved by the event organiser and local authorities, all competitors must arrange to have their boat ready to be checked at their swim on Monday morning between 07:30 and 13:30. Once checked and approved, competitors will receive a boat pass that will be securely attached to the boat by the Marshal. Only then will the competitors receive the Official Catch List Form and Security Tag.

n Weighing The minimum weight of the fish that may be recorded for the competition has been raised this year to 5kg as there are many small carp in the lake and not all of these are of the strain cyprinus carpio so this new minimum weight will eliminate the problem of another species being mistakenly recorded. n Carp Care

Make sure you are prepared, with enough retaining slings and sacks to manage any situation. Any carp caught must be notified to your local marshal as soon as it is landed so that the fish can be weighed, recorded, photographed and returned to the lake as quickly as possible. It goes without saying that the safety of the carp is of the highest importance and proper unhooking mats must be used, the fish wetted if necessary and not kept out of the water for photographs/ filming etc. any longer than is necessary.

n Boat Safety

Safety whilst out on the water is a major aspect in the rules and lifejackets are an absolute must, not just occasionally but every single time you go out on the water. More yellow cards are given to competitors for not wearing a life jacket than any other broken rule. It really is quite simple - be prepared; given how quickly conditions can change on the lake there will be no warnings given this year, the first time you go out without a lifejacket, you get a yellow card, if you do it again then it is disqualification. n Boat Propulsion

The only means of propulsion for your boat is either by rowing or using an electric outboard. You should ensure that you have enough battery power to last you the competition plus a means to recharge batteries. We are not able to provide charging facilities for you. Some competitors have no idea how long a leisure battery actually lasts when going out into the wind to place baits, I have said this before, rowing will save the life of your battery considerably, leaving you enough power to use when they are really needed – when playing and landing of fish. Not making proper use of your batteries and running out when the carp go on a feeding spree could cost you dearly and even the chance of becoming the champion. n Boat Time

Something else that always seems to crop up each year and I do not know why… This is the allowed time when competitors can go out on the water. It is quite simple; when the hooter goes for the start of the competition! There is no period when you can go out on the water to try your echo sounder or to put markers out, so stay off the water ‘til it is time.

CHRIS DIXON

A MARSHAL’S PERSPECTIVE

When Head Marshal, Jem Cocker, spoke to me through social media, and offered me the chance to be a marshal at the World Carp Classic in the Czech Republic, it was hard to not to say yes and I am so glad that I did. Both the event at Lake Novomlynska and here at Madine last year were wonderful events to be a part of. Not just the event, but the friendships that develop between marshals and anglers too. This is something very special, and I feel it’s a key part of the event itself. The event wouldn’t work without either of us, and there’s a lot of respect between the two. I won’t spend time explaining what we marshals do, I’m sure most of you are already aware, but I’d like to hope a few of us have weighed fish for you at previous events. We do lots of work prior to, during and after the event, all of which is hard work, but all very rewarding. Over the two events I have been part of, there have been many ups and downs and a lot of great memories. Lake Novomlynska was a challenging event. I know the one thing that people will remember overall will be the heat. It was ridiculously hot and adding to that the banks were very dangerous in places. One memory is my first interaction with the anglers and helping one of them carrying their Jochym Marine boat about 1km in 35 degree heat. On reflection, I don’t know why we didn’t just row it there, that would have made a lot more sense! It was on that first day I witnessed the respect between the competitors and marshals. Every team we spoke to invited both myself and my comarshal in for food and drink that evening. It was great to be able to sit and speak with different anglers from around the world and see how they went about tackling such an event. Something that really sticks with me, is that the competitors are just as interested in our fishing stories and experiences. I certainly

learned a lot during that trip. The standout memory from that trip however, was with one particular team who were catching so regularly, that on one night we slept on the dam wall just by their swim and for every fish they caught they would come over and wake us, rather than us going back to our bivvy each time. A truly wonderful event – tough, hard work, but awesome! With Madine and the WCC returning to its home last year, I knew it would be special, but as I was no longer the ‘new boy’, I saw the whole competition in a new perspective. To top it all, a team from the area I was marshalling won their section – it was great to share that victory with them. Although amazing, last year still had its challenges – the weather was wild, with high winds and heavy rain – I managed to get caught out moving all my gear from one island to another at one point and got soaked. Overall, being a marshal for the WCC is a wonderful thing to do and I would recommend the job to anyone. Of course, I would love to fish in the main event one day and I have tried my luck in the UK Qualifier as well, but to be a part of the WCC in any way is an honour. Ross Honey looks after us very well, as does Marianne. They do their best to make sure the work we marshals do doesn’t go unnoticed. And, without Jem and Danny, we marshals wouldn’t be as well organised, as they make sure we get everything we need while we are at the event and support us throughout. I wouldn’t even be at the event had they not introduced me to the WCC and for that I am very grateful. I am thoroughly looking forward to marshalling this year’s event, especially with it being the 20th. I wish everyone the best, I hope lots of fish are caught and I will see some of you on the bank, rain or shine, day or night, to weigh your fish. CHRIS DIXON

Over the two events I have been part of, there have been many ups and downs and a lot of great memories

KURT FLIEGER

In memory of one of the greatest theorists in carp angling, a great fisherman and a good friend. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget the time we shared with you at the WCC 2013, as you fell asleep before the peg draw! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll cherish these memories and hope they have some nice carp to catch, some good whisky to drink and some other lads willing to discuss carp fishing with up there with you . Andreas Papesch Bait Service Austria

‘As we gather here to celebrate the event’s 20th anniversary, I would like to ask you all to remember those friends and family who are no longer with us’ Ross Honey

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

LEST WE FORGET

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 94

When travelling with a friend to a fishing fair in Poznan this year things took an unexpected turn.

After numerous company exhibitions, we went to eat upstairs on a balcony. As I got to the top of the stairs, somebody in a white shirt and jeans flashed by. Is that Ross Honey? I thought. So I ran downstairs shouting: “Ross! Ross!” ... he looked up … “Przemek! Wow it’s fantastic to see you, how are you? Come to Karpmax’s stand I’ll be there in a few minutes”. I patiently waited for him, filling the time with friendly conversation with Joanna and Steve Briggs whom I met at the stand. Ross invited us to his meeting room and we both agreed that neither of us looked any older than the last time we saw each other and over a coffee chatted about the fantastic memories we shared together at the World Carp Classics over the years. At one point Ross asked me if I knew that this year was the 20th anniversary celebration of the WCC? “Are you kidding?”, I said .. “20 years? Really?”. We look at each other for a moment ... then Ross says, “You have to be there.” I’m like ... “How could there be such a celebration without me?” There’s laughter, because I know for sure there are no places. Ross then said “And there’s a place for you”. I thought he was joking at first, but then checked, “Really Ross? You’re not kidding?”. He’ was serious. I look at the young carp angler next to me and say ... “You know what? ..we’re going to the WCC 20th anniversary event ...”. He choked on his coffee and a huge smile came over his face. The whole way home I kept pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. When Ross and I talked together about the WCC, we reminisced over the things we had done together – funny situations and dangerous situations and everything we’ve lived through all these years. “Write an article about all this”, says Ross, “there are many great times to remember, especially for your WCC friends who are not among us anymore”. I still thought that I was dreaming – not only was I going to the WCC18, but I get my memories in the special edition magazine. I didn’t sleep at nights thinking about what to write and because my written English isn’t that great either. But, I said ‘yes’ and when I give my word, I do what I say.

SPIRIT

‘The collective soul of the universe containing m

Not forgotten… Me and Kurt (right)during one of our fishing trips

TUS MUNDI

memories of all time. ‘World Spirit’ (WB Yeats)... or a really, really strong drink!

Ok let’s get started ....

We all know what the WCC is and how important it is for carp anglers around the world. These are competitions where several thousand participants have competed so far – no competition has a history like it. The celebrities that have participated and those who won the competition – there’s just not enough space! So, who organizes the competition? A real spec of such undertakings , ROSS HONEY – a guy who’s eternally smiling, courageous, consistent and effective. I loved working with him. I hope Ross also remembers a funny friend from Poland, who jumped on the scaffolding at the opening ceremony at the very first competition, lac D’Orient and did everything to he could to make an impression! My WCC starts with Amance. It was at this competition that we took our first steps with my friend Artur Jakimowicz. It was a magical experience for us and the atmosphere of the competition itself, was like no other we had ever been to. Then our experiences at Madine .. the funny ones and the serious ones. When I announced on the forum where

we will be arriving before the competition, this visit was not over. Tim Paisley, Lee Jackson, Steve Briggs, Frank Warwick, Ardy Verldkamp and many more great people were our guests. Returning to the competition ... we drew the position of the so-called Bunker. Already on the first night of the competition we could see that the fish were near the island and far away from us. It looked like the competition would be rather relaxing rather than full-on action fishing sport. In the middle of the night I received information on the radio that our friend from Poland on the big island had a very serious leg infection from before the competition. His condition worsened from hour to hour. I was in contact with Ross and was explaining to him in a timely manner what our colleague’s state was. Ross was in touch with his wife and together we decided that we needed to evacuate him from the island and go to the hospital. Marianne organized transport and went to the hospital to make sure he was looked after and to translate of course. I will always be very grateful, as his illness was really life threatening. After doctors dealt with the situation, we still didn’t have a restful night but we were satisfied that our friend would survive. Ross came to us on our peg the next day. While we discussed the situation, Artur offered him to drink a small glass for “ elaxation” (... sorry Ross, but I have to tell the world!), but we warned him that it was the so-called Eastern Test and as a brave and honorable man, would he give in and try it. Arthur pulled a bottle with the inscription ‘Spiritus’ and in smaller letters it read: ‘clean alcohol 94%’. He poured it into a glass (some 40-50gr of alcohol). I told Ross that such an alcohol can only be drunk by following strict rules. Before drinking, let the all the air out of the lungs and stressed the word ‘release’ then drink quickly and drink water. Unfortunately our friend did the opposite. .. The disaster was all caught on cameras, but Ross reserved copyright under threat of death. After drinking, all the moisture from the mouth and throat is pulled by alcohol and evaporates. Poor Ross wanted to pull in the air to cool his aching insides, but couldn’t as his lungs were already full. He then turned red first and then quickly went pale from lack of oxygen! We were prepared for such a situation ... a bucket of water stood at the ready ... the first glass of water, Arthur poured down his throat, the next Ross swallowed one by one. Such an amount of water and in such a short time – Ross had probably not drunk that much in his life. After about 15 minutes, Ross came back to life and as a reward, he invited Artur and me to dinner after the competition. I really enjoyed telling you. We Polish boys (Artur and I), joined Ross and Marianne, Tim Paisley, Andy Chambers Chris Vaughan, Joan and Steve Briggs and many other celebs stayed after the competition on the lake for another week and caught a few nice fish. It was a great time. Once evening, Marianne visited us and we showed her how Mercury looks through binoculars because that year it was the nearest to our planet. She was delighted and amazed that such things interested us. I fished with Artur on many lakes and participated in many competitions. At the World Championships in the USA which took place on the St. Lawrence river we won 13th place. I have many great memories. Sadly, Artur died on January 9, 2011 When WCC moved to one of the most famous lakes in the world, lac de Orient my partner at the competition was Kurt Grabmayer. You probably know who Kurt was, devoted his

whole life to fishing and in particular carp fishing and was known throughout the carp world with a whole host of friends from different countries. He won several prestigious competitions so to be his partner at WCC it was an honour. At the competition we were the last to be transported to our position. Most of the neighbours had already started fishing by the time we arrived at our peg. Not a great start. We had to fish a limited part of the bay. Kurt said the only chance was to catch a resident’s fish from this bay. Finding a good place to put rods was very difficult because most of the bay was covered with weeds. We sailed on the pontoons and started the orcharding. I didn’t find anything interesting from my side, while Kurt on the way back came across a small hole and marked the place. We returned there with the underwater camera to get a clearer look the bottom. It was a fairly clean place with a small amount of weed. We decided to position one of Kurt’s rods here. On the hook was a balanced pop-up with a small amount of pellets and crushed balls. The remaining rods went much further out. After a hard day, we went to bed not believing anything would happen. In the middle of the night, we were awakened by the sound of a siren, it was Kurt’s rod. I prepared the inflatable boat, head torch, lifejacket and a landing net. I pushed the boat out until I could use the electric motor. “Ready Kurt”, I say, “swim, sail, anything, but we must get to that fish ... its massive!”. What a fight it was. The fish was stuck several times in the weeds and snags but Kurt did not give up. He spun the boat around to avoid breaking the line. He was a master in dealing with such situations. He had prepared a special set up for catching the line. Two times he cut the line and again he was tying to keep the fish. That hour and a half of the fight was the longest waiting time for me here. Finally, a cry ... “I have it!” I was like a child. I called Luka and Teo, ignoring the night and shouting down the phone that we have a fish. The morning weigh-in showed that we caught the biggest fish of the competition so far – over 22kg. We were so happy. Ultimately, however, we were beaten by our colleagues from England by about 600gr and we finished the competition in 4th place. For us, it was a great result in spite of everything. It was also wonderful time that I spent with Kurt. A year later the WCC took place at Lac de Orient again. We drew a place in the middle of the Italian peninsula. It was very hot and nobody caught anything during the first days of the competition. However, a very dangerous incident occurred. A private plane rented by one of the sector’s sponsors to take pictures from avove was flying so low that the wing tip hit the anglers lines and broke a lot of equipment. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the pilot lost his license and suffered financial consequences. On the last day of the competition Kurt again had a bite and caught a fish weighing over 10kg. It turned out, however, that it was foul hooked and didn’t count. The competition was won by one fish caught by Jean Pierre Becker. Fishing with Kurt, whether at competitions or privately on the lakes was an honour and pleasure. I learned many things from him, he was a wonderful humble and cordial man, and his knowledge of fish can be confirmed by everyone who knew him. Kurt died of a heart attack on December 21, 2010. This is a very brief insight to my experiences and association with the WCC, which to me is as much about great memories and life than competition. My participation in this 20th anniversary celebration event will be dedicated to my two friends who are no longer among us Artur Jakimowicz and Kurt Grabmayer. I wish you all a great event and see you at the competition ....

‘‘

PRZEMEK SYDOR MY LASTING MEMORIES

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 96

Misery to madness

England Qualifiers Tom and Chris relive their WCC2017 nightmare

Water-logged .. Crazy weather conditions forced Tom and Chris to buld a raft just to get to their boat

It was an early start on Friday 21st April with a three hour drive in store for us from Lincoln to Wraysbury. We set of with the aroma of a new test bait from Mainline, sweetening the smell of the van air drying for a few hours. We arrived at the magnificent RK Leisure complex of the famous Wraysbury and set our sights on the historic venue... Without further ado we were greeted early by Ross and his team, then our very good friends and match rivals – before we knew it it was time for the draw. With what we thought was an awful draw – the only swim outside the boundaries of RK Leisure – swim 18 (more like swimming pool). You may laugh... we nearly cried when we realised that what was on the map, looked completely different to what we witnessed standing at the peg – a point reducing us to only half of the water that was within our boundaries. Ten minutes passed and Chris and I were looking more and more disheartened, infact, we nearly got back in the van to leave. Then I saw a fish show, which instantly perked me up and gave me the encouragement needed to give Chris a wakeup call and tell him “we’ve got this, it’s our year “. Well within time of the match starting, we had found trolleys, trailer axels, broken bottles and a dog having paddle! Even local travellers came and asked if their horse could cool its feet down in the margins! The match kicked off and within five to six minutes Chris had a double take resulting in two early fish on the board and the action didn’t stop until the Sunday mid-morning. We had consistent action of 57 takes – landing 46 or 47, with the biggest being 33.3 on the Saturday night. This was needed, as although we lead from the start, slightly bigger fish were being caught around the next corner to us. This put us on edge a little, but a decent mid 20 plus extended our weights. Only one of the A team originals being caught could change the result. As the media team arrived, we counted down from 10 to the final hooter, then Chris’s alarm went into melt down! As luck would have it, it had cut him off on a large boulder to his right. It was over. After spending over 35 hours in waders, we finally kicked them off and went for a celebratory swim. What a moment that was. We must thank Danny Cooch for his determined hard work – constantly back and forth for weigh-ins, whatever time of day and only realised at the end of the event that hadn’t actually had a hot meal the whole weekend as he was round with us. We took the award for biggest fish of the competition with my 33.3lb and first place and entry to fish the World Carp Classic event at Lac De Madine! Farewell and goodbyes for another year to some very good anglers and well respected friends…

Now the planning starts.. Madine came around relatively quickly and we were soon aboard the Eurotunnel to Calais, off the other side and motored down to find a mass expanse of water… Madiiiiiiiiinnneeeeee!

Torrential, consistent rain flooded our swim which was silty and wet enough to start with. We had to build a raft to the boat from broken trees and logs found at the famous Darkside

Cheers! Tom Ison and Chris Wild loving last year’s Classic (above). A long- awaited celebratory soak at the Qualifiers in Wraysbury Below)

We did all the signing in, boat checks and caught up with some friends before the tension built on the Sunday evening. It was the defying draw... We drew peg 52, a peg that some other anglers had said they would’ve been happy with. What we faced over the next 5 days was a nightmare on the weather front but a genuinely great match. We soon got settled in the swim and headed into the horizon looking for likely looking feeding spots to pinch an early bite from. Our first take came on the Tuesday lunchtime which was a massive boost and a 19.9kilo common, just hours before the weather struck. Torrential, consistent rain flooded our swim which was silty and wet enough to start with. We had to build a raft to the boat and rods from broken trees and logs from the famous darkside of Madine. Taking the bite early on and landing one the following morning saw us leading the section with 2 fish to Chris’s spots and we were in the top seven until the 4th morning. Unfortunately, losing four bites on the bounce to the weed and Jacko, Tim and benji picking off a few decent fish, we slipped into 15th and sadly, that’s how we finished. The commotion led to a message from Jacko on a group chat saying, “I’ve just had a 52.... just having a brew and I’ll top it up later with another biggun”. Well... true to his word he did exactly that and slipped a 56 into the net in the early hours of the final morning, which saw them take the title and be crowned champions ... well done guys! We headed back to HQ with our heads held high, having learnt a lot and gained vast amounts of knowledge. More importantly it allowed us to understand what we would be up against coming back in 2018 for the 20th year anniversary match. Thanks again to Kev and Steve at Mainline baits for their continuous support throughout the year – these matches can’t happen for us without it. Very much appreciated. Also a big thank you to the Angling Spirit team, the marshalls and Ross and Marianne for another successful event! Until next time.....

TOM ISON

LOOKING

TIM PAISLEY Reflects on his personal high If this is your first World Carp Classic then beware because these events can become addictive! I honesty cannot for the life of me remember how it all started although I can remember early in 1998, word was out that a bloke no one in carp fishing had ever heard of was organising a major match at Lac de Madine in eastern France ...

NG BACK..

hlights from the World Carp Classic at Madine over the years

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

LOOKING BACK.. TIM PAISLEY ON MADINE

1998 Don’t know why… The rain stopped the Supergoup performing at the eve-of-match social event because of fears of electrocution!

To begin at the beginning… Ross making his introductory speech at the start of the 1998 event.

Ross asked me to take a look back at the Madine events through the years. Having taken part in all of them, I have been able to do so. I’ve not included shots of the winners, or the podium shots, because they are part of World Carp Classic history and, as such, receive coverage year by year. The following pictures are based on a few personal memories, and reflect the way the event has grown since that first staging of the vent in 1998. These are a handful shots selected from hundreds I have on file.

1998 Argy bargy… I can’t remember why but prior to embarking for the islands from Madine One the tackle had to be loaded onto a lorry prior to unloading at the port, and then loading on the barge for embarkation. It was a lengthy process! 1998 Banks for the memories… A reminder that the first three events at Madine were fished from the bank: me casting out from the island during the inaugural event.

‘‘

100

TIM PAISLEY

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

1999 Crowd surfing… The pre-draw gathering for the second year of the event and the gathering for the presentation ceremony was somewhat lower key than it has been in recent years. 1999 Get shorty… Carpworld won the team event that year. The shorts were put into retirement shortly after.

1999 To begin at the beginning… The social gatherings have always been an important part of the event for us. My late wife Mary, Pip and Jemima with team members and Junior event helpers Micky Sly and Alan Atkins.

101

1999 Pull the other one… Rob Hughes and Simon Horton were enrolled to help with the running of the 1999 event. First year’s winner Paul Raiment made the first draw.

LOOKING BACK.. TIM PAISLEY ON MADINE

2000 Little Madine… The pre-draw shot for the 2000 event, which incorporated a Junior Event on Little Madine run by The Carp Society.

2000 Tough going… Rob Tough making an arse of himself prior to the 2000 event.

2000 Girls on top… Much to our delight Pip and Jemima caught, and won the Ladies’ title.

2008 Soak it in… one brief glimpse of the sun as it set on the fourth day…

2008 Double take… and England internationals Mark Bartlett and Kevin Hewitt, helping secure the team event for Carpworld – for the second year running – with a number of big fish from the main island. This is one of the best trophy shots I’ve seen.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 2009 Her indoors ... This time Jacko and I were tucked away on a small island (not the productive one!). Highlights were Jacko’s cuisine, and the fact that partner Julie was able to visit us for a day.

2008 was the first time I fished with Lee ‘Jacko’ Jackson. We were tucked away in a dark hole in th e woods on the old night section. The highlights were Jacko’s cuisine…

103

2009 Double take… Meanwhile, elsewhere on the lake Rob Tough and Thomas Duncan-Dunlop were performing great deeds, which won them the pairs’ title, and Carpworld the team title for the third year running.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

LOOKING BACK.. TIM PAISLEY ON MADINE

2010 Picture perfect… Five nights of camping, hoping and blanking on the back of the main island culminated in this memorable shot of Jacko at sunrise on the final morning. This is not a filtered shot: the effect is just a trick of the sunlight on the morning mist.

104

2010 It’s only rock’n’roll but we like it… Our main claim to fame this time around was that partner Jacko and runner Benji duetted as band members.

2011 A so… A shot from the gîtebalcony pre-match social event, which was memorable for two reasons. One was that the friendly Japanese team were in the next gîte (hence Julie’s headband), and the second that high profile Brit carper Bruce Ashby was recovering from chemotherapy and was able to take part in the event. Sadly Bruce has since died.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

2011 And finally… Fishing from the wooded section on the front of the island Jacko and I caught our first Madine carp since 1998. It weighed 21k+ and was almost worth waiting thirteen years for! 2011 Result! Jacko and I won the section prize. If at first you don’t succeed, and all that…

We needed a fleet of boats to get all our great back to the mainland, and got caught up in a dreadful hailstorm on the run back!

2015 Picture perfect… (below left) Back at Madine after a break, and we were pegged on the mainland for the first time fishing together, and Jacko and I caught again! And, this is what happens when a couple of old blokes catch a carp from a mainland swim!

105

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

LOOKING BACK.. TIM PAISLEY ON MADINE

106

The latest event will be unfolding as you read the magazine, but one thing is predictable: as always the true heroes will be Ross Honey, wife Marianne, and all their back-up helpers on and off the bank.

Last year’s event is covered elsewhere, but two memories stand out: The dreaded draw. Last year we entrusted runner Benji with the job, and he came up trumps. And the ferocity of the conditions. Once you are back in civilization it is easy to forget just how tough it was for everyone in 2017.

I’ll drink to that ... and to team mates Jacko and Benji…and to the ongoing success of the World Carp Classic. Compare last year’s gathering to the groups shots of 20 years ago.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

ROD HUTCHISON 1945- 2018 CARP ANGLING LEGEND

WHERE DREAMS ARE STILL ALIVE

Tim Paisley pays tribute to carp fishing pioneer and legend, Rod Hutchinson, who passed away in June of this year. Rod spent an angling lifetime fishing some of the best-known waters at home and abroad, and the impact he made on carp fishing was immense.

trangely, looking back, the World Carp Classic started for me, and a number of others, with Rod Hutchinson.

108

I say ‘strangely’ because Rod wasn’t into match fishing, but he knew his overseas waters, and the fact that the inaugural Classic was to be held at Lac de Madine interested him greatly. To those in the know it was a big-water venue from way back, and the fact that some areas of Madine that weren’t normally fished would be pegged in the event meant that he wanted to be there, take his chances, and hope to fish a virgin area of the water. My Madine connection with Rod was twofold. I had just helped him put together his Dream Team, and my wife Mary was a proven organiser. Mary’s assistance was enlisted by Rod for making the travel arrangements for Rod, his mate Mally Roberts, Mary and me, which resulted in one of my favourite stories.

Spotting a winner ... A be-hatted Rod with his Dream Team sheltering from the heat during the filming of the ‘Dream at Madine’ videos in 1999.

‘Rod’s asked me to book overnight accommodation in Coventry so we’re closer to Dover for the ferry,’ said Mary proudly. That stopped me in my tracks. I knew Mary was great with figures, but not with geography, or directions, so I had to work that one out. Canterbury maybe…? That would make more sense. (The English geography will be lost on many of you, but it was a bit like confusing Verdun with Versailles, or Bruges and Berlin.) I never did ask if bookings had already been made for Coventry, but the overnight stay was eventually focused on Canterbury. My only memory of that evening is the quality of the fish and chips. Hutchy’s enthusiasm for the WCC rubbed off on the rest of us, but he didn’t get a great draw at that first event, and that was the end of his WCC involvement, although for me the Hutchy-inspired occasion was influential in firing my enthusiasm for big-water carping, and world cup events. By the time of the first Classic Rod had already been fishing the big European waters for many years, having first visited, and enjoyed success at, Lake Cassien in 1985. If he had stuck with the Classic he would have got to fish areas of the Orient that weren’t accessible during his Bivvy City sessions on there. He was obviously enamoured of Madine, though, and his two-part video ‘Dream at Madine’, featuring Rod, the Dream Team and yours truly, was shot there some time later. And suddenly Rod has gone, and we are left with his influences, and the memories of him. It would take a book to capture the essence of Hutchy, and even then you would have to leave so much out that it would tell only half the expurgated story. Rod was a war child, born during WWII, and a product of the sixties, a heady combination which, in his case, produced a highly intelligent, multi-talented, multi-faceted personality that struggled with some of the niceties of life, was prone to addictions, and occasionally (make that frequently) took refuge from the realities of life by ‘smelling the flowers’, as he put it. In his prime he had a pop-star aura about him, and grown men could be lost for words in his company. His angling heroes were Dick Walker and Fred J Taylor, but Rod extended their thinking, and certainly their tactics, when his attentions moved on from specimen hunting to being serious about carp fishing. Rod had an enquiring, inventive mind, which led to him making major advances in the fields of tactics (bolt rigs were very revolutionary when he started using them with particles in the early 70s), tackle, rods, and carp baits, a field which he helped pioneer, and excelled in. Many of today’s most popular flavours – most famously in Europe Scopex I think – were originally products of Rod’s inventive, scientific mind working in collaboration with commercial flavour experts. It’s fair to say he was one of the first English anglers to wholeheartedly embrace the fishing that the European waters had to offer, largely because of the size of the fish, and the fact that he could get away

Rod at Cassien in the mid-80s... His love of the big European waters alerted him, and his friends, to the first World Carp Classic at Lac de Madine in 1998.

Now and Then, Carp Along the Way Volumes One and Two, and Carp Inspirations. We were working on Carp Along the Way Volume Three when he was taken from us so suddenly, unexpectedly, and shockingly in late June 2018. That was how losing him felt to many of us. For as long as my generation of carpers had been carp fishing from the early 70s onwards Rod had been a public herofigure, in my case first as a distant hero, then as an acquaintance, and then as a friend. His recent years had been difficult following a series of detached retina operations which had limited his eyesight, and eventually reduced his mobility. He didn’t take kindly to his developing inability to live life to the full, which put a restriction on his beloved carpfishing activities. Rod was a former footballer, and boxer, and loved his football and boxing on TV. He was a musician manqué, and song writer, and had a music room at home. He loved jamming with his mate Mally Roberts, ‘brother-in-law’ Keith, and anyone else who was willing to sit around strumming and singing for hours on end. His pub singer imitation was a show stopper! He was a family man who has left two daughters, Kath and Emma, four granddaughters, and three great grandsons. He was hugely influential, and the global outpouring of affection following his death has demonstrated the admiration he was afforded, and affection in which he was held, globally. He was talented, influential, and loved well beyond the

Rod ’s Dream at Madine video cover... check out the fish at the bottom right! normal degree of esteem in which hero figures are held. For all his eminence, talents and achievements he was looked on as one of us, made good. He was special, and has left a void which may never again be filled by one man. He coined the expression for his new, unexplored carp waters ‘where dreams are still alive’, a quote which will be taken into carp fishing lore. That word ‘dream’ cropped up again in the title of his Madine two-part video. Sadly the dreams are no more, but the World Carp Classic, his legacy by way of books, films and memories, will live on. It is hard to believe that this larger-than-life, giant bear of a man is no longer with us. Hutchy, you will be remembered for generations to come for the inspiration and influence you have passed down to us all. He’d just love you to drink to that, as I’m sure he certainly would!

TIM PAISLEY

‘‘

from the increasingly crowded home waters. He was a confusing mixture of a larger-thanlife extrovert personality coupled with the need for privacy. He had a close circle of loyal friends with whom he was comfortable, but beyond that circle he could be awkward, and you never quite knew which Hutchy was going to show up. He was academically bright, but was expelled from school for an incident which would probably see the master involved being prosecuted now. (When a hard-backed blackboard cleaner was thrown at him by the teacher Rod threw it back at him!) Fortunately his English master saw in him, and praised, his talent as a story teller, and this was a talent we all benefited from in his carp fishing writings, and meant I had the pleasure of working with him on a number of his books. Any book is an achievement, and to have played a part in helping make some of Rod’s books available will always remain a matter of some pride. As a story teller he was unique, and some of the one-liners around which his articles and chapters were based were memorable. Back in the 70s and early 80s, at a time when carp writers were thin on the ground, Rod’s next monthly-magazine offering was eagerly anticipated, and devoured with relish, as his books have been in more recent years. Rod’s first book was Rod Hutchinson’s Carp Book. Thereafter I had an involvement in the compilation and production of The Carp Strikes Back (many people’s favourite carp book), Carp

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

TEAM AUSTRIA WIR WERDEN ZURÜCKKOMMEN

ereits dreimal in Folge durften wir als rot-weiß-rote Mannschaft für Österreich am weltweit größten Karpfenangeln teilnehmen und können mit den von uns erzielten Ergebnissen mehr als zufrieden sein: Zweifacher Sektor-Gewinner und einmal Sektor-Zweitplatzierter.

110

Wie jedes Jahr können wir es kaum erwarten, als Dreierteam unter unserem Kapitän Markus DeBuigne diese bestens organisierte Veranstaltung zu besuchen. Wir zählen bereits die Tage bis zum Beginn, denn es macht uns immer wieder Spaß, daran teilzunehmen. Auf diese Weise konnten wir bereits zahlreiche neue Freunde der Fischerei aus aller Welt gewinnen bzw. bekannte Gesichter der Karpfenszene aus vielen verschiedenen Ländern wiedersehen. Es ist uns eine besondere Ehre, die diesjährige 20. Jubiläumsausgabe erleben zu dürfen, bei der die World Carp Classic wieder an ihren Geburtsort, den magischen Lac de Madine in Frankreich, zurückkehrt. Für dieses bevorstehende Event hoffen wir

WE’LL BE BACK.. and we’ll keep on coming back until we win the WCC Title for Austria

auf eine glückliche Hand bei der Platzwahl und vertrauen auf unser routiniertes Können, um endlich den lang erträumten WCC-Sieg nach Hause zu bringen. Vielleicht schaffen wir es gerade an diesem besonderen Ort auf den ersten Platz des Podests. Ansonsten versprechen wir, so oft wiederzukommen, bis es uns endlich gelingt, dieses Ziel zu erreichen. Lange Rede, kurzer Sinn: Wir brennen darauf, zu gewinnen. Das Beste kommt erst noch!

hree times in a row, we have been able to participate in the world’s largest carp fishing competition as the red-white-red team for Austria and we can be more than satisfied with the results we have already achieved: Twice Section winner and once Section runner-up. Like every year, we can hardly wait to attend this well-organized event as a team of three under our Captain Markus DeBuigne. We already count the days until the beginning, because again and again, we really enjoy taking part. In this way, we have already been able to win many new friends of the fishery from all over the world and to meet familiar faces from the carp scene from many different countries again. It is a special honour for us to be at this year’s 20th celebrations, where the World Carp Classic is re-visiting its birth place – the magical Lac de Madine. For this upcoming event, we hope for a lucky hand in the peg draw and rely on our seasoned skills to finally bring the long-dreamt of World Carp Classic victory home. Maybe we really can make it to first place on the podium this year at this special venue. Otherwise, we promise that we will keep coming back until we finally achieving that goal. Long story short: We are now eager to win. The best is yet to come!

KEEP YOUR Dometic can help Anglers to keep fresh or frozen baits, foods, beverages with high-level performance products wherever they travel around the world. Cool ice CI series:

Built for Anglers ... Dometicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Portable Inverters for use with your 230V products via a (12/24V) Battery

Dometic iceboxes feature an extremely effective insulation system. Fitted with ice packs or ice cubes, they can keep groceries, fish, bait and wild game fresh for several days. The new facelift models of the popular series are even cooler. Practical accessories like seat cushions, fishing rod holders and bottle openers make them indispensable companions for fishermen, hunters and other nature lovers. The modular storage system, consisting of wire baskets and dividers, organises the content. Available for all new Cool Ice models (43 to 111 litres).

CFX series for Compressor ranges:

Best in class, the CFX Series is a range of compact portable compressor fridges and/ or freezers to keep food, drinks, or baits well chilled or even frozen while out on the road or your angling spot. The range includes a variety of models including an ultra-compact cooler and Two with two separate temperature zones for

www.facebook.com/dometic

www.instagram.com/dometic

EVEN EINSTEIN THOUGHT DOMETIC WAS COOL..

1919-1922

COOL

Baltzar von Platen and Carl Munters are two young Swedish engineering students with a crazy idea. They are convinced the best way to create a cooling effect is to use heat. They believe so wholeheartedly in the idea that they regularly skipped class to work on it. Finally, after many long days and even longer nights, they manage to design a cooling cabinet with no compressor, no moving parts – and no ice. Simply by applying heat to a boiler, a cooling agent circulates in the system, absorbing the heat and thereby creating a cooling effect. Their cabinet turns out to be the world’s first refrigerator.

1950-1970 In the 1950s, Electrolux starts to make inroads into the leisure market – especially in America, which is riding a massive post-war boom. To strengthen its presence in a growing segment, the company acquires ground-breaking innovations and strong brands whenever and wherever it makes good business sense. By the end of the 1960’s, Electrolux gives its leisure appliances division a name: Dometic.

1970 - PRESENT 1923 The cabinet is granted a

simultaneous cooling and freezing until -22°C with a very, very low power consumption.

ACX serieS for the absorption range : Take to the road with the ACX Series of portable coolers for cool food and drink wherever your fishing adventure takes you. This range of portable absorption coolers can be powered by electricity or, if you find yourself in a more remote spot, it can be powered by a portable gas cylinder (ACX35 &40) or a cartridge (ACX40G). A highly effective cooler, the ACX range is the cooler of choice for any adventure. Until 30°C below ambiante temperature.

patent. Even the great Albert Einstein is impressed, calling their invention a stroke of genius. In the same year, Arctic, an appropriately named Swedish company, acquires the manufacturing rights.

1925 Check out .. our many other products for Mobile living made easy

www.youtube.com/dometicofficial

It doesn’t take long for Electrolux, a growing appliance company, to see the potential of von Platen’s and Munter’s invention. In 1925, the company acquires Arctic. In the years following World War II, refrigerators find their way into every middle-class home. Sales are in the millions of units.

In 2001, Electrolux divests its interests in the leisure market to EQT, a private equity firm. Dometic has to stand on its own feet. Which it does by staying true to its roots and relentlessly developing smart, often award-winning, solutions. As the new century progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that ever more people across the world want to live mobile. For some, like professional truck drivers, it’s business. For the rest, it’s leisure. But they all share essential needs – like cooking, taking care of personal hygiene and maintaining a pleasant temperature. This simple truth provides the foundation for a new concept that captures the Dometic offer: “Mobile living made easy.” In 2015, Dometic becomes a public company, its shares trading on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Dometic operates 28 manufacturing and assembly sites in eleven countries and sell products in approximately 100 countries

www.dometic.com

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 114

TIME FOR

Having never really had great results with anything other than her own home-made boilies, carp angler Claudia Darga, made the brave decision last year, to part ways with her then bait company and go on a personal mission ... to find the best brand of boilie out there.

round 8 years ago I started fishing for carp. In the first couple of years I tried different kinds of baits. Very soon I saw that a boilie was the best bait to catch the most and the bigger carp. However, I also discovered that one boilie is not just a boilie and that there are huge differences in the quality and appeal. Five years ago I got the chance to join as a team angler for a German Bait manufacturer without having really used those baits before signing the contract. It was a good experience for me and I was able to try all of the baits in the range during my time there. I came to the conclusion that I actually always caught way better

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

A CHANGE

Boiling point.. self-made boilies is a lot of work, time consuming and you need all the equipment to roll them myself if I could find that bait that would perform. So I decided to leave this bait company and try to find the best bait for my style of fishing. Also clear for me was to not jump to another sponsor from one day to another. I see this almost weekly with some sponsored anglers that seem to change companies from one week to the next. For me it was clear that I did not want to follow this kind of sponsor hopping. Therefore, my decision was to take at least one year using a few different brands to see which baits best suited me and most importantly gave me the best results. After ending the relationship with my old bait sponsor I ordered quite a few different branded shelf life boilies to test throughout 2017. So beginning in January 2017, the aim was to not fish at all with home rolled boilies but to find a ready-made that I had total confidence in! Without naming all the brands I will try to explain to you what was most important for me in terms of the perfect bait and how I conducted my test. I did my tests over two steps: The first steps was to review what was out there starting with initial opinions at the Carp Zwolle Fishing show followed by a lot of real-life tests at the bank.

The First Test ..

Testing the baits out of the bag, based on different criteria:

1. Softness:

The perfect bait has to be for me soft and should not be too hard. The ready-mades I had fished before were always very hard and I always had to pre-soak them 24hours before taking them to the bank. Only after that pre-soaking did they become soft enough for my style of fishing. From my perspective a soft bait is a must.

2. Freshness:

The bait must be fresh and should not have any cracks or be dried out when opening the bag. A fresh boilie is still soft, has no cracks or dryness ideally has a slight oily surface.

3. Smell:

Some people say that the perfect boilie does not have any flavour in it and is just neutral in smell. For me the perfect bait does have a certain fish or sweet smell but does not smell just like an added flavour. Also the

115

on self-made boilies rather than the ready-made range they were offering. Due to the much better results I had with my self-made baits, I focused most of my fishing with these and increasingly chose to ignore the ready-made ranges â&#x20AC;&#x201C; using them only occasionally. However, all of us know the disadvantage of self-made boilies - it is a heck of a lot of work, time consuming and you need all the equipment to roll them! I came to the conclusion that life time is very limited and I rather wanted to focus on using my spare time for fishing instead of cooking boilies. So for me it was clear, I needed to find a readymade boilie that would give me the same result in terms of catching fish like my home made boilies. This was a mission for me and I wanted to test

My decision was to take at least one year using a few different brands to see which baits best suited me and most importantly gave me the best results

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

For me the perfect bait does have a certain fish or sweet smell but does not smell just like an added flavour

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

different ingredients like fishmeal or tiger nutmeal should be able to be detected also. So a decent fish or sweet flavor is the key for me.

4. Structure:

The perfect bait needs to have a more open structure which comes from a lot of bigger particles in the mix - either bird-food, little seeds or just bigger shredded corn meal. All of those big particles lead to better release of the flavour and all the ingredients.

All the above-mentioned factors are just indicators of good baits. However, it does not replace testing the baits at the bank.

This quick check is really needed to take a first choice out of so many different baits at the market. As the market is so big it would surely take many years to test every each single brand of boilie that exists. So I focused my bank tests on a selection of brands that I thought had the most potential. I decided to go with 4 different brands and their baits which I thought would suit my style of fishing and my old home rolled bait. I started testing them and was changing from time to time as most of the time I was only permitted to fish with 3 rods. Very important for me was that the baits would catch all year round and under different conditions and that would be better than my home made bait.

The Second Test: Real life testing ..

Claudia

Tried and tested.. After a year’s independant testing, Claudia finally came to the conclusion that Dynamite Baits were far the best. So much so, she’s now joined their team

117

I did not produce any statistics on the amount of fish I have caught on each bait, however it was so obvious that I almost most of the times had the best result on one bait combination – it caught under almost all conditions even when my self-made boilies didn’t catch. The result of the testing was not always 100% clear as the home made boilies was also catching quite well. After the first month of testing 2 of the 4 baits were already out as the results were not satisfying. For the next few months I settled on testing 2 different shelf life brands against my old self-made boilie and this was perfect as it always worked well with the 3 rods I was able to use. Even before the end of the year it was clear what the winner of this fight would be – and that was consistently bringing me significantly more fish than the other two rods. A combination of a 15mm Source boilie topped with a 14mm Complex-T dumbbell from Dynamite Baits turned out as the key weapon in for me in 2017. It easily produced the goods compared to the selfmade baits and the other brand. After seeing these results I was excited to test more of the Dynamite range and quickly went about trying some of the other products from Dynamite Baits. After an intensive

Autumn using a lot more from the full range I decided for me those baits were by far the best I could get and were worthy to beat my self-made baits! This brought me to the next stage of following things up and applying to join the Dynamite team. I have to say this has really worked out for me and from Feb 2018 I have started officially and am a very proud team member of Dynamite Baits. I know this brand as a real innovative leader being at the market for a couple of decades and one of the first brands with boilies in the market. I think the experience gained within those early years is probably what makes a big difference to a lot of the companies now – only in the market for a short period of time. All in all, I am very proud of fishing for such a great company and am now able to stick to ready-made shelf life boilies with 100% confidence and trust. So I can now avoid all the hassle and time spent in the past preparing my own baits. I know that one year is quite short to fully test so many baits, however with the results I definitely learnt a lot about what bait was really catching and what wasn’t. The year’s testing was a great indicator – if you have the time I would recommend making your own tests and decide based on your results, but if you don’t you could do a lot worse than follow my recommendation! Good luck in testing!

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

JEAN PIERRE BECKER 2007 WCC CHAMPION

La WCC a toujours eu lieu dans des lacs publiques, sauvages et de renommés parfois très prestigieuses. Ces lacs parfois historiques ne cessent d’évoluer et leur potentiel quelquefois fragile est incroyable. La compétition fête aujourd’hui ses 20 années. C’est énorme et cela nous permet de faire une petite rétrospective sur ces destinations parmi les plus prestigieuses qu’offrent notre nouvelle grande Région du GRAND EST.

n 20 ans, il se passe beaucoup de choses. Quand on a la chance comme moi d’habiter très prêt de ces lacs depuis son enfance, on assiste à l’évolution des poissons, des réglementations et finalement à la pratique de la pêche.

118

Lorsque j’ai commencé à pêcher en grand lac (les trois lacs de la forêt d’Orient en 1992) je n’étais encore qu’un jeune adolescent très rêveur. La pêche s’effectuait du bord et il n’y avait pas besoin d’embarcation pour capturer les carpes encore peu farouches. En 2004, alors âgé de 24 ans que j’ai pu participer à la compétition avec mon frère Daniel pour représenter l’AAPPMA (Association Agrée Pour la Protection des Milieux Aquatiques) des lacs de la forêt d’Orient. La pêche s’est faite depuis la bordure, sans bateau. Malgré un bon tirage au sort nous ne parvenons pas à capturer de carpe. J’en retire néanmoins quelque-chose de positif. Lors de cette édition, nous avons pu échanger avec des personnes élues locales sur les particularités de cette pêche encore inédite en France à cette époque. La pêche de nuit est mal connue. J’ai également fait la connaissance des membres de l’AAPPMA et intégré le l’association pour m’investir et promouvoir cette pêche en tant qu’administrateur. Et puis j’ai été heureux de faire la connaissance d’autant de participants de Pays si différents. J’ai participé en 2007, pour la deuxième édition de la WCC sur le très célèbre lac de la forêt d’Orient. C’est un pari très risqué pour les pêcheurs ainsi que pour Ross et Marianne de se confronter à l’un des lacs les plus difficiles qui soit. Mais parvenir à capturer un grand poisson dans ce lac qui compte parmi les plus prestigieux de tous est un Graal. Orient est extrêmement réputé pour ses carpes aux noms connus, Bienvenue, Bulldozer, Willy... Mais il recèle encore et toujours des mystères. Il nage dans ce lac une très grande quantité de carpes dépassant les 30 kilos. Cette année là, j’avais été particulièrement chanceux en capturant de très gros poissons. Je commençais à bien connaître le lac et l’abordais en étant plutôt à l’aise. J’étais correctement équipé, je maîtrisais aussi parfaitement la pêche à longue distance, nécessaire pour ne pas pêcher dans les herbes qui colonisent le fond du bassin. Mais le développement des herbes

est tel que la majorité des postes de nuits sont impêchables à la mi saison. La WCC a su évoluer au fil du temps et permis aux pêcheurs d’utiliser une embarcation devenue indispensable. Cette plante qui se développe est une des raisons pour laquelle les pêcheurs ne peuvent pas respecter la distance réglementaire des lacs. C’est une véritable calamité sur des centaines d’hectares. Mon coéquipier Yves Hauk et moi-même étions placés sur une pointe que je n’avais encore jamais pêché. Yves la connaissait un peu. Nous avons conjugué notre expérience et sommes parvenu à capturer une magnifique carpe cuir, unique poisson de notre session, celui de la victoire aussi. J’utilise le terme de session car effectivement, malgré le fait d’être en “compétition”, on a réellement le sentiment d’être en session normale une fois en immersion. Je n’aime pas la compétition et ce terme utilisé à la pêche me renvoie souvent à trop de choses négatives ; la WCC est la seule compétition à laquelle je participe. Lors de cette édition 2007, j’ai fait la rencontre de personnes devenues des amis, avec lesquels j’ai même réalisé quelques pêches. Lors de la remise des prix, Yves et moi avons décidé de partager notre chèques en quatre avec nos amis Patrick Zambeaux et Jocelyn Duprés qui eux aussi participaient à l’aventure. C’était la plus belle façon de leur témoigner notre amitié et l’émotion est toujours présente lorsque nous évoquons cette victoire. 2007 est donc l’année ou je me suis fais « connaître ». A la remise des prix, Leon Hoogendijk est venu me proposer d’écrire un article pour CARPE SCENE COLLECTOR MAGAZINE. J’ai commencé à écrire et ne me suis plus arrêter depuis. J’adore évoquer la pêche dans mes lacs magiques, parler de mon approche et surtout raconter des histoires de pêche. Je continue encore aujourd’hui avec autant de plaisir et de fidélité. Les choses ont changé progressivement avec l’arrivée des pêcheurs toujours plus nombreux. Les poissons ont commencé à s’éloigner des bordures et déserté les secteurs de nuit malgré l’immensité des lacs. Le développement toujours plus intense des herbes a également compliqué la pêche, elles sont tellement denses que la nourriture sur le fond est inaccessible pour les poissons. Les règlements très restrictifs, surtout en matière de distance rend notre pêche impossible et les carpistes sont régulièrement “traqués” comme des criminels. Mais nos lacs

UNE HISTOIR

RE SANS FIN

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

JEAN PIERRE BECKER 2007 WCC CHAMPION

120

Je pense que notre participation à tous les deux sera vraiment intense en terme d’émotion et de partage. Nous allons pleinement savourer cette vingtième édition

sont si majestueux et réputés que certains sont prêts à tous les risques... J’ai réitéré l’aventure en 2009 pour représenter le magazine CARPE SCENE avec mon ami Thiry Bateau sur le lac de Madine. Nous parvenons à capturer deux poissons. L’un de taille assez ridicule mais comptabilisé tout de même, et une jolie miroir lors d’une véritable tempête en plein après-midi. Nous avons sympathisé avec nos voisins et vraiment passé du bon temps au bord de l’eau. C’était ma première session sur le lac de Madine. J’ai trouvé ce lac splendide et préservé ; il possède un riche et joli cheptel de carpes. Une chose m’a cependant dérangé. Les secteurs de pêche de nuit sont comme presque partout assez limités, et les carpes n’y sont plus très présentes.

11 ans après.. Jean Pierre & Yves Hauk aujourd’hui – Champion du Monde de Carp Classique 2007 au magnifique Lac D’Orient

L’AAPPMA a alors mis en place un système de réservation payant (en plus de la carte de pêche) pour pêcher des secteurs limités riches en carpes. Je trouve cela très dommageable car les étangs privés en France sont toujours plus nombreux. Cela va à l’encontre de l’esprit libre de l’image de la pêche. Ces grands espaces qui nous sont offerts doivent rester accessibles aux pêcheurs en quête d’authenticité et qui se donnent les moyens de jouir de cette LIBERTE. En France, cela fait partie de l’éthique du pêcheur, de sa culture et cela devrait être davantage protégé, organisé et mis en valeur avant d’être débordé par la “pêche business”. Rappelons également au passage qu’une AAPPMA est une association à but non lucratif... Les années sont passées. Un jour hivernal, c’est Hans Sissingh (que j’ai rencontré lors de la WCC) qui m’a contacté pour une participation commune à la WCC 2013 au lac de Bolsena. Partir en session avec un boute-en-train comme Hans ne m’a pas fait peur un seul instant, cela m’a convaincu ! Bolsena n’était évidemment pas à la porte d’à côté. La route fut longue mais les discussions très riches et passionnantes. Mattie Curfs était là également et j’ai dû m’appliquer à parler anglais une bonne partie de la semaine. C’est dans ces instants que je regrette de ne pas avoir été plus assidu à l’école...mais que voulez vous, mon esprit était déjà trop occupé par la pêche ! Quelques dizaines d’albums de rock plus tard, nous voilà arrivée à destination. Je rencontre toute l’équipe de Carp Connections et je peux vous affirmer que j’en garde d’excellents souvenirs. Et nous avons même remporté les “gladiators game” ! C’est la première fois que je pêche aussi loin de chez moi et dans un lac volcanique. Le lac est gigantesque, mais ne me fait pas peur. Les poissons se concentrent sur le pourtour du lac. Nous nous installons confiants. Le vent très fort ne nous empêche pas de nous

Préserver ces richesses uniques aux lacs du Grand Est doit être un combat pour préserver la liberté et l’authenticité de notre passion.

installer. Une heure après la dépose une canne démarre en bordure. Malheureusement le poisson d’une quinzaine de kilos se décroche sous le bateau... Le reste de la semaine est absolument stérile. Nous sommes quelques peu dépités. Mais c’est comme ça. Cette session m’a fait prendre conscience d’une partie du travail mené par Ross et Marianne. Les démarches sont multiples pour l’organisation d’une telle compétition, mais il est surtout compliqué d’obtenir des autorisations des propriétaires des berges pour y pêcher. Je tenais à saluer ce travail de longue haleine car en France, il a aussi permis d’augmenter temporairement les parcours de nuit, notamment sur Amance, Temple et Orient. Mais préserver ces secteurs est un combat de tous les jours et bien des postes sont aujourd’hui de nouveau supprimés pour des raisons parfois non justifiées ou très “limites” : protection des roselières, nidifications, difficultés d’accès pour les contrôles...

Je participe cette année à la vingtième édition de la plus prestigieuse organisation de pêche à la carpe. Je suis accompagné de Lilian Jolly, un fervent pêcheur qui habite à Reims. Nous ne nous connaissons pas parfaitement car nous nous sommes rencontré il y a peu de temps. Nous avons fait connaissance lors des salons et d’une petite session commune de deux nuits. Nous nous sommes découvert de nombreux points communs et sommes tous le deux amoureux des poissons du domaine public. Lilian est comme moi, il se donnent les moyens pour capturer des poissons parfois encore vierges dans les grandes étendues et surtout les canaux. Les pêches sans résultats sont plus que légion, mais la qualité se paye souvent en temps et en énergie. Nous avons tous les deux notre propre

Partager la passion.. Lilian Jolly fera équipe avec Jean Pierre lors de l’événement de cette année sponsor. Il passera aujourd’hui au second plan, puisque nous sommes ici pour représenter notre Région du GRAND-EST, et nous aurons l’occasion de parler culture pêche et mettre en avant nos spécialités afin de soutenir le développement des secteurs de nuit dans le plus profond respect de l’environnement et des richesses qui nous sont offertes dans notre magnifique Région. Je pense que notre participation à tous les deux sera vraiment intense en terme d’émotion et de partage. Nous allons pleinement SAVOURER cette vingtième édition.

JEAN-PIERRE BECKER

‘‘

2018, Les 20 ans ...

Le travail associatif au sein des AAPPMA n’est pas rémunéré et n’attire plus beaucoup de monde. Cela va dans l’ère du temps. C’est pourtant fort intéressant de travailler en groupe et en réseau pour évoluer, partager et nous améliorer. Malheureusement les personnes engagées et représentées sont majoritairement des pêcheurs de carnassiers. Ca ne devrait pas être un problème me diriez vous puisque l’association doit représenter l’INTEGRALITE des pratiquants. La réalité dans la majorité de ces associations est toute autre. On y parle que de carnassiers. La carpe n’est pas une priorité, mais plutôt une contrainte au vue de nos pratiques parfois extrêmes et totalement incomprises. Les associations ont besoin de pêcheurs de carpes pour évoquer ensemble nos attentes, les difficultés et les mœurs de ces poissons à nos yeux si exceptionnels. Aujourd’hui encore je suis impliqué au niveau associatif dans l’AAPPMA des lacs de la forêt d’Orient. J’ai connu des périodes où plusieurs pêcheurs de carpes s’étaient alliés et formaient une unités très bien équilibrée au sein de l’association. Les avancées étaient majeures. Nous nous sommes fortement appuyés sur les éditions de la WCC pour prouver que certains secteurs pouvaient ouvrir à la pêche de nuit. Puis certains sont partis. Je suis restés et je me sens parfois bien seul pour défendre les projets... La WCC est aussi à l’origine d’introduction de carpes à Amance et Orient. Ce geste est un symbole. Si personne ne perpétue ce geste, il y a fort à parier qu’on ne déversera plus que des carnassiers pour faire plaisir aux pêcheurs les plus représentés, sans penser à l’avenir. Ce sujet nous tient très à cœur à Lilian et moi-même. Le cheptel de carpe de tout le domaine public est en proie depuis longtemps au trafic de carpes. Les canaux, fleuves, lacs sont de plus en plus pillés par des individus pour être introduites dans des plans d’eau privés qui se multiplient. Ce business toujours plus fleurissant est de plus en plus cerné par des groupes de pêcheurs locaux, l’ONEMA, l’ONCFS... La sombre histoire du record du monde au lac du DER résolue le 1er Mai 2018 a marqué les esprits et cela doit servir de guide. Préserver ces richesses uniques aux lacs du GRAND EST doit être un combat pour préserver la liberté et l’authenticité de notre passion.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

IT’S MÜLL I

t all began early 2009, When my close Friend, Jens Gassen and his now wife, Yvonne, asked me if I would consider participating in the upcoming WCC Event in September at Lac De Madine. Let’s see, the biggest and most prestigious Carp Event at that Time? Competing with the Creme de la Creme of the Carp World? Obviously, it didn’t take Long to reach a decision. What Followed were days upon days of preparation, videos, internet research, trips to Madine, catch reports, where and when fish were caught etc. etc … and before too long, September had arrived and I was on my way to my first WCC Event. The atmosphere in Bivvy City was electric, chaotic and non-stop, with teams arriving from all Parts of Europe. With the Boat Check and Registration all done, we settled down to relax and meet the other teams. This is where new friendships were formed. Friendships that have lasted to this day! I was really beginning to feel Part of the WCC Family. After the PEG draw it was a long sleepless night, awaiting the start signal and then we were off! Our first WCC had begun. Eventually, we had our first Fish – and I’m not afraid to say it, my hands, knees and body were shaking as we achieved our first aim … not to Blank – every carp angler’s nightmare! During the week, Lac de Madine threw everything at us – sun, rain, wind and storms as our adrenalin levels shot through the roof! Before too long, Saturday had arrived and the Signal to end the event was fired. And would you believe it, our very first WCC event and we were Section Winners! The Script couldn’t have been written better and we returned home to Germany overwhelmed, jubilant and very proud. There was no question as to where we would be going in September 2010!

September 2010 .. came and went – with not

much to write about. We received, like so many anglers before and after us, a real bloody nose. The magic that Lac de Madine had handed us, was just a quickly taken away from us – a Frustrating Tour. With Fish lost, tackle destroyed by mussel banks, snags and it goes on … in all, only three fish caught. But, the magnetism of the event remained. 2011 was booked, and nothing could prepare us for what was to come...

122

2011 and our 3rd year... We weren’t quite ”old

hands” yet, but Madine had become our second home. We were still learning our trade, but learning fast. Yvonne, Jens and myself were invited on to the

One, two, three, four, five.. 2011 and the disappointment of 2010 was quickly forgotten as Thomas and Jens lift the champions trophy at Madine

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

THOMAS MÜLLER 2016 In 2016, a new and exciting category was introduced to the World Carp Classic – an event within the main event – offering all past and present WCC champions the chance to become The Champion of Champions. Thomas Müller was the first lucky winner to get his hands on the trophy

LER TIME!

stage for the peg draw and as always, Yvonne pulled out the first ball. Jens and I decided to risk all and declined. Second ball out. As the number was read out we heard a loud gasp and murmuring in the hall, it was pretty clear Yvonne had pulled something pretty special out of the bag… it was last year’s winners’ peg! Naturally, with that night came little sleep and by morning we were packed up and eagerly on our way to our chosen peg. With no mod cons, we soon converted our swim into our home for the next 5 days and nights. The event’s start rocket fired and we were off! Within an hour we had not only our first fish, but the first fish of the event at 21.5kg. The disappointment of 2010 was quickly forgotten. Then came the 2nd, 3rd, 4,5,6,7,8 … crazy! By the middle of the week it was clear we were the event leaders by some way. Dare we believe, dare we

dream, dare we even think ? It was a hard week with sleepless nights and Yvonne making litres of coffee to keep us focussed and alert . Finally, on Saturday morning a host of marshals and officials gathered behind our peg – it was all too much to take in. The rocket was fired into the sky to indicate the end of the competition and we were the World Champions, with a record weight of 377.6kg! I still remember standing on the stage, Yvonne, Jens and myself, the German National anthem playing, trophy in hand, covered in goose bumps, my stomach tightening and almost in tears. A truly, memorable day. Our names joined those of the elite on that prestigious trophy, truly life changing.

2012, A new venue and now defending champions ... welcome to Lago di Bolsena.

At Registration, the normal WCC participant’s green

wrist bands were replaced by the prestigious Gold coloured bands. I would be lying if I said we didn’t walk around with a certain amount of swagger! But this year the carp gods weren’t playing ball. A frustrating week with little action – only one fish caught and to make things worse, the majority of our swim was occupied with local fishermen’s nets! A 2600km round trip had ended in great disappointment. It was pretty clear that if the event remained at Lago di Bolsena, we wouldn’t be returning.

2015 and the WCC was returning to our beloved Lac de Madine ... The team was swiftly reunited, Jens,Yvonne and myself. We caught and caught well, but unfortunately the wrong species. No-matter what we tried – rig changes, bait, numerous spots, the Wels Catfish

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

THOMAS MÜLLER A CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

were active in our swim. But, that’s the Nature of Madine, expect nothing and take it for granted at your peril!

2016 – a new venue and a new event ... An

Ein Prosit! Here’s to a brilliant 20th event 2017 and back to Madine ... By now, the event

An Englishman, German and Dutchman … sounds like a bad joke, doesn’t it? But it became pretty clear we all had a passion for Carp Fishing and I had my team

was becoming more like a family reunion than a competition. On arriving with Franz, Steve and myself, we were all too aware how important the peg draw was. Whether we would catch or spend the whole week picking our noses! Our swim was located at the beginning of the “Long Arm” – lots of area to fish, water depth to 3.5mtr and a mix of weed and slum. More than happy and spirits were high. But as ever, Lac da Madine had other plans. A bitter, cold storm came in sending water temperatures tumbling from 9 degrees to 5 degrees within a space of 2 days with Relentless wind and regular boat bans. We were dealt another “Black Eye”. But regardless, our moral was high and fun was had.

2018 and it’s 20 years strong for the WCC!

Thomas Müller

‘‘

Although I’ve only been active for ten years, September has become a permanent fixture in my Angling diary. A testament to Ross Honey and the WCC team. Great memories and lasting friendships have been made, meeting top anglers from all walks of life and nationalities. I feel truly proud and humbled to be part of this great event and I wish Ross further success for the next 20yrs. See you all in September!

125

event within the main event – The Champion of Champions. This was open only to all winners of the events past and present … a New Challenge! But sadly, Jens and Yvonne, my partners for so long were unable to attend so I was without a team. Enter Franz and Steve. An Englishman, German and Dutchman … sounds like a bad joke, doesn’t it? But it became pretty clear we all had a passion for Carp Fishing and I had my team. Van Packed and loaded, we were off to Lake Novomlynskà in the Czech Republic. We arrived at Bivvy City on the Friday, which was situated by an adjoining lake and were greeted by a real carnival atmosphere – little bars, cafes, locals and participants all enjoying the sun. It goes without saying we over-indulged at little till the early hours … a great time was had meeting up with old and new friends. The peg draw done, we were invited to our swims. What followed was an extraordinary display of military Procession. The main Lake was surrounded by a dam with a small road on top. Each team followed behind the next, in order of swim Number and an allotted time of 30mins was given to unload and then proceed to the parking areas. The party atmosphere of Bivvy City was soon forgotten as blistering temperatures, reaching the lower 30s and no shade from the Sun and little, if any wind took its toll. But we prevailed and eventually the fish started to feed. Before too long we were catching quite regularly. Towards the last few days, though, it was obvious to us that we were out of reach for the “Big Three”. However, regular updates showed that we were in contention with another trophy … The last night for me was yet again sleepless and nail-biting. I was just slightly ahead in the Champion of Champions Category. Morning came and to my delight, I had become the Inaugural Champion of Champions!

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

CHRIS LEIBBRANDT BACK TO THE FUTURE

YOUNG AT HEART

Chris Leibbrandt, angling trade veteran and journalist looks at the legacy of the World Carp Classic and how it is working to ensure that the next generation of carp anglers is as successful, if not more so than the current one

They say that a week in politics is a long time, but it seems that 20 years in carp fishing is tiny by comparison. This time has flown by, gone before you know it. What is happening in carp fishing, and in particular, the World Carp Classic, is the creation of a legacy to hand on to our children as they grow up to become world class carp anglers in their own right. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Ross Honey for over 25 years, and anyone who knows him knows this legacy isn’t just a pipe dream. During our friendship, the world has entered the digital age where the necessity is always for instant results. In this world, long-term strategic thinking is a bit of a rarity, but it’s something that’s embedded in all of the World Classic events, whatever species they cover. Ross Honey, founder of the WCC event, has always had an eye on the future, and from day one, has built in policies to ensure that there are always new and young anglers to come forward and compete for the crown. “Since I began the tournament, I knew that we would have to look long-term at the future

‘‘

130

y love affair with fishing began over half a century ago, a small boy cast his first line into the crystal clear waters of a lake, fed by a sparkling chalk stream, water so clear you could see caddis flies creeping across the bottom in their sandy shucks. The Darent valley in Kent, England, where I lived and fished, was, in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, a hotbed of carp fishing and its development, populated by now legendary anglers, who were only too ready to share their passion and knowledge. Writing this, I guess I should be ashamed to admit that, as a species, the carp never caught my imagination. Unlike the pike. But for many of my generation it most certainly did, gradually growing into the biggest sector of freshwater angling in the UK, and I have no doubt across a lot of Europe. Some 50 years later it is still as popular as its ever been with more and more specialist, and in many cases, expert anglers plying their craft on waters big and small right across the globe.

WCC Junior event ... not a patronising event that is easy, but a full-on 3 day, 72 hour contest with some of the best young anglers in Europe and beyond. This event also offers the opportunity to younger, inquisitive anglers to learn all about fishing, respect for nature and encourages families to get their kids outside to fish

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 131

CHRIS LEIBBRANDT YOUNG AT HEART

of the event, to ensure that we attract the young anglers with enquiring minds and innovative thinking,” said Ross. “Without the next generation of anglers to carry the fishing torch, we are always going to be vulnerable to forces outside of angling that look to restrict our fabulous sport. I want to make sure it will never be a case of ‘use or lose it’. That’s why I always planned an academy and also a junior event where our children and young adults, under expert guidance, can show us how it’s done. This isn’t about being a token event, or being patronising: these kids have got real talent and I’m really pleased to say that we’re helping to create an angling future for them.” Ask any long standing trade professional about recruitment of young people into angling and they’ll tell you there isn’t enough of it. Most of us are worried, not just about the use of computers, tablets and mobile devices, but also the environment and how to ensure that as anglers, we don’t lose our access to fisheries to environmental groups, bird watchers and pressure groups like PETA. One way we can do that is to create an interest in the great sport of angling at an early age, many parents don’t have a lot of spare time, so fishing, the outdoors and its benefits being taught to young people is essential. Angling Spirit have had this in hand for many years with the inclusion of local schools, colleges, including specialist fishery colleges, as well as some university students being directly involved in teaching and giving lectures. Some are volunteers on hand to experience angling in action, either as advisors, work parties or bailiff and stewarding assistants. The schools that benefit start with the youngest of angling audiences, the four, five and six year olds getting involved in picture and drawing competitions, and the phenomenal parades that set the World Classic events aside from the rest. The fanfare and general razzmatazz always involves the local communities and businesses, many of whom benefit widely from the influx of angling personalties and TV angling stars who come to compete and report on the events. All of these experiences will be embedded and remembered, used to fire their enthusiasm for angling and the outdoors. Angling Spirit is also embracing the latest phenomenon in angling, street fishing, currently focussed on predator fishing, but it could just as easily evolve into a carp fishing sector. Street fishing is all about reclaiming our urban environment and making use of the resources that are on our doorstep. In many cases these waters are hidden gems within metres of city centres, but contain

I always planned an academy and also a junior event where our children and young adults, under expert guidance, can show us how it’s done.

huge fish that have been ignored and left alone to thrive. Enterprising anglers get out in their spare minutes to re-engage with the waterways of cities and towns, often with surprising results, a good friend, Oli Taylor, said to me recently: “You should do an article about street fishing, call it ‘The Rise of the Lunchtime Angler’.” He’s right, I do! It will come as no surprise to find out that street

2016 WCC Junior Champs ... Vadim Korunskij and his team, Nikita Krupa and Konstantin Dmitrenko

events are on the agenda with both World Carp and World Predator Classic events, and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that we’ll see a World Street Fishing Classic in the next few years. So, what of this year and its events to engage the junior level carp anglers? Once again, Angling Spirit is running its fourth Junior World Carp Classic, not a patronising event that is easy, but a full-on 3 day, 72 hour contest with some of the best young anglers in Europe and beyond. Since its inception in 2015, this has been, and is, a serious event and that is reflected by the world class sponsors who queue up to support and be a part of the event. The competition is being held at the magnificent Lago di Scandarello, Italy in October this year, a venue that is famous for its population of superb common carp. Lago di Scandarello is a reservoir in the Province of Rieti, Lazio, created in 1924 by damming the Scandarello river. The lake is 3 km long and its surface area is 1 sq. km, a manageable 247 acres. With depths of up to 41 m (135 ft) there’s plenty of water for the carp to grow big. The lake is set amongst beautiful hills over 850m above sea level. 15 countries will be represented with

Ever changing Lake Scandarello The magnificent Lago di Scandarello in Italy – a venue that suffered a devastating earthquake – is to be host for the 2018 Junior Classic this year My first encounter of the Scandarello lake was around the nineties. I approached a new swim, the level of the water was very high and I had to fight with the availability of natural food.

teams comprising of two competing anglers, an adult team captain and a guardian. The participants really get to grips with the experience of a ‘proper’ carp competition, not only learning about tough competition, concentration and possibly most importantly, determination. Although the gruelling contest, they have their mentors on hand to guide, advise and encourage. There can be a varying skill level amongst the competitors, and the mentors and team captains can help to improve rigs, presentations and casting. Teaching the contestants about fish behaviour, feeding patterns as well as other technicalities like barometric pressure, weather fronts and temperatures are all part and parcel of the learning experience. Another preconception is that it isn’t a tough competition, this is certainly not the case, with close results being the norm, sometimes with the outcome in doubt right up until the final whistle. Unlike the main World Carp Classic event, the English teams have certainly not been the dominant nation, and unless you are a bit psychic, it is difficult to say who the favourites for the trophy will be. This will be because of the spread of the carp ‘cult’ across the world, beginning with its infiltration into the low countries, the Netherlands and Belgium, it has steadily

spread as more and more anglers realise the fabulous sporting qualities of the magnificent fish from the European continent. One wonders if this spread will start in the USA where younger anglers might carry the carping torch into their waters, many of them containing magnificent looking, big common carp, grown fat on neglect. The potential is there, with 49 out of 50 states having a carp population, perhaps the tide will turn and the USA’s ‘trash fish’ will become a mainstream sporting quarry. Who knows? One thing we do know is that the future of competitive carp angling, being held in the best of angling spirits, the spirit of fair play, collaboration and multi-national friendship is in very good hands with the World Carp Classic Junior event. The competitors will, before we know it, be fully fledged contestants in the main event, and carry the torch forward for the next 20 years. CHRIS LEBRANDT

Also, the carp weren’t familiar with my bait and my experience was limited. It was autumn, the level of the water was lowest and I started to do some pre baiting .and began to catch the carp with regularity. The average size of the catch was high, above 15kg, but it was weird, as most fish caught were mirror carp – commons were scarce. The quality of the water is now enhanced by the presence of an excellent treatment plant and the increased amount of fishing guarantees a supply of very nutritious lures and natural food helps too. Over the last two years, I’ve been fishing with a young Italian angler, Riccardo Battisti, and duting our last session in November, we had amazing success – in one week we had 20 carp, from 18kg to 27kg, a lot of 22,24,25 and three beautiful mirrors. Th fishing here was good. And there’s more to come…

World Carp Classic Junior Event:

This will be the perfect location for the World Carp Classic junior event later this year which will start with an amazing opening ceremony in Rieti with a huge flag parade through the streets to the magnificent cathedral. It is incredible to be getting a hand written letter from the pope that will be presented at the event. The prize giving of the event will take place in the center of Amatrice which was devastated by the horrendous earthquake resulting in the huge loss of life. The children of the local school will be presented with angling equipment and invited to a free fishing academy.

How to get there:

There are only two ways to get to the lake. Both from SS4 combining Rieti Ascoli Piceno. The first, easier to reach, is located in the district of ‘Le Conche’, leaving the SS4 towards Amatrice: it runs along the lake until you can see a village of just five case.’’Le Conche’’. The second is access to 2km from junction to amateur, coming from Rieti. You have to take the exit ‘’Santa Giusta-Torrita’’ and here begins the panoramic road that borders part of the banks and through the arm to the south where the river enters the lake Scandarello with the bridge ‘Cinque occhi’, a very fruitful area in spring.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

LAKE SCANDARELLO 2018 WCC JUNIORS VENUE

Classic location... The Scandarello lake in the Rieti province, where the Junior Classic opening ceremony will take place. Below, the stunning Chiesa Cathedral

Have a look at the bottom: To get a first idea of the depth of the lake is enough to know that the dam on the north-east, to the river Scandarello, on the south west, the bottom is progressively reduced. Near the dam, in fact, the depth can be up to 50 meters, but the closer you get to the bridge, the shallower the water gets. The bottom is mostly mud, interrupted occasionally by rock. To recognize the rocky and muddy areas, as well as the shape of the seabed itself, comes to our aid a simple method always effective: the ‘observation of the banks. In fact, where we see a rocky ridge overlooking get in the water can be sure that the bottom is hard and rocky, where the shore is muddy and gently sloping, however, the bottom will be smooth and soft. In addition, a spur of land that enters the water between two loops d ‘deep water results in language step by anglers. It may seem obvious, but it is useful to remember, not to forget that you should always look at your fishfinder if you have one, they are important!

Awakening spring: After the cold winter, carp are very hard to catch because in that season the waters are normally frosted over. Til March Aprilel’invaso is at its maximum capacity and carp after the winter, slowly resume their activity. In this period, Lake Scandarello is an enchantment: the banks are green and you forget the mud and barren land that welcomes you in the warmer months. The Carp are concentrated in a few tens of meters from the shore, forcing us to fish just behind submerged trees and branches, the area of power created by the lake in growth. It ‘s very important to spool with good braid, so you can bully the fish away from snagged which it could get tethered to. It is also required for anglers to use drop leads to reduce risk of fish becoming stuck.

Another lake in summer:

Autumn ... the best time:

In early autumn the lake is still very low but the water is oxygenated and big carp get caught more easily. If the rain comes down, just wait a few weeks to get to the best time of year – during the latter part of autumn the lake level begins to rise. It seems that this phenomenon, together with decreasing temperature of water, is the trigger that reminds the Carp of the arrival of the cold season. So they eat more to store fat for the winter. In this period, the shrimp – the major source of natural food of carp in this lake – begin to burrow among the rocks and mud, and even natural food becomes scarce, so our baits are the most interesting to the carp. In my opinion, this is the best time to fish this lake – and especially on weekdays as the presence of carp definitely falls, leaving greater scope for action.

Washed boilies: There are so many lines dipped every year at this. The fish have become very wary of baits over time as they have tasted all kinds of boilies and are able to select the best. It s a good idea, worth the lack of catches, to always use good quality bait. I had written many times, but it’s better to remember. The composition of the mix, it is better to use the ones with a good percentage of fish meal, because the Carp diet is composed by crayfish and mussels mostly, so this is a close match.

Sandro Di Cesare & Riccardo Battisti

Having suffered a devastating earthquake in 2016, the area will benefit greatly from positive events such as the Junior Classic and receiving a hand-written letter from the Pope

135

When the summer comes, the lake level drops dramatically and therefore, the scenery and fishing action change radically. Areas change radically. Areas of shadow and obstacles are submerged and are just a memory, the vast expanses of mud become the harsh reality. It ‘ s very hot and there are many fishermen, because the places available will increase. The situation is different in the case of any summer storms, after which the carp increase their activity and even shallower areas become interesting. To further increase the chances of capture in Lake Scandarello when the water is

scarce it will be better putting into the water a more discreet: nylon in rod ,end rig with fluorocarbon, invisible in water, and assemble with lead-in line for a more effective setup. Given the severe pressure in a period when the carp are very apathetic in the feed, it is always wise not to feed the fish a lot, sometimes it is better not to do anything and throw our bait comprising only one stringer with some crushed boilies in or a PVA bag with pellets and crushed boilies .

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Ukrainian team Captain Olena Pidkaliuk guides her

FUTURE STARS

136

he third World Carp Classic Junior Tournament took place on 19-22nd October 2017, on Wraysbury in London, which is one of the most famous British bodies of water at 28 hectares (280,000 square metres). The series of competitions were held between nine teams coming from six countries, such as England, Wales, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and the Ukraine. Andrii Dobrovolsky, a 1st year student at KNTEU and Volodymyr Hromyk also a 1st year student at ChNU, both the Ukraine, represented our two-member team trained by Olena Pidkalyuk. The WCCJ allows the World Carp Classic Junior competitors (10-18 years old) to be accompanied by their guardians, as the official rules given by the WCCJ, so Oksana Dobrovoska, Andrii’s mother, was given the task as guardian to support Andrii during the tournament Volodymyr Hromyk, the senior and a carp professional himself, accompanied his son, Volodymyr as his guardian. Another professional carp angler, Vadym

Korunsky also attended to support the boys. Vadym took part in the numerous WCC Senior Tournaments as a member of the Ukrainian team with Olena Pidkalyuk. The event took place on the South Lake, Wraysbury. The South Lake is famous for its surprisingly dence population of scaly and syprinus carps, ranging from 5 to13kg in size. There are also the giant ones of 15- 19 kg that are normally the older carps, but they could not be seen this time. About eight giant older carps were registered in the area this year. This year’s winner, Andrii, said: “Wraysbury is a naturally aspirated body of water and it is here that the English National Team has their regular trainings. In fact, it is one of the lakes that brought Modern Carp Fishing to life. “We felt very priviledged to be here to experience the carp fishing. The atmosphere was just great. The way everything was organised and such a friendly spirit within the carp fishing camp. I’ve made lots of new friends amongst the competitors, especially with the ones from the Belgian team as we were on the same wave-length – talking a lot and sharing our carp fishing experiences with each other.

“I’ve learnt so many things about the peculiar ways of carp fishing in this area that I didn’t know about previously. And I was so happy to see the famous carp anglers such as WCC 2009 Champion Rob Tough and the inventor of the Spomb along with lots of others. Actually, I never dreamt I would see them in real life. This is an experience I will never forget.” Andrii’s partner, Volodymyr added: “We were given sector 1, located in a small bay and surrounded by two small islands. And a bit further to the left there was a shipwreck that is without a doubt a perfect place for fishing.” The first two days went in favour of English pair, Boughen-Biddulph. Luke Boughen and Adam Biddulph were fishing in sector 6 and managed to catch two carps, 6.8kg and 6.0kg. And then followed a neverending pause that lasted about 18 hours. The pause that overtook the whole body of water... At this point, our team was desperately looking for secrets on how to unlock ways to attract the carps hiding in the middle of nowhere. Sharing their secrets, Andrii and Volodymyr said; “First and foremost, we decided on the feeding spots. These were the spots by the

boys to WCC Junior Victory

shipwreck – about a 30m distance and then by the island which was 85m away. But then we thought it would be great to change the location to the other spot by the tree that was hanging over the water – the one that could be seen to the right of where we had previously been. So, we lured with the dust-forming pop-ups that have a fish-like odour and some crushed nutwood stuff with hemp. And this brought the result we wanted.” At about 1am on the 2nd day of the WCC Junior-2017 event, after 20 minutes of accurate playing with a 8.5kg mirror carp, Andrii finally landed and came first in the Big Fish nomination. Later on, at 3.40pm, the 2nd fish our team managed to catch at 5.5kg was registered. This carp duo made Ukraine the leading team and brought us in to first position, which we managed to hold on to until the end. Here’s how Andrii felt about the whole experience: “I got into carp fishing at the age of 12. I learnt a lot about fishing and it was then that I decided to make it my life path. “Today I can already say that I am more than happy about my personal results and of course,

very proud for our Ukrainian team winning in WCC Junior-2017 Competition. I think that winning this event has brought me not only the gold, but also showed the top anglers in carp fishing that I would like to reach further. It’s definitely a promising new step in my career and without a doubt, it has brought sense to my life. “I continue to take part in carp fishing competitions held in the Ukraine. This year I have already won four times, competing with some of the strongest Ukrainian teams.” “This is the first time ever that Ukraine has won in World Carp Classic Junior history.” Andrii Dobrovols’ky and Volodymyr Hromyk’s genuine interest in sports and their passion for carp fishing has brought them the gold on the international level by winning in the World Carp Classic Junior-2017 Tournament. The Ukrainian team is very grateful for the opportunity to take part in WCC Junior-2017 and the support provided. We would like to thank everyone for organizing such a great event: Lowrance, Dynamite Baits and Aqua-Storm.

I was so happy to see the famous carp anglers such as WCC 2009 Champion Rob Tough and the inventor of Spomb and a lots of others. Actually, I never dreamt I would see them in real life

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

GOING FOR GOLD KARPELA’S VADIM Korunskij

Vadim’s going for the gold.. In celebration of the World Carp Classic’s 20th anniversary, we have thought and worked extensively to issue a series of limited edition commemorative coins depicting the images of our champions over the years. The coins will be available in gold, silver, bronze and nickel to match the podium positions of the champion anglers over the years. They will be presented in the highest of quality as each of the coins has been carefully designed and will come in a presentation case to keep them safe. We look forward to seeing you all at the 20th anniversary of this stunning event!

138

VADIM Korunskij

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

MADINE IT

WCC veteran and 2009 Champion, Rob Tough, revisits

‘‘

..DONE IT! the past 20 years of his most beloved Carp Event

aving competed in 14 (soon to be 15) of the past 19 World Carp Classic tournaments over the past 20 years (2002 was non-event), I find myself in the fairly unique and enviable position of being able to regale you with personal memories and tales of this unique competition from its inception in 1998 to this year and its 20th Anniversary to be held back at Lac De Madine – the place where it all began.

1998 Lac De Madine

Perhaps more than anything else, looking back and recalling memories of the first ever World Carp Classic at Lac de Madine in the Champagne region of North East France, best highlights how Carp Fishing and indeed Carp angling competitions have changed beyond recognition over the last 20 years. The first year of the WCC was a singles competition for individual anglers and was held over just a two night period of 48 hours. In those early days. boats were

not permitted and so all fishing had to be carried out in the traditional ways – by casting from the swim, regardless that you may have been looking a mile across from your swim to the other bank. Your furthest cast was still in the margins… lol. As is still the case now, the use of rods were restricted to two rods per angler. Another detail very much forgotten by many of us in the years that have passed was that then the competition was held in the spring, around April. In that very first year the draw was made by peg only and whatever swim was pulled out against your name would be the swim you fished for the duration of the 48. I was drawn on the mainland and a little to the right of the damn wall (this area became synonymous for a few years as the Boel baits section). None of us knew at that time what areas of the lake would be productive and this first ever WCC draw was met with wide eyed enthusiasm and huge optimism. Hutchy’s dream team (including the indomitable anglers Rob Hughes and Simon Crow, World Title holders themselves) had fished Lac de Madine socially and had practiced a few weeks before the competition, from the damn wall. This in many peoples’ view, was a fancied area of the lake and coincidentally, most of Hutchys dream-team anglers drew on the Dam wall for the competition.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 142

‘‘

ROB TOUGH

MADINE IT...DONE IT! To those never having seen Madine before, as I certainly hadn’t, the size of the lake was bewildering and certainly imposing. Lac de Madine is some 2,700 plus acres (11km2) and was by far and away the biggest lake I had ever come across. An inland sea in comparison to the waters most of us had been fishing in the UK. Tim Paisley, Martin Locke, Frank Warwick, Lee Jackson and a host of other big names in the carp angling world were drawn on Madine’s main Island and would be transported by boats and barges, donkeys and trains and whatever else had four legs or two wheels in the close vicinity from the shores of the mainland to their drawn pegs on the Island. Logistically getting 140 or so anglers of different nationalities and languages from across Europe (more than 50% from the UK) around the Lake proved to be a far bigger headache and logistical nightmare than Ross Honey (the event founder and organiser) had even remotely considered. I can remember a tourist steam train with a convoy of attached carriages as one mode of transportation around the mainland to the pegged swims. I don’t think Ross had any idea in those early days the amount of gear that was required by each angler and the mountainous task of relocating each one proved to be an epic and tortuous operation for the organisers and many helpers involved. It is fair to say the WCC competition in it’s early days, proved to be fraught and stressful at the best of times and proved a very steep learning curve to Ross and his team, with a fair few tempers and friendships being tested to the limit. My memory fails me of the exhaustive catch report for that first ever competition and even a vague record of captures escapes me. I myself had one take on the 2nd night which buried itself in the incredibly dense Potamogeton weed beds (extremely thick and coarse) dotted all round the lake. I lost that fish in the weed, like many of the anglers around Madine, in that first 48hr match. However, my very good friend and sometime fishing partner in the UK, Paul Rayment, was pegged on the mainland some half a mile to my right and very close to ‘little madine’ – the small lake at the end of Lac de Madine. Paul wasn’t beset by the problems of weed that hindered so many of us, and after a fruitless first 24hrs and a timely wind change, went on to land 5 carp on the 2nd and last night. This rewarded him with 1st place, £10,000 and the title of the very first and inaugural WCC champion. And so it had begun. The competition had been a success and the tears and the tantrums to get here had been worth it. Ross and Rob Hughes (Partners in those early years) had set the trend for the ensuing years of an

1998-99 This might take some time lads... planes, trains (well, choo choo’s) and automobiles international Carp angling competition which was to grow surely and steadily in stature and pedigree and become the premier Carp angling competition in the world.

1999-2000 Lac De Madine The following two years saw the competition continue at Lac de Madine and start to establish itself amongst the more competitive Carp anglers around Europe. These next few years started to give an indication of the fast and progressive growth of Carp angling and Carp angling competitions not just in the UK but across all of Europe. Many of the Eastern European countries were now emerging with a ‘catch and release’ approach to Carp fishing and began to send representative anglers to compete in the WCC. The 2nd year of competition saw a change in format. We would now fish as a ‘pair’ of anglers. The match remained a 48hr competition and the draw was still a straight peg draw. This was held the night before and determined the swim we would all compete in for the duration of the match. My good friend Mike Bevan and I were drawn on the main Island, facing the woodland ‘night fishing’ zone – the side of the Island that would affectionately become known as ‘no carp alley’. Mike and I however, were fortunate to land a carp of 34lb on the Sunday morning of the competition. That fish sneaked us the Section win from John Lilley and Paul Musson by a matter of ounces and even harder to swallow for John was that it happened at 10.30am, with just an hour or two before the end of the competition. I don’t think John has ever quite forgiven the two of us for that timely capture. The winners and the first pair to win the 1999 match were Dave Poxon and Mark Redding. Winning from the same end of the lake as Paul Rayment had done so the previous year, close to ‘ little Madine’. In the year 2000 Mike and I returned as eager and enthusiastic as always. This 3rd year

was now a markedly, fully international event, with a much more diverse range of nationalities competing than previous years. Whereas the UK participating teams had made up 60% or more of the field, that share was diminishing and the UK pairs were now scrambling just to gain entry into what was now becoming an oversubscribed competition. This 3rd year was the ‘year of the storm’.. lol, and although Mike and I (who had been pegged on the main dam wall facing the Island) were safe and sound in our battened down Bivvys, others were not so fortunate. A fair few competitors had a torrid time battling the winds on the 2nd night. In addition to the elements there was the sail boarders to contend with, and Ross did well to avoid (on the most part) the irate and mostly soaking array of disgruntled anglers throughout that weekend. We failed to catch this year and once again witnessed another pair, Paul Harrison and Paul Watts, winning the coveted £10,000 prize and the accolade of World Carp Classic champions. This pair were actually pegged almost opposite us, albeit approximately half a mile across the ‘sea’ on the big island facing back towards us on the Dam wall, just into the woods. This was the first year the competition had been won off the mainland and broke the trend – the area close to ‘little Madine’ was now the most sought after area of the lake at the draw.

2001 Lac Amance The 4th year of the event saw more changes to the competition. The venue had been altered and the competition moved from the glorious Lac de Madine to the new home of Lac Amance . Mike and I did not enter this year and 2000 was to be the last year Mike would fish the competition. For the first time the winners were not from the UK. The Dutch pairing of T Stunnenburg and R Breedenbeek, were the first continental European winners of the World Carp Classic breaking the UK stranglehold and again

Tim, Martin, Frank and Lee were drawn on Madine’s main Island and transported by boats and barges, donkeys and trains and whatever else had four legs or two wheels

Mike Bevan and I were drawn on the main Island, facing the woodland ‘night fishing’ zone – the side of the Island that would affectionately become known as ‘no carp alley’

illustrating the growing and diverse international event it had become. The Classic took a Hiatus in 2002 and wouldn’t return until the Autumn of 2003. In fact it was 18 months before returning to Lac Amance and this year more changes were introduced. For the first time, the competition was extended to 72 hours and was to be held later in the year September to hopefully increase the number of captures of fish during the match itself.

2003 Lac Amance 2003 and my 2nd partner of the WCC found myself and Rob Marsh being transported to our swim by speedboat (well me anyway, Rob had to drive the truck with most of our gear through the woods to get to our peg). It was obvious after a couple of years at the Lac Amance matches that the carp were very elusive and the lake was more sparsely stocked than was initially thought and hoped for. It was also apparent that most of the captures (certainly from the bank and in these 72 hour matches) were primarily from the margins and in only certain areas of the lake. Alas it was to pass that Lac Amance was not to treat us well and another WCC blank was looming for Rob and I.

The winners of this year were Mark and Jo Gardener, who thoroughly deserved this win. Like me, they had competed in most of the preceding years and were a fantastic, friendly couple – always willing to lend a helping hand. This win of the now 6th year of World Carp classic competition, saw the coveted trophy and accolade of World Carp Classic champions move back to the shores of England (although Mark and Jo have now happily emigrated to the French countryside).

2004 Lac Amance My partner in 2004 was my very good friend, neighbour and previously noted inauguaral winner of the very first WCC event in 1998, Paul Rayment. Paul was (and still is) a complete fruit loon but an absolute joy to fish with. He has not a care in the world and is probably the most laid back fella I have ever had the pleasure to fish with. Although the 3 day event would see us blank, as was the case with the vast majority of the competing field, we had fun as Paul always had me in fits of laughter. We nearly always ran out of munchies and choccie bars when we fished together as we always seemed to be

Best of British... 2004 saw the pairing of Mickey Hinson (another very good friend of mine) and Tony Kirrage taking the spoils (main). 1999 Section Winners and Mainline rules (above left) and ... wait for it ... the famous balcony chant – Come Ooooon!

ROB TOUGH

MADINE IT...DONE IT! hungry. We even managed a visit from the Guarde de Peche during the competition which was a drama in itself … lol. For the 2nd year in a row and for a 5th (out of 7) year of the WCC competition the winners of the event were again from the UK with the pairing of Mickey Hinson (another very good friend and fishing companion of mine) and Tony Kirrage taking the spoils. It was after this 3rd year of the event at Lac Amance that personally, I wasn’t feeling it so much. The Madine matches always filled me with enthusiasm and excitement, but the move to Lac Amance wasn’t realising my burning ambition and desire of the early years of the WCC. Although captures in the matches were always hard to come by, having only hooked fish on 2 of the matches and landing only 1 with Mickey Bevan at Madine, I felt that the huge burden and organisation that was involved in competing abroad was too much for too little reward. My participation in the event had come to an end.

2005 Lac Amance For the reasons just noted, I had no involvement in this event and had no interest other than that the winners for the 3rd year in a row were from the UK and the very deserving pair of Clive Hicks and Keith Turner. Again, two of the nicest guys and stalwarts of the WCC competition from the early days. My retirement from the WCC competition was to be short lived.

2006 Lac de Orient (see article “Justin, runners, club 18-30 party games …..and the mighty Orient”) Whoop Whoo the WCC is reborn! Well, what can I say. Ross Honey, the inimitable master salesman who could sell ice cream to Eskimos, sand to Arabs and Swan Vesta matches to non-smokers had hooked me again.

The event was moving to the mighty Lac de Orient, home to some huge and famous old carp. A mecca of French carp fishing and surely an irresistible lure to anyone who had the burning desire that I still had to compete on these huge French waters in competition with the vast array of talent of international carp anglers – the numbers of which had been steadily growing since the early years of the event. Andy Chambers had been fishing the Orient at around the same time as the 2003 and 2004 WCC events on Lac Amance. I have an abiding memory of Andy’s wonderful captures from the. One session, saw Andy land an unprecedented number of massive carp and ever since then, when I see these reports, my appetite for the mighty Lac de Orient had been well and truly nurtured . Kev Knight from Mainline and I arranged to partner up for this match and for the first time in these events the use of boats had been introduced. The match was also extended to 5 nights. For the first time since Madine, my excitement and enthusiasm for the competition had reached fever point. It was in this, the 9th year of WCC, that I really knew the event had truly arrived . The World Carp Classic was now a mature and well-established event, drawing the very best of continental anglers to the field. Ross was starting to get oversubscribed and a place in the event was now a must for anyone who was serious about the international competition scene. This year saw the return of many more established names in UK carp angling. Highly-successful UK anglers who, like me, had become a little disillusioned with the matches in the

Wheel of fortune (or not) .. 2006 and the anticlimactic “wheel of fortune”(above). 2007, Lac de Orient and one of only five succesful pairs to catch. Well done Tommy! (main).

preceding years. Rob Hales and Des Taylor, Danny Fairbrass and Damien Clarke, Martin Locke and so many more household names of UK carp fishing had returned to the World Carp classic to engage the magnificent and incredibly daunting Orient. All 6,200 acres of it. In fact, this was the largest field of pairs competing in the World Carp classic with an incredible 169 pairs of anglers registered. Andy chambers entered the competition this year. It was he who everyone looked to for tips and for inside knowledge. Andy was the king of the Orient.

This year another change to the format was introduced (the change would only last for 1 year). A tweak that involved the peg draw. I will not labour too much on it, but suffice to say the “Wheel of fortune”. The draw was to be carried out by a wheel, spun by hand and in front of an audience of hundreds of participants, runners, marshalls and assorted organising staff. The idea was to place everyone in a pegged swim at the stroke of a spin. Probably the biggest anti-climax in the history of the event. I swear I witnessed tumbleweed whistling through the hall at one point. Ross! not one of your best ideas my friend … lol. So, after the debacle of the ‘wheel of fortune’, Kev and I eventually found ourselves pegged a little way up from Michelin Point. Yet again, we were to draw a blank over the 5 days and nights of the competition, but never before had I fished with such vigour and optimism each night than this match – believing and hoping each night that we may snare a fish. We were in good company blanking and in a field of 130 plus pairs or so, I believe only a dozen or so caught carp. But of course this was the ‘Orient’. It was a joy just to fish it. To compete in it. You really didn’t need to catch to enjoy the experience and with Kev and our runner (or very slow walker) Murray, I hadn’t enjoyed any WCC

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Lac Amance, 2005.. Tim and John with a stunning but rare Amance carp

Bit of a snag.. 2006 and the notorious stumps and underwater snags of the awesome Orient.

2006 motley crew.. Mainline massive and ‘slim jim’ in between. event before this as much as that week on the Orient. The winners of the 2006 match came from Poland, Mariusz Chiach and Jarowslaw Plochoki. This was not only further indication of the ever-expanding European involvement in the WCC, but also of the accelerating talent and experience of the European anglers. Boat work and vast expanses of water was 2nd nature to these guys. The stranglehold of the UK pairings had again been broken. More importantly and very personally, my continued interest and further enthusiasm for the competition were now ensured. I would be back!

2007 Lac De Orient Well, whether it was the ardous week of the Orient match the year before, the hugely burdensome organisation and logistics of getting to the event, or simply just a case of my company for the week, Kev Knight had decided to call it a day on the match scene (Kev had long before become fed up with the domestic competitions of the UK).

place in the hall to the front of the stage, in full view of your fellow competitors and the cameras that captured these tense moments. The draw was an event in itself. On stage, the shaky and sweaty hands were invited to pick the ‘egg’ from the draw bag – the ‘egg’ that contained a peg number and the ‘egg’ that promised so much but so often delivered very little. Our egg was a good egg. Point Italy (Italie) was a peninsular of a mile or so at the top end of the Orient, furthest from the Dam wall and our swim number was right at the bottom of the peninsular. Tom and I were drawn on a peg facing directly into the huge expanse of 6200 acres of mighty Orient water. The week that Tom and I experienced could merit a book on its own. Never before had so many incidents taken place in so short a time than the week we experienced on point Italy. We initially named the week the “Carlsberg” week, because if Carlsberg did matches …! So we were happy with our swim, we were happy with our lot and we were happy with life. That was until we had to call the medics from the mainland only a couple of days in. I badly burnt my hand picking up a cooker that lay on the sandy floor of the swim. So after burning a ring of skin into my palm and screaming like a girl whilst running into the

145

So my good friend Thomas Duncan Dunlop and myself were entered into the 2007 WCC competition with a renewed and fresh outlook and a gritted determination to win the elusive mantle of WCC world champions.

The 2007 event saw the induction of Andy chambers to the organising team. Andy, who had competed the year before was now brought into the management of the event. His undoubted superior knowledge and hard earned experience of the massive lakes we were now competing in, was a much needed, timely and a thoroughly innovative move. Andy’s impressive pegging and foresight moved the WCC events up a notch into an unprecedented era of international competition. The WCC had now become the foremost and most prestigious annual event it had always threatened to be. It had arrived in all its splendour. Indeed it was now THE annual Carp angling event and not to be missed. The draw returned to its old format. The ‘Wheel of fortune’ was assigned to the bin. As always, the draw was greeted with such hope and aspiration by all the participants assembled for the obligatory formalities. The mighty halls that welcomed the 200-300 participants of competing pairs of anglers, with the assorted marshalls, dignitaries and organising members were a hive of activity, a cacophony of boisterous and well-oiled voices taking their places in seats or standing until their names were called out and to have their fate determined. What followed would be the long and somewhat nervous walk from your

ROB TOUGH

MADINE IT...DONE IT! water to cool my burning flesh, the medics were called and very kindly bandaged me up. This rendered my left hand useless and boat work became difficult. A day or so after saw Tom’s rods taken out by a plane. Somewhat of an exaggeration you might think? Nope! We actually got taken out by a plane, not a swan, not a goose or a duck nor indeed superman. It was in fact an actual plane. A microlight with a single passenger from one of the Italian sponsors had been taking aerial snaps of the anglers from above. The plane had buzzed a few swims over the last couple of hours and seemed to be flying exceptionally close – a lot of shouting, hoisted arms and frantic waving had been the order of the day. On one of the circuits over the lake, the plane was very low and very, very close to the shoreline. So close in fact, that Tom’s rods, pointing to the skies above, positioned just a few yards from mine and maybe a mere 12 inches higher on the rod rests, got royally taken out by the plane’s tail on one of its flybys. Tom’s rods were ripped from the rests, the line cut deep into the buzzers and now rendered them useless. Both rods were dumped some fifty yards up the bank having had both lines cut at the tips. There was quite a bit of headless chicken activity going on in our swim for a fair while after that. A few urgent phone calls and frantic conversations took place and some very choice words were thrown down the phone towards the organisers and in particular, Ross Honey. After the dust had settled, Tom and I set about recovering both sets of stranded 200m or so lengths of lines now laying tetherless in the lake. This we did and after a successful couple of hours of dredging with the boat anchor, we managed to retrieve both lines. We re-spooled and re-buzzered (always carry spares ‘Justin’…. Just in case). Now, from adversity comes success and as a direct result of the mishap we suffered with the plane, we actually hooked and landed a common carp of around 23lb on one of the rods we had to re position. Not just any old common carp but a glorious Lac de Orient Common carp. A touch of sheer genius by Tom, who faced with the task of repositioning his rods, had decided to place the rod a little further than before and on a different spot that we had been fishing previously (It was only a little further). One of those repositioned rods resulted in a take during the evening that followed and afforded us a fifth place overall, and a section win in the 2007 WCC. Of the 130 or so pairs competing in that match only 5 pairs actually managed to catch, but this after all, was the Orient. The Mighty Orient. This year also saw a resurgence of the WCC team entry. Tom and I had been invited by Tim Paisley to fish under the Carpworld Banner (As I had done so in previous years) and be part of the 6-man team that went on to win the WCC Team Prize – with the help not only of our capture but also that of George Csonka and John Lilley’s fish, which earned them a higher placing overall and also their section win. Tim Paisley was a non-fishing captain and team leader this year, but had driven out to be a part of the week’s activities and spent a fair part of the week in our swim playing golf – we had taken some balls and a few clubs to practice our chipping during the quiet hours … lol! Well,

Come Ooooon! 2008, 2nd place and Runners up overall. Team Carpworld and Mainline leading the way (above). 2009, and not just a brace but a trio of forties! Part of a 770lb total Weight over the week (main).

we were surrounded by Orient sand and that was something we were all used to as keen but amateur golfers. Sand Bunkers were a second home for some of us on a golf course. Did I mention earlier that this was indeed a Carlsberg week? The WCC Trophy and honour of 2007 Champions went to the French pair Jean Pierre Becker and Yves Hauk and for the 2nd year in a row, victory had escaped the English pairs.

2008 Lac de Madine Wow! The WCC was moving back to Madine and I couldn’t be happier.

We didn’t punch the air, we didn’t do a jig, we managed to control our emotions whilst on stage, but inside I was doing cartwheels. This was the best draw I had been afforded in 11 years

The Orient is such an awesome water and the 2 years the competition had been held there were very special indeed. The Orient is a jewel in the WCC crown and I, along with many others (although the captures were very few and hard fought), have special memories of fishing it. But, Lac de Madine was now considered the home of the WCC and many of us veterans were only too pleased to be visiting its shores once again in the hope of landing some of its glorious carp. So, once again the drive through the tunnel in the now familiar and welcome September month had Tom and I fishing at Lac de Madine. This was Tom’s first visit to the lake and unfortunately it wasn’t a peg that either of us had hoped for. Another tweak to the draw this year intoduced the “stick and twist” option – this was more of a watercraft scenario where competing pairs had the chance to ditch the first peg drawn and risk drawing a second. However, the second peg drawn had then to be fished. A risky and exciting development to the draw indeed. However, It did Tom and I no favours and we were drawn at the back of the Big Island and facing the wooded (night fishing) area. This was the unfancied side of the Island (not the more popular side facing the dam wall) and as mentioned before, affectionately (or not so affectionately) named ‘no carp alley’. Even with the boats and the 5 night match (since introduced on the Orient matches), we couldn’t buck the trend of this side of the island. Just as unlucky were Lee and Tim. Their draw was almost exactly opposite us and a good 800 yards away on the mainland in the woods opposite. And so it came to pass. It was indeed a ‘no carp week’ for Tom and I. Fortunately though, we were part of the Carpworld team (consisting of ourselves, Tim Paisley and Lee Jackson, Mark Bartlett and Kevin Hewitt) and it was a bitter pill easily swallowed and quickly overcome. Mark

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Bartlett and Kevin Hewitt, drawn behind us and further into the woods on the Island (facing the dam wall) had a wonderful week landing a fair few Madine carp and their 3rd place overall ensured the Carpworld Team Event victory for a second year running. Another English pair on the Island, albeit right at the foot of the Island and about 20 or so pegs to our right (best part of a ½ mile maybe) were to ensure another overall English victory and make it the 7th time (of 10) that a UK pair had won the competition. That honour fell to Peter Truckle and Andrew Judd.

2009 Lac de Madine

(If Carlsberg did swims...) Well, what can I say. I’m sure you are all aware, so maybe I should just skip this year and move to 2010 … Pardon? No! You didn’t hear? You want to know all about it, are you sure? Oh, Ok then, Well, here you go…

best draw I had been afforded in the 11 years of the competition and in the 9 events I had actually competed. We were boated to our swim. This would be my third time having to boat the mass of tackle, bait and provisions for the duration of the week-long competition on Madine. There were no shops on the Island, just sheep, and lots of them. For the first 24 hours of the match Tom and I stayed out of the water in the dinghy. We deliberately chose not to feature find straight from the off. We had taken remote microcats with us and planned to recce the depths and features in front of us using the remote boat so as not to unduly disturb any fish that may have been in the swim. During the first day of these matches, there’s usually 130 plus pairs of anglers out in dinghys, plumbing and marking, disturbing the water and baiting up new found spots. So we thought, given the opportunity of the slack water in front of us, we would take it softly softly. We scanned the swim remotely with the fishfinder attached to the microcat and made note of the depths and features. We chose our 4 spots and dropped our baited rigs with a scattering of freebies from the remote hoppers. We would give the first day and first night a go without using the dinghy. That first day and night was uneventful apart from Tom’s right hand rod splaying into action in the evening – around 9pm. Unfortunately, the fish got into a snag and we lost it. But we knew we had carp in front of us. The rest is history. On the second day, we took to the dinghy and found more accurately the spots we were looking for – the hardest and most attractive bottom of the lake that we could find. We knew the depths already, so the dinghy work was far reduced and the time spent was minimal. All we had to do now, was take the opportunity given to us and make the most of it. That week was to be unforgettable and by far the most action-packed and sleep-exhaustive week

147

The stick and twist rule of the draw had been a popular inclusion into the event and it meant that all the pairs had to have a good or reasonable idea of the lake – the sections and the fancied and unfancied areas of the lake so to make an informed choice as to whether to ditch the first drawn peg and to risk another draw, or to keep the peg first drawn. Just to reiterate, you weren’t allowed a choice between the 2 pegs, it was the first peg drawn or the second one drawn if the first had been put back. Additionally, there was only a limited time allowed on stage to make that decision. The pressure was not for the faint hearted. Tom and I made our way to the stage at the appropriate time and, fully armed with our reams of paper with grids and sections, crosses and ticks, names and labels of favourites and in-betweeners, total lost causes and sure-fire winning swims, we stuck our hand in to pull that ‘egg’. Well, I stuck my

hand into the net holding the ‘eggs’ and pulled out our swim. Ross read out the swim number and we mentally recollected the bank space and the water that synced with the peg. It wasn’t a bad draw, in fact, it was a reasonable peg in a stretch of Lac de Madine that had not been fished before in previous matches. We were confident that we would certainly catch, but would we win from there? What peg would we draw if we risked this one and put it back? We knew there were still a few very good pegs left – we had been crossing off the draw – we also knew that there were still some real shitters (sorry, I mean unfancied pegs) still in the bag to be drawn. I looked at Tom and said: “Risk it?” (I was in 2 minds, neither adamant of keeping the peg, nor desperate to risk it to pull a worse one). “Put it back”, he said. Clearly and without hesitiation. “You sure?” I asked, about 5 times. But by that time both our minds were made up. We put back what was a pretty good draw and an unknown quantity to risk pulling what could have been a complete nightmare of a swim. We could have been back on the far side of the Island in the stretch of bank we had fished the year before … “no carp alley”. Tom pulled the ‘egg’ this time and handed it to Ross. Ross read out the new peg and a little smile broke out on both our faces … we were indeed back on the Big Island, but nowhere near the stretch from the previous year. We had pulled a peg down at the foot of the Island and in a swim that although had produced no fish in the previous year, was actually in water very close to where Peter and Andrew had won from in 2008. We were happy to say the least. We didn’t punch the air, we didn’t do a jig on the stage, we managed to control our emotions whilst up on stage and in full view of the 130 or so pairs of anglers, but inside I was doing cartwheels. This was indeed the

ROB TOUGH

MADINE IT...DONE IT! of fishing I had ever endured. In 5 nights we had approx. 15 hours of sleep and had landed 29 carp from 31 takes including 4 fish of 40lb or over. We actually only weighed in 28 as one escaped from our retainer during the night. The week included a 12-hour boat ban right in the middle of a frenzied feeding spell, the wind being considered far too strong to be out in boats. The weight of 770lb was a new WCC record and Tom and I had become the 2009 WCC Champions and £10,000 richer. Our win was also enough to ensure the Carpworld Team retained the Team event for the third year running. At last, for me, the elusive dream of winning had been realised and the past years of bad draws, miserable weeks, dashed hopes and the ever increasing costs and heartbreak was all now forgotten. The world was good! This year was also the year in which the WCC Biggest Fish record was broken, not once but twice. The first capture by Frank Warwick and Jason Caan on the mainland in the Boel Baits section weighed in at around 58lb. That record was then broken in a matter of a days or so, by the German pair and the aptly named angler “Axel Whacker” with his 66lb Madine monster, taken in the area near the marina on the beach section. 2009 was a good year for the WCC.

2010 Lac de Madine Tom and I drew the mainland in 2010, but still had to have all our gear boated to our swim. The bankside where our swim was located was pretty much inaccessible by vehicle. We were in the wooded area facing the back of the Island. This was, of course, the opposite side of …“no carp alley”. We were now on ‘the dark side’. Although we hadn’t been dealt the best of swims and we knew we were up against it, we set out our stall and looked forward to the week. This was, after all, the WCC at Lac de Madine and we were Defending Champions (just in case you missed that). We actually landed a couple of carp that week, losing another one on the very first night and falling prey to a huge cat of around 80lb. ‘No carp alley’ had produced by far the most carp in the week of this event – more than ever before. Pegs opposite us on the backside of the island and pegs further to our right and back to our left had also caught that week, which made the sections close fought and very competitive. Despite catching, we ended up without any spoils this year and in addition, we failed to hold on to the Team Event for Carpworld. However, yet another fantastic competition to be involved in. Old friends of ours and Carpworld Team ex-member George Csonka, along with his partner John Roberts, went on to win the 2010 title (the 9th UK pairing to win from 12 events) from a mainland swim in the now prolific area of water that has previously seen three years’ winners.

2011 Lac de Madine I am sure my absence was sorely missed (I have no reason to assume that apart from my arrogance), but circumstances meant I was unable to compete this year and this being a personal account my passage for 2011 year will be brief. For the first time a German pairing of Jens Gassen and Thomas Muller were to win the

now just a European World event that would be held in one European country. The ever increasing popularity across Europe of Carp fishing in general and competition carp angling meant new waters in more and more European countries were being noted. France had been the nation for choice of venues for the last 14 years and although the particular lake venues had been switched three times and the wonderful lakes of Madine and Orient had hosted magnificent and hard-fought matches (Lac Amance was now just a distant memory), it was time to switch it up. The tweak had been WCC. It had also become quite clear to Ross We’re so made. The competition was moving to Italy and Andy that the lake at that particular time and the incredible Lago di Bolsena. excited ... 2009 of year had a certain predictability in terms Bolsena was by far the biggest lake to host Team Carpworld/ of fish movement. Areas of water that were Mainline celebrate the WCC. At some 10km long and 8 km wide proving to be more proficient and catchworthy their 3rd year it covered 27,000 acres of crystal clear water. It is reputed to be the cleanest freshwater lake in meant that the peg draw if not confirming the in a row victory. Europe. That in itself was going to mean some winning pair, was at least beginning to indicate Someones serious aforethought for the anglers gracing who would be at the top of the leader-board pleased! (above). its banks and bobbing along in their dinghys from the outset. The event needed a ‘tweak’. And the winners above its very visible terrain. My homework of the 2009 World in earnest would be done the following year 2012 Lago di Bolsena Carp Classic are ... but I kept abreast of the events in this, the For the second year in a row I was unable first Bolsena competition. I noted the areas, to compete in the WCC, but hankered so or should I say the different towns around the much to be there. This made me more lake that produced fish in the 2012 event. With determined to compete in the following progress generally in the world came new and year. My appetite for the WCC had never innovative ways of preparing for these types of been so strong. matches. With aerial weather maps and Google ITALY. Oh yes, Italy! The event was not Earth, I was starting to build a picture of the

2009.. The year of the Record monster Madine carp.

Lago di Bolsena 2012.. Romanians Peter Micula and Norbert Pongr steal the first WCC Italian trophy

lake; the sections with differing depths and by keeping a track on the live updates online during the 2012 competition, I started to think about the following year and 2013. It was Romania’s turn to take the coveted title of 2012 World Carp Classic Champions with Peter Micula and Norbert Pongr being the deserving winners of that years competition.

2013 Lago di Bolsena Arnie used to say “I’ll BE back”, but I WAS back!

2013 was a woman’s world .. Lizette Beunders and Bianca Venema take the title for the ladies – the first time in the history of the WWC

Flying the flag .. Jacko and I flew took runners up in 2013 after a wonderful week

149

Yes, I was ... having been in the wilderness for a couple of years and with Tom needing to fish with a new Partner in my absence (our good friend Martin Locke), the 2013 competition saw myself and Lee Jackson pair up. I have known Lee for many, many years and Lee, like me, was a WCC stalwart, having also competed in the very first 1998 48 -hr competition at Lac de Madine. Lee and I had the sheer luxury of flying to the Italian event. We touched down in Rome, caught a train to the countryside and hopped on a bus to get to the lakeside. Well, we caught the bus to one of the many towns surrounding the Lake and got off right next to the campsite where we had booked a chalet for the next three nights before the actual event took place. Tom Wright from ATT, who was also competing in the event, transported our tackle

and provisions to Italy and delivered straight to our drawn swim. This was the type of WCC match I enjoyed the most … lol. The Italian matches had reverted back to a straight peg draw. To have a watercraft “stick and twist” option on a lake as massive as this was far too tall an order. The first peg drawn out of the hat was where we would be fishing. Lee and I drew a peg at the southern tip of the lake close to the town of Marta. An area of which I had a fair bit of knowledge – having done plenty of research in the months leading up to the competition. I had spoken at length on the phone to Mark Gardener (the 2003 Lac Amance Champion) and coincidentally we had spent a fair amount of time focusing on the sandbanks that can be clearly seen on the weather ariel maps of Lake Bolsena a few hundred yards out from the shoreline that we had been pegged on. Lee and I, armed with this prior knowledge and with the Carp Gods looking down on us, had a fantastic week at Lake Bolsena and managed to land 28 or so glorious Italian carp from our swim. However, the chains that were secured to the many buoys dotting the water in front of us thwarted the landing of a fair few more carp. We managed a second placing in 2013 – a magnificent result for us, but nevertheless runners-up to the overall winners, Dutch ladies pair, Lizette Beunders and Bianca

MADINE IT...DONE IT! Venema. This was the second Dutch success in the history of the WCC competition, but more significantly, this was the very first ladies pair victory in the 16 years of the event, having out-fished 130 plus pairs of male anglers they were truly deserving champions.

2014 Lago di Bolsena

Once again, I was forced to miss out competing in the WCC. Circumstances meant I was unable to make the trip for 2014 and I would have to wait another year to be back competing.

Just like the Dutch, Poland now boasted a second WCC win and the pairing of Andrej Walczak and Gabriel Starzec became the overall winners and 2014 Champions. Well done to the both of you and again very well deserved. These two, just like Tom and I and the 14 other past WCC winners were part of a very exclusive club ‘World Carp Classic Champions’.

2015 Lac de Madine

150

Well, we had come full circle again. The competition moved back to the home of the WCC and once again France and the awesome Madine was to host the 2015 event.

The 2015 competition was once more to be “tweaked”. The draw format had settled back to a single peg draw (since Italy), but the winning weights and overall winners were now to be decided by the aggregate weight – not of all the Carp caught by a competing pair, but the biggest 3 fish landed. That meant that no longer could a pair race away into the lead after landing a number of Carp whilst other competitors awaited a first ‘take’. The match was ‘alive’ for the entire week, where a pair catching one or two large carp late into the competition could storm up the leader-board and steal the crown. This change, in my opinion, was a very much welcome format change. It proved to be very popular with many of the fellow competitors I spoke to. My partner in 2015 was Paul Leadbetter and this was Paul’s very first foray into the world of International Carp angling competition. He was suitably enthralled with the set-up, the organisation, the lake and the sheer size and magnitude of the event. In fact it would be fair to say as I was too. I still had that sense of wonderment and exhilaration travelling to and arriving at the WCC Lake venues and none more so than Lac de Madine in 2015. The fishing side this year was none too kind to Paul and I. Pegged (yet again) on the big Island in the middle of the Lake, but this time on the “good” side (The side of the Island facing back over to the Dam wall and a favoured area of the lake in past years). In fact, the week was unusually hard for most of the field and Madine did not fish to form this year. Areas of the lake that had produced in past years proved to be very different than expected. The big Island produced far less captures than I could ever remember and overall, the catch numbers were down on previous years. Madine had an off year. Tim and Lee did well in their section and landed a stunning fish to put them on the leader-board. Never had a pair and certainly the man Tim Paisley deserved more luck then they. Tim has been an absolute mainstay of the WCC competition, as indeed in the global Carp scene generally. He has been more dedicated and steadfast in the pursuit of WCC victory than anyone else in its history. Tim has enjoyed huge success in Carp angling and won many titles including “Double” World Champion titles of other events, but I know more than anything the WCC has been a thorn in his side and luck has never been as kind to Tim as it certainly has to others in this competition, myself included.

Alas it wasn’t enough to trouble the leaders. The eventual winners of this, the last event in my historical jog down memory lane were the Trio (another tweak of the competition, allowing a third angler to join the pair but still maintaining the use of 4 rods maximum) of Hans Sissingh, Mattie Curfs (Dutch) and Larysa Switlyk (USA). So a first had taken place in that a dual nation victory occurred in 2015 for Holland and USA. Many congratulations to all three of you and personally a special mention to Hans – well done mucca. I first met Hans on Point Italy at the Lac de Orient WCC in 2007. Hans and his then partner Koos Waters had been pegged next to Tom and I in 2007. This win had long been coming to Hans who has supported the WCC events for almost as long as I and the victory was thoroughly deserved.

2016 Lake Novomlynska (Czech Republic) The WCC competition moved to the Czech Republic this year, to its third country and now fifth different Host venue. Lake Novomlynska is a man made reservoir of 4,200 acres situated in Brno, a short distance from the Austrian Border and city of Vienna. Thomas Duncan Dunlop and I were once again paired up in 2016 and we were eager to get to grips with this new venue. We did our homework and knew that the lake held thousands of small carp as well as larger quarry, but with the three fish rule we needed to fish tactically. We both flew out to the Czech republic and were fortunate to have our tackle and week’s supplies of food and bait transported to the lake on our behalf. After the draw had taken place on the Sunday afternoon we were all informed of the drill to be transported to the Lake. This involved a convoy of vehicles up to a mile long if not further, and all travelling together in single file under police escort and closed roads for non-competing traffic. This was to ensure the vehicles all arrived at the venue in order of the peg numbers and able to drive along the very narrow banks of the lake to offload tackle in order. That was some feat and extremely well organised. Very impressive. The match got off to a flyer and within the first few hours carp were getting caught all over the lake. Tom and I had decided to cast our rods to start and we were also quickly into fish but not of any size. The biggest being only around 7 kilos. We soon took to the boats and with our brand new Jochym Marine Catamaran dinghy that had just been launched that year, we were soon fishing all four rods at varying distances up to 300 meters out. As I said, we had decided to fish tactically and apart from having a rod at casting distance which maintained a steady catch rate, we set our stall out to try and catch bigger fish and not be out and at them all day and night for similar sized ‘small’ carp. Once we had our three ‘weighers’ we needed to target the bigger fish. This we did by separating the rods and keeping the shoals of small fish on

the shorter range cast rod. We managed to keep a spot baited at 300 meters with very little action but with an ever-increasing bait triangle of well over 120 kilos by the fifth day. It was on this fifth day and last night of the event that this area kicked into life. We landed our first and secod biggest carp from the heavily baited spot, justifying the belief that heavy baiting would ensure that the smaller fish wouldn’t be able to wipe us out before anything bigger had turned up. Although we didn’t trouble the leaders, we held our own and with our biggest fish of just over 30lb we were more than happy with the weeks fishing. The venue had proved to be a huge success and the vast majority of the field had caught. The very formidable Czech team, Karel Nickl, Jan Dadak and Jakub Kumsta of Carp’R’Us, won this event with three fish totalling 58.6 kilo.

2017 Return to Lac De Madine

And so, we were back at Lac de Madine. I fished with another new partner this year – Tony Reynolds. We had an absolute blast that week and survived the horrendous storm that battered the lake for 48 hours. We managed to land only one fish and that was a catfish of some 30 or so pounds. This year however, was all about two very highly respected and well deserving friends of mine. Tim Paisley and Lee Jackson had been drawn on the end of the large Island and in an area of water that had thrown up previous winners of the WCC event. Being given a favourable draw is only part of the equation and over the years I have seen many favourable draws given to anglers who haven’t been able to take advantage. Well that certainly wasn’t the case this year. Tim and Lee, of course being very capable of taking advantage of the opportunity afforded them, smashed it. They landed the three biggest carp of the week in horrendous conditions and winds that tested the absolute hardiest of us to the extreme. Tim never ceases to amaze me in his pursuit of the prize. At 80 years of age and still doing his stuff, is truly inspiring. Of course, Tim is a triple world champion now and unrivalled in his achievements. Unrivalled maybe except by his own partner. Lee has done it all too, if not more; WCC World Champion (along with St Lawrence World Champion winner with Ian Chilcott), BCAC Champion, and British Carp record holder. An unprecedented array of titles and achievements. 2017 was the year that paid it back to Lee and especially Tim. Well deserved and well heralded champions. Tim and Lee’s story of that historic win appears in this mag and I will leave it to the champions to recite it for you.

2018 Lac de Madine (the story continues ...)

‘‘

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

ROB TOUGH

All things come to he that waits .. An ecstatic Tim and Lee celebrate their well-deserved win last year at Lac de Madine (left). 2015 and not a fish in sight but the awesome Madine (main image)

I still had that sense of wonderment and exhilaration travelling to and arriving at the WCC Lake venues and none more so than Lac de Madine in 2015

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

CARPES 18+ MADINE JEAN-LOUIS BERGY

ach u G Côté

THE LEGACY

PROJECT

espite my very limited computer skills, I created the facebook page Carpes18+ Madine, to try my best to fight against fish traffic. The trigger was back in1999 where several carps of 30+ were “removed” by thieves . I have established a library record made from my catches, those of friends, the catches of the enduro “Nuits de Madine” (1996-2003). In addition are all images that I have found in magazines. Initially this was a difficult and time consuming process. The “star” in a photo is the carp, so did you need to see the head of the fisherman? That’s why, when I’m alone, I photograph my 18+ carp alone and comfortable on an unhooking mat! Fortunately, when I contacted the World Carp Classic, I found Ross Honey and Marianne Guillois listened to me and were in full collaboration. Indeed, if I count the 135 carp recorded to date, almost 50 (for the moment!) come from the WCC which has been extremely helpful. Ross and Marianne agreed as part of the 20th anniversary World carp Classic Legacy project they would fully support and back the carp 18+ at Madine. Carp 18+ is now in place and during a meeting with Ross and Marianne I met the young Lucas Zanella, who is a very keen carp angler and lives next to Lac de madine. He is willing to handle the publications of the 2018 anniversary session during the event with all the skills and motivation required. The information will only be better and instantaneous. We are looking forward to sharing these

photos of already recognized fish and adding with 18Kg+ carp caught at Lac de Madine into the directory. Our computer identification system to police this is very useful! I lalso ook forward to developing this important project with the World Carp Classic and making sure that the fish that are at Lac de madine STAY at Lac de madine.

’ai créé malgré mes compétences très limitées en informatique la page facebook Carpes18+Madine pour tenter à ma manière de lutter contre le trafic des poissons. Le déclencheur se situe en 1999 où plusieurs carpes dont une 30+ ont été “déportées” par des voleurs qui se sont dévoilés par orgueil. Je l’ai constituée à partir de mes prises, de celles d’amis, des prises de l’enduro “les Nuits de Madine” (1996-2003) et de mes trouvailles dans les magazines que j’avais collectionnées dans mes albums souvenirs. Hélas le succès n’était pas au rendezvous : pudeur ? secret ? Je n’ai pas reçu beaucoup de publications spontanées. La “vedette” sur une photo étant la carpe, il n’est pas obligatoire de voir la tête du pêcheur ? C’est pourquoi quand je suis seul pour des raisons pratique je photographie ma 18+ seule et confortable sur son pneumatique et des deux côtés ! Heureusement, le contact avec le World Carp Classic s’est opéré et j’ai trouvé en Ross Honey et Marianne Guillois une écoute attentive et une pleine collaboration à ma démarche. En effet, si je fais le compte des

135 carpes publiés, presque 50 (pour le moment !) viennent du WCC ce qui annonce un beau développement pour cette opération de sauvegarde du cheptel de notre cher lac et pourquoi pas d’autres ? Ma succession est en cours puisque lors d’une rencontre avec Ross et Marianne j’ai rencontré le jeune Lucas Zanella. Il est disposé à prendre en main avec toutes les compétences et la motivation requises les publications de la session anniversaire 2018 pendant l’évènement. L’information n’en sera que meilleure et instantanée. Reste enfin a exploiter les photos pour reconnaître un poisson déjà pêché dans le répertoire et je peux dire qu’un système informatique d’identification comme en utilise la police serait très utile ! Je me réjouis de ces projets et souhaite le meilleur à tous.

153

If I count the 135 carp recorded to date, almost 50 (for the moment!) come from the WCC which has been extremely helpful.

Jean-Louis Bergy Carpes 18+ Madine

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 154

Les potamots sont une variété très largement représentée à Madine et une villégiature idéale pour nos cyprins.

‘‘

Une partie de cache-cache 10 conseils pour bien pêcher Madine

Madine est un lac tout à fait accessible à tous et même si sa superficie le classe dans la catégorie des grands lacs de l’Est, la difficulté est incontestablement bien moindre que le Der ou Orient. Les secteurs de nuit existent depuis de nombreuses années et même si certains ont été matraqués , en choisissant la bonne période et les conditions météo favorables, ceux-ci restent encore très productifs. Une approche simple en respectant toutefois les règles de sécurité propres aux mers intérieures s’avère souvent payante, le cheptel y étant très conséquent avec des poissons qui profitent d’année en année. Il est extrêmement fréquent de poser sur son tapis de superbes et gros spécimens, l’endroit idéal pour faire vibrer votre peson.

2. No pain, no gain Les secteurs de nuit restant toutefois de nos jours productifs, une grande majorité de la superficie du lac n’est autorisée qu’à la pêche de journée. Celle-ci prend ici tout son sens et même si les accès nécessitent souvent un peu de marche à pied, les différentes baies et autres endroits reculés produisent souvent de très belles pêches diurnes. C’est d’ailleurs ce que je recommande en priorité pour ceux qui aiment sortir un peu des sentiers battus. Un sac à dos, une bonne paire de chaussures de marche, deux cannes et quelques appâts de qualité permettront aux plus courageux d’éviter les longues heures d’attente. De plus, se fondre dans une flore abondante et omniprésente, laisseront de magnifiques images à jamais graver dans votre mémoire. Et je ne vous parle même pas des poissons...

Les grands lacs de l’Est attirent bien des convoitises, leurs immensités, la beauté des lieux et le cheptel sont souvent le trio qui décident les nombreux pêcheurs de carpe du monde entier à venir y poser leurs montages. Au cœur du parc naturel régional de Lorraine,dans le département de la Meuse , il affiche une superficie de 1100 hectares. Un lac à la topographie très découpée où îles, presqu’îles et différentes baies vous offrent un terrain de jeu à la hauteur des ambitions les plus folles.

‘‘

1. Ne pas se fier aux apparences

3. Une partie de cache-cache Force est de constater que les poissons ne sont pas très démonstratifs à Madine. Hormis quelques périodes de frénésie, peu sont les sauts et autres marsouinages. Un sondage minutieux est donc fortement préconisé car sous l’eau, c’est tout autre chose. Madine étant un lac artificiel, nombreuses sont les souches qui tapissent le fond sur certains secteurs. Les anciens chemins de pierre très productifs sont difficilement localisables avec un écho-sondeur basique. Une canne équipée de tresse et d’un gros plomb vous apporteront plus de précision pour déceler ceux-ci. Les autres lieux de premier choix à exploiter pour y trouver les résidentes sont quant à eux un peu plus faciles à localiser puisque ils sont visibles à l’œil nu.

4. Une végétation dense mais pas que... La végétation à Madine est bien présente et dense et afin de vous extraire de celle-ci, je vous conseille fortement sur ces postes d’utiliser les rames. Vos moteurs électriques vous en remercieront. Inutile de faire chauffer les bobines de ceux-ci. Toutefois, cette même végétation n’en reste pas moins un atout et un poste de prédilection de tout premier choix. Les potamots sont une variété très largement représentée à Madine et une villégiature idéale pour nos cyprins. En plus de représenter des zones de sécurité, la nourriture naturelle y est abondante et les carpes sont nombreuses à nager aux abords et à travers de ceux-ci. Une bonne paire de jumelles sera un plus pour les localiser aisément du bord.

STEPHANE GENTILE

5. De la tresse sinon rien! Inutile de venir à Madine avec des moulinets équipés de bobine de nylon. La densité des herbiers vous rendrait la tâche très compliquée voire impossible pour récupérer vos montages. Une tresse fine et très résistante aura ici tout son intérêt. Celle-ci coupera aisément la végétation sur laquelle elle repose et apportera aussi une détection plus fine et franche sur les pêches à longue distance . Les poissons n’ont souvent que quelques centimètres à faire pour se loger au milieu des herbiers lorsque vos montages y sont placés à proximité. Là aussi, lors du combat, la tresse aura tout son intérêt.

6. Du lourd.... Le paysage digne d’une carte postale du lac de Madine peut souvent se transformer en chaos, ce n’est pas les compétiteurs de la WCC 2017 qui me contrediront. Lorsque les éléments se déchaînent, de très forts grammages seront bien utiles pour espérer garder vos montages pêchant. Par grand vent, les herbiers dérivant en suspension auront vite fait de s’accumuler sur vos lignes et de déplacer un montage peu lesté. De plus, la pêche à Madine, sur certains secteurs, se fait à longue voire très longue distance. Dans ce cas, 300 grs voire plus n’est pas une utopie.

156

7. Des poissons fin gourmets Les résidentes de Madine en ont vu de toutes les couleurs. La médiatisation du lac depuis de très nombreuses années a fait se déplacer des pêcheurs de tout l’hexagone. C’est tout autant de tonnes de bouillettes qui ont été déversées dans les eaux et que les carpes ont pu apprécier ou non... Les poissons ont maintenant la fine bouche et plutôt que la quantité, il est préférable de proposer quelques appâts de qualité. Le mélange carné/fruité est une arme redoutable. Distribuer des appâts d’une grande fraîcheur et aux qualités nutritives évidentes avec parcimonie, aura toutes les chances de séduire une belle des lieux. Il sera toujours temps après, suivant l’activité alimentaire d’en rajouter.

8. Une alternative sélective : la tiger Je ne suis pas un inconditionnel de la graine à Madine, les raisons sont simples, les blancs sont omniprésents, les tanches, brèmes, carassins et autres gros gardons ont vite faits de vous sortir une ligne de l’eau. Cependant la tigernuts est un met que les poissons apprécient ici. Elle est utilisée avec succès depuis de très nombreuses années et en plus d’être appréciée, elle permet de laisser des montages pêchant pendant plus de 24 heures qui résisteront à l’attaque de nombreuses écrevisses présentes. Je bannis par contre toute utilisation du pellets, il faut savoir que les moustachus sont en nombre sur Madine et très friands des farines qui les composent. Deux ou trois grosses tigernuts en présentation équilibrée ou légèrement décollée du fond sont ultra pêchantes à Madine.

9. Quels montages ? Inutile de se compliquer la tâche et de se prendre la tête pour la réalisation de vos montages. Comme souvent en grands lacs, ceux-ci doivent rester simples, costauds et efficaces. Une tresse de fort diamètre ou un fluorocarbone de 60 centièmes ou plus résistant à l’abrasion ont ici tout leur sens. En effet, il reste à certains endroits des résidus de pied de vignes où les nombreuses dresseines ont élu domicile. L’hameçon devra être aussi

fort de fer pour contrer les rush puissants des poissons les plus lourds. Le traditionnel clip-plomb est à utiliser également en toute simplicité. Avec succès, j’ai également utilisé à Madine des bas de ligne en nylon rigide de longueur un peu moins conventionnelle( 40-60 cm), ceux-ci m’ont valu de piquer les quelques plus méfiantes.

10. Jouer son joker ! Hormis sur les secteurs de nuit où la pêche se fait généralement à longue voire très longue distance ou par temps de grand vent de face, la bordure ,si elle est dénuée d’herbiers très denses, comme dans certaines baies aux roselières abondantes, apporte souvent son lot de satisfaction. En faisant preuve d’une extrême discrétion et en se fondant bien dans le paysage ambiant, ce sont quelquefois les plus beaux sujets qui vous rendront visite. En effet, sur ces berges désertées par la civilisation, les carpes n’ont pas l’habitude d’être confrontées aux bruits inhabituels. Elles y nagent en toute quiétude et pour faire échec et mat, le silence est d’or ! Inutile de vous dire que ces endroits sont réservés exclusivement aux pêches de journée ( ou à vos risques et périls lol) et aux plus déterminés et motivés. Stephane Gentile

‘‘

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

pêcher Madine

y love for carp fishing began as soon as I could walk – I’ll never forget my father taking me fishing for different species and by the time I was 15, I was dedicated to carp fishing. I think once the bug for carp fishing has bitten you, you’re hooked for life. In those days, there were no alarms – it was a totally different ballgame. We fished on the surface with bread and did a lot of stalking; fishing with one rod and using maize as bait. I’d stay up all night sometimes, using boiled potatoes with the hook buried inside. Although we were young, we were innovative – using silver paper in an empty jam pot around the line as an indicator and to prevent the line from moving around in the wind. As you get older, staying up all night gets more difficult and I’m glad that times have changed now with alarms and indicators, which makes fishing a lot more relaxed. How things have changed! I will always remember Lake Raduta, in Romania in the year 2000. This was when I caught my first really big fish – a 31kg common on a full moon. At the time it was really rare to catch such a big fish, but the following year, the same fish was also caught by Tim Paisley, weighing 34kg plus, which was then the new world record for common carp. My favourite yearly event has to be The World Carp Classic. I remember meeting Ross Honey for the first time many years ago at a Carp fishing show in Monthlucon and he told me about an idea he was trying to get off the ground – an international carp competition with worldwide competitors… and here we are, 20 years later and back at Lac du Madine where it all began. After all these years competing at this event, I still get goose bumps when I see all the flags

Y D R A S L A U N N A

ARDY VELTKAMP: MY YEARS OF BLOOD, SWEAT

Frank Warwick

159

AND TEARS AT THE WCC... BUT I STILL LOVE IT

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

A real big fish is maybe a once in a life time opportunity but friendship is forever

ARDY ANNUALS ARDY VELTKAMP

from countries all over the world during the opening parade. I also love the closing ceremonies – these moments are so special to me. It’s been a pleasure to have met so many nice people at this competition – its like a reunion of a very big family every year, and it’s still growing. Some competitors have become really close friends with whom I regularly stay in touch. One particular friend over the years, Frank Warwick, once gave me an important piece of advice: “A real big fish is maybe a once in a life time opportunity but friendship is forever!” One of my most memorable fishing moment at the WCC was here, at Lake Du Madine – fishing on the right side of the big island with Frank Warwick and Jason Cann as our runner. I lost a very big fish which I had been playing for over 35 minutes and it was not a catfish. Bubbles came up from the bottom and the fish fought very slowly. I have been lucky in the past, catching four fish over 30kg in three different countries (which all fought the same way), so I know roughly what it feels like having a good fish on the end of the line. It’s a shame I lost that big fish after a long, hard fight when mussels cut my mainline just beyond my thick nylon leader of 15m. I really hated that, as it would have been the perfect moment to catch a monster carp in the WCC – but that’s fishing. Another momentous occasion for me was In 2011, when Ross told me the whole event would be moving to Italy and would I like to join in the opening ceremony (he knew how much they meant to me) as the Gladiator from Ben Hur, riding on a chariot pulled by white horse! I said that I would only want to do that if I could get into the best shape ever. In the past I was Dutch Champion Body Building, but after more than10 years not doing any competitions, it would be a real challenge to see if I could get back in that shape again. So, after a diet of 4 months and real tough, hardcore training I arrived in the best shape of my life to do the opening ceremony. I will never forget that. Everyone was so enthusiastic and wanted to take pictures with me which went all over the world, it was amazing. THAT made all the years of effort in the gym worthwhile and gave me the same feeling as when I became Dutch Bodybuilding Champion. The biggest surprise was just before I went on the chariot. There was my best mate, Frank Warwick, dressed as a Roman Soldier. I didn’t know he was going to be in the opening ceremony walking behind the chariot so this really was a special moment in my life. The day after the opening ceremony, the fishing started and we pulled swim 13 in the CC Moore section. This turned out to be a lovely swim on the beach and on the right side the harbour. The wind was blowing in our faces and the conditions were perfect – a harbour is always a good spot because there is always carp

Gladiator’s ready! When Ross asked me to join the parade at Bolsena in 2011 dressed as a Gladiator, my mate Frank Warwick couldn’t help himself!

there and they move in and out constantly. So we came up with the following plan to put 2 rods in front of the opening of the harbour by bank sticks with a big V on them so we could block the entrance and try to catch the carp traveling in and out . This worked out really well, as in the first few days we took the lead. Then the wind changed and began to blow away from us. On big lakes most of the time carp follow the wind and this was the case because the guys on the opposite side on the lake started catching. Still, we managed to catch 18 fish totalling 190.9kg which meant we had won the CC Moore Section and came 5th overall out of the 180 teams. Richard Simonis and I were really happy with that result. Of course, I would love to win the WCC and catch the biggest fish, but to see anglers from all over once a year makes the event a very special meeting that I wouldn’t miss for the world. The amazing atmosphere generated between the different anglers when they help each other to keep morale up when things don’t go according to plan. It has to be the most special carp fishing event .. ever! I am so excited to compete again at Lac du Madine this year and to see all my friends who I have met during the past WCC events. The best part is always the pre-event party … and the finishing party! And, because it’s the 20th anniversary of the World Carp Classic, this year should be even more spectacular than ever before. I can’t wait! Last but not least, I want to thank all of my sponsors who have given me the opportunity to travel all over the world and do what I love most - fishing. Thank you for all the products you provide me with to try out, which I am 100% confident to fish with and for all your support. Hope to see you all at the opening ceremony of the 20th Anniversary here at Lac du Madine! Signing off with my motto in life from James Dean: ‘Dream as if you will live forever; Live as if you will die today” Wishing you all good luck in the competition! ardy veltkamp

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

MASTER AT OUR CRAFT FISHMASTER 220 SPECS n Length: 220cm n Width: 165cm n Inside space: 170 x 75cm n Weight: Only 41kg (including floor) n Packing size in bag: 147 x 69 x 29cm n Max.outboard: 2.5hp n Max load: 350kg n Max person: 2

FISHMASTER 300 SPECS n Length: 300cm n Width: 160cm n Inside space: 190 x 75cm n Weight: Only 39kg (including floor) n Packing size in bag: 110 x 50 x 30cm n Max.outboard: 9.9hp n Max load: 330kg n Max person: 4

FISHMASTER 300 SPECS

160

n Length:350cm n Width: 210cm n Inside space: 230 x 110cm n Weight: Only 49kg (including floor) n Packing size in bag: 130 x 70 x 30 n Max.outboard: 9.9hp n Max load: 500 kg n Max person: 5

it all began back in 1995 when we, as avid fishermen, needed a small, robust, high-quality Fishing boat that was stable, safe, and with more than enough free internal space and good sailing features. not finding this boat on the market, we decided to create our own ... From the start of our mission, we have designed and tested various prototypes of boats in order to find the best one to fit the fisherman’s needs. We have experience working with variety of materials such as laminate, wood, dinghy and their variations, providing service and maintenance to our customers. In 2016 we brought to the market our first boats, the FishMaster 300 and FishMaster 350. Fishing catamarans developed together with professional anglers for anglers, to match every need important for fishing. In developing and producing our boats, we focus very hard on the must-have features for anglers: stability of the boat on water, safety, inside space which facilitates plenty of fishing gear – so crucial for successful fishing trips, light weight and their transportability. In the spring of 2018 we launched our newest and smallest of our boats – FishMaster 220. We

managed to provide extra inside space for all our models, as well as creating new colours such as dark camo and camo green. Our FishMaster series catamarans offer anglers the biggest inside space on market thanks to catamaran construction. Another big difference is electricity and/or petrol consumption which is more than 30% lower in comparison with other classic inflatable boat models with inflatable keel and V shaped bottom. Catamaran boats, by their design, are able to slide on the top of water instead of pushing water infront of boat because of the V shape. This big benefit, combined with the much bigger tubes that we use, allows anglers to go faster on the water, because of better buoyancy and less drag. Saving energy for the angler. Furthermore, this benefits our boats. Thanks to the very light materials we use, these boats are very easy to transport and pack. During the development of our boats, we wanted to overcome the of hassle of packing a boat – when fighting to get the floor in place took so much time. FishMaster boats are so easy to prepare for fishing that it won’t take you more than 10 minutes to set up your boat to go!

In the spring In2018 the spring of we of 2018 launchedwe our launched newest, andour newest,of and smallest our smallest of our boats ... the boats ... the220. FishMaster FishMaster We managed220. to We managed provide extra to provide extra inside space for inside space all our models,for allwell ouras models, as as well as creating new creating new colours such as colours such dark camo andas dark green camo and camo camo green

However, the most important element of all for us as a company are customers services. Our ethos since the very beginning has been able to work closely with fishermen and keep on developing our products. That’s why we are in constant contact with our customers, with our team anglers, boat producers and, thanks to professional anglers, we are castantly able to dream up new ideas for our boats and implement them into our products. 2018 is very special to us, not only because we have announced new products and new changes on our boats, but because this year is the 20th anniversary of the World Carp Classic event with which we have been working very closely with since we finished our first final version of FishMaster boats. This will be our 3rd year as a section sponsor. When we first attended this competition, we knew that it was something special. It wasn’t just an event, it was a friendship you could feel – an atmosphere very hard to describe. Anglers from all around the world, an amazing and vast marshal team, great media coverage and of course the outstanding organisation from Ross and Marianne. Hundreds of people in one place,

getting ready for 5 days of fishing, all ready to help each other despite being in competition! The WCC is a very special time for our company and we always look forward to meeting new people, finding new connections and friends from different places. It’s fun, but then, a lot of hard work, tough conditions, amazing fish – all you imagine with a professional sport event would be. You can feel the atmosphere switch as tensions rise near the end of the event. For 2018 we are preparing something special to mark the event’s anniversary. Limited edition FishMaster boats, will be seen at Madine with the World Carp Classic 20th anniversary logo. We are very happy that each year the number of teams using our boats is growing rapidly. This year, not only will there be teams from all around Europe participating on our boats, but we will have the honour to work closely with teams from Canada and New Zealand. The World Carp Classic is not just an event, it’s THE event. It’s adrenaline, atmosphere, friendship and extreme sportsmanship. Its everything you want to experience in one package. Jochym marine

ROB HUGHES MAKING MEMORIES

The Year was 1998 and I was riding on the crest of a wave

imon Crow and I had won the first ever FIPS Ed World Championships in 1996. We were sponsored by the late great Rod Hutchinson, and my fishing career was going from strength to strength.

They were dangerous times ... One night I woke up, looked at the floor and saw a procession of ants clearly moving house

At the time I was writing for a number of the main fishing newspapers and magazines all over the world and one of them was the UK Angling Times. The then editor, Kev Green, told me that a big carp competition was being held in France and organised by an English guy called Ross Honey. He asked me would I be interested in fishing in it on behalf of Angling Times and also to give my honest opinion about the event. As you can imagine I was absolutely mad keen on competition carp fishing. Following the success of the World Championships victory in 1996 I was desperate to have another go, but there quite simply weren’t any big events around at that stage. The next World Cup was scheduled for 2000 so I jumped at the chance of joining this one. I had heard of Lac de Madine but didn’t know too much about it. Greeny and I headed over there in my trusty Montego estate to have a look at the lake and also to meet with Ross to discuss the event further. As with any trip to a new lake, especially when overseas, I was full of excitement and looking forward to getting there. The trip was full of some amazing memories, and the first one that stood out to me was how beautiful Madine is. I have fished literally hundreds of lakes all over the world from Africa to America to Eastern Europe but Madine still ranks in my eyes as one of the best lakes I have ever fished. It is simply glorious and epitomises big water carp fishing. It can be beautifuly savage, generous and cruel in equal measure but I have to say on that first ever trip it was immensely generous.

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Bitten by the Madine bug I packed the kit into my trusty Montego estate, collected Greeny from Peterborough and headed over to Madine. The first place we fished was the bird hide, a fantastic looking point which I have to say still looks brilliant but doesn’t always produce good numbers of fish. There are some big ones in the area as recent competitions have shown but we blanked and ended up moving. We ended up in the point swim where Larysa Switlyk, Hans Sissingh and Matte Curffs won the event from three years ago. Back then there was no swim there, just a hole through the bushes and we camped up in the mosquito infested woods, but we caught carp after carp. Remember this was 20 years ago, so they were not massive but a good head of 10 kg fish ranging up to just over 15kg was our prize. I remember needing the loo and even in the middle of the day the mosquitoes were incessant. It was a dangerous time. One night I woke up one morning, looked at the floor and saw a procession of ants clearly moving house. There were literally thousands of them and they passed Greeny’s bivvy snaking along the ground between us and ended up passing under my bed chair. I look down to see where the path led them only to see that it was up my bed chair leg and into my bed. They had decided the best place to live was in the cracks of the mattress on my bed chair and underneath my sleeping – bag there were literally thousands of ants. As you can imagine I jumped out of it pretty quickly.

165

There was another occasion where we were travelling across the lake somewhere between the island and the Darkside. It was a good 150m from the shore when I saw something swimming in the water. I thought it might be a snake, so took the boat over to the creature only to find it was a mole. I didn’t even know that they could swim. I grabbed the poor little creature into the boat thinking I was on a rescue mission and he ran round in circles scaring the living daylights out of both Ross and Kev, who at this stage looked like they would’ve preferred to have been in the water on their own rather than In the boat with the mole. A final funny story from that trip involved the pack down. We had been given the orange rescue boat to move our gear around the lake. It had a petrol engine, and having loaded the car, Kev was to drive it back to the marina and I was to take the boat back. He left, I got about 100 yards from the shore when the boat ran out of petrol. Those of you that know Madine will know exactly how far it is either by Road or by water back to the marina by the small island. I decided the best option was to swim, so I pushed the boat all the way back. It took me three hours. I eventually turned up, exhausted, half drowned, only to find Kevin Green and Ross with a beer in the bar wondering why I’d taken so long. I was sold on Madine and also the World Cup classic. The carp world had never seen anything like it at the time. 150 carp anglers gathered at the

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM 166

ROB HUGHES MAKING MEMORIES

sailing club for the draw. There were discussions about the famous island, how good the dam wall would be, and various other pegs around the lake. A TV crew from Sky Sports covered the event and gave the opportunity to the captor of the biggest fish to name the program. For some reason it became known as A Fish Called Lewis I travelled over with my best mate and regular fishing buddy, Simon Crow and with a number of the usual travel tribulations that we had on our adventures, eventually arrived at machine as part of Rod Hutchinson’s Dream Team.There was me, Simon, Rod, Martin and Clarke all representing Rod in this big event. Incredibly myself, Simon and Rod all drew the main dam wall section. I remember Paul Forward coming out of the draw first, standing on the stage with one finger in the air announcing proudly that there could be only one number one. The chest puffed out it looked to the audience that he was already convinced that he’d won it. The results later on would show different story. Both myself and Simon Crow and Rod Hutchinson all coincidently drew the area of the main dam wall. A bit of an unknown at the time and one which we now know doesn’t hold as many fish as other parts of the lake. Back then it was a casting competition so you can imagine how far everybody could get into the lake, and also the problems caused by the weed. My girlfriend at the time, later to become my wife, Cath, was fishing too and she ended up on the island with Martin Locke, Lee Jackson and Ron Woodward on either side. She caught well and ended up top lady angler in that first event, winning the lady’s title. The TV crew where loitering on the dam wall when suddenly out of the blue one of my alarms screamed into life. I landed the first fish and I believe the only fish caught in that section. At 24lbs, I was lucky enough to have it recorded for the programme and ended up winning the section. The prize was a bivvy from Rod Hutchinson. As I was already part of his team I didn’t need it so I gave it to a young 14-year-old kid that was in the same section. Fair play to the lad, at 14 he had got big kahunas to fish Madine in the World Cup Classic on his own. I called him onto the stage at the end to give him the prize and I made a friend for life at that moment. The boy was Mark Bartlett, an exceptionally good anger that would eventually go on to become two times British Champion and also a member of my World Championships winning England squad. I love competition. The sense of excitement beforehand, expectation of a good result, the nerves of the draw, the adrenaline of those first few fish and then the harsh reality of the result,

Making movies .. Filming in the early days as part of Rod Hutchison’s Dream Team, the beautifully ‘dangerous’ Madine and catching my mate, Tim Paisley, in his finest hour whatever it might be. In my mind there are three different types of players. Those that come along for the occasion, those to come along and think they can win, and then the final group which are those that know they can win.

As with all competitions the biggest deciding factor is the draw. A good angler very rarely wins from a bad place but a bad angler can get lucky from a good place. For me it’s this factor that makes this competition so much more exciting. The world is not a level playing field and sadly peg draws reflect this. You just have to keep on keeping on, eventually hoping that the draw bag will be kind. Having had a relatively successful first event, which was won by Paul Raiment from the point just by the small island, I was keen to get back into competition again. I decided to leave my job as a full-time lawyer and jumped into the Angling world. It was always going to be based around competition and also guiding. I set up the British Carp Angling Championships to bring professional carp fishing to the UK, and at the same time set up a holiday company offering trips overseas. One of the main destinations was of course Madine and I spent many happy times

The prize was a bivvy. I didn’t need it so I gave it to a young 14-year-old kid that was in the same section ... that ‘boy’ was Mike Bartlett!

A good angler very rarely wins from a bad place but a bad angler can get lucky from a good place.

there catching some awesome fish and meeting some great friends. That’s one of the things about big international waters – you meet people of a similar mindset and what generally tends to happen is that you meet again the following year. This is very true of the World Carp Classic. So many friendships have been made as a result of this event. Rod Hutchinson, Tim Paisley, myself, Simon Crow and Steve Briggs all travelled over to make a film about Madine too. It was called Dream at Madine and it proved to be an immensely popular film both in France and England. I’ve fallen in love with the lake, and to be honest still am, and although unfortunately my life circumstances mean that I very rarely get to fish there, it’s one of reasons why I like the World Carp Classic so much. Having had a successful first year Ross asked

me to join him as part of the organisation team for year two. We changed the format of the competition to a pairs match and extended the duration of the competition. It was another great event and it was interesting to see it from an organisation side as opposed to a competitors. Behind the scene there is a massive amount of work that goes on, and the marshals in particular are a massive part of the event and how it works. I had a magnificent team in that second year and once again friends were made for life. It was a frantic, exciting and hectic event that was won by Dave Poxon and Mark Redding from a similar area as Paul Raiment, on the small dam wall. Brilliant result and once again some fantastic memories. Sadly my business work and family commitments took over and I didn’t get to compete at the WCC until it moved to the

Orient some years later. It was always going to be a dream-breaker there, but the opportunity of fishing that magnificent water couldn’t be ignored. I was competing again but sadly drew an area that produced just one fish in the whole day we were fishing. Disappointing, but once again this is big water match fishing and you can suck it up and take the rough with this smooth, or wimp out. I took a few more years out again as a result of work but started to talk to Ross about the possibility of getting the World Carp Classic on television. I was now working almost full-time in media and providing Sky Sports in the UK with their fishing content. I missed the opportunity of covering Bolsena – but it looks fantastic and I really look forward to the possibility of visiting – but when it moved back to Madine, that was the green light for me to get involved again. I have to say that I really enjoyed the excitement of the Czech Republic as well, as it added a new dimension to me. Madine is the spiritual home of the World Carp Classic and it was lovely to be back there. The TV coverage is immensely popular and I now work with BT Sport in the UK but we also broadcast across Europe into Russia and also America. The event is also on Amazon Prime and we hope soon to be on NetFlix too. Literally hundreds of thousands of viewers see the programmes across dozens of countries now and it’s great to see such a big event getting the coverage it deserves, especially when we were there right at the very beginning. There are many, many, many, moments that I could raise from brilliant memories recently at Madine. Getting lost walking through the dark side. The storms of 2017. The excitement of the lead constantly changing or the eventual win by my two very good friends, Tim Paisley and Lee Jackson. They’re all absolutely magnificent memories and it is what carp fishing and in particular, the World Cup Classic is to me. The best thing is that there are many, many, more to come.

ROB HUGHES

“ ... And finally Lord, If you ever catch me thinking about starting another fishing event again ... “

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

And finally..

Turns out Ross doesn’t only move mountains!

‘Okay Ross ... now can I just one serious shot of you for the convention?

‘WOW! It s e smaller fu emed so much rther away! ’

169

Ross had to make his apologies on Marianne’s behalf, as she was having trouble keeping her hands to herself!

Hey! Does anyone know how you work this spray tan gun?

‘Did I what? Fly to low? Who’s rods? Not me mate .. never flown a plane in my life!’

Last year’s WCC Side Event Modelling competition didn’t excactly go that well ... it’s cancelled for this year!

... some of you wil be devastated by this news, I’m sure

n’t fit, w they did Tim ... I kno

n! but ...c’mo

‘Is that a pair of massive waders just hanging there?’ .. ‘Aye .. they look like Tim’s!”

Tell me Sister Bernadette .. do you hear what the nun said tho the Bishop? ...

‘Ardy, let it go! Bolsena was three years ago!

.. it’s a funny old

The good, the bad and the ridiculous! What really goes on behind

Honestly? I don’t really think there’s that much in it

‘Do you think he herd us Tim?’ ... ‘I do, Jacko ... this time, I realy do.”

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

Lost in translation.. Everyone began to wonder if Marianne actually understood what the armband said

Luckily, after losing his waders to a typical Madine storm the night before, some good soul was willing to lend Tim another pair

A little worse fo Daryl realised r wear after the previous ni gh it was going to be a long walk t, back

Oh look! .. I'm wearing different coloured socks! ... and on this momentous occasion, and after 20 years of trying, everybody rushed to capture the new Champions’ moment ... Ross however, seemed distracted

game!

d the scenes at the World Carp Classic Police were called out late last night after rumours of illegal ‘Botox’ parties being held in one of the bivvy camps ... several people are being questioned, but police are finding it difficult to ascertain who’s bluffing.

ener?’ the bottle op ‘Anyone seen

171

‘HI HONEY ... I’M HOME!!”

.. looks like the re hairdressing g was some illegal oing on too!

THERE’S NO BUSINESS.. LIKE Just as primates formed a fundamental role within the history of our evolution, it is true that RidgeMonkey have played an inaugural part in the evolution of the carp fishing world and all this in under just five years! Formed in early 2014, RidgeMonkey® is a think tank of like-minded anglers, striving to bring to market a range of thoughtful products that make a difference. In the short time the company has grown from a single idea to a multichannel retailer, selling a top quality and fully encompassing range of terminal tackle, mainlines, powerpacks, gadgets, gizmos and everything in between allowing the everyday angler to take their fishing to the very next level, and more importantly at a competitive price. Regardless of whether RidgeMonkey are developing an existing idea or innovating a completely new one, all products go through a rigorous testing stage and nothing is ever released until it’s 100% right. In the rare instance of a product which hasn’t quite met the expected standards, customer care is paramount and the brand will do everything possible to provide a solution, along with rigorous ongoing quality control measures. Renowned big fish angler and RidgeMonkey consultant Dave Levy continues “After fishing for well over 30 years and being fortunate enough to be involved with various companies within the trade along the way, I was privileged to be employed by RidgeMonkey at an early stage in the brand’s development. It was refreshing to be with a company that only wanted to make bespoke products that benefited the angler and raised the bar. As a company we are constantly looking to improve every aspect of carp angling, even if it just as simple as providing inspirational content to encourage anglers to get on the bank! Our team of dedicated carp anglers extensively test the products to ensure only the very best products make it onto the shelves whilst still retaining a competitive and superior price point ”

The RidgeMonkey® team are always keen to listen to feedback from the angler out on the bank and take it very seriously when looking to further improve existing items or even when relaying new concepts as the core team are always striving to improve products and service to you, the customer. Catering for everyone from complete novices to experienced carp anglers and specimen anglers alike, RidgeMonkey aim to be at the forefront of innovation and development for many years to come. The brand has plenty of new products in the pipeline which can only be described as game changers, and RidgeMonkey are certain these will find a place in all carp anglers armouries. With a consultancy and testing team that stretches the length and breadth of the Europe and beyond, covering all aspects of coarse fishing, there has never been a better time to invest in RidgeMonkey branded products - the choice of champions.

RIDGEMONKEY BUSINESS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

SECTION SPONSORS

LOCALSUPPORT

SUPPORT PARTNERS

LOCAL SUPPLIERS

VIP PEGS

HOST VENUE

THANKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FOR Y

WORLDCARPCLASSIC.COM

MEDIA PARTNERS

TEAM EVENT

175

YOUR SUPPORT

SEPTEMBER 2018