Carpworld n.261 June 2012 by Rod Hutchinson

EDITOR

TIM

truly, with Nashy hovering around

PAISLEY'S

from time to time like a mother

CARPLEADER

hen, hoping it all went well. (I've thtown the 'mother hen' bit in there because when the title for the piece first came to mind I couldn't help but start humming

Nashy & Hutch Reunion I'll have

start with another

was still at an embryonic programmes

streenvise writing-wise

Glaser ('Fiddler

Kevin Nash and Rod Hutchinson

combined

- in the mid-'80s, the joint Angling

that Nashywas

cops who

rigllÂŁs. So when the and

they teamed up for was

that in order

make it dear that

bigger than Hutchy in the carp scene perception,

but that they simply went for a series tide with a contemporary foundered

forces - business-wise

Times column

given the trendy tide 'Nashy & Hutch: I've explained

towards the end of the '80s, the relationship

which

on the Roof')

Give up on me Baby Now .. :) as a pair of streetwise

in a trendy red and white mo(Or pUHing the world

then, and now, there was/is no implication

generation

stage in the 1970s and '80s. In that era one of the cult TV

was Starsky & Hutch, starringMichad

and David Soul ('Don't (Ore around

history lesson for the carp-fishing

ring

it. Sadly, somewhere

down the lille,

and these two icons went their very separate ways.

Paul Simon's

'Mother and Child Reunion; which turned out to have a certain aptness, but with Mark filling the role of 'mother'

for me and Rod!)

As happened

in 2010, the week

at Nashy's followed on immediately from my ann ual golf weekend, which was wet, windy, muddy, oversocial, and totally exhausting. Now I've got a problem getting ready for carp sessions at the best of times and on this occasion it was a nearimpossibility. But the impossible is a challenge, so I grudgingly got ready, was on the road for 10.00 a.m. and made it down into the wilds of Essex for early afi:ernoon. Mark Lawson

Rod's buzzerless

fish Church Pool, I asked these two

was already there weighing up form,

Until two years ago that was how

and I mentioned

the matter rested; they were still

state to Kev. Prior to the '80s fall-

carp-fishing giants how they felt

Rod was on his way, and the Nash

going their very separate ways. By

out, Rod and Kev's close friendship

about Rod sharing the session. They

boys did their usual welcoming bit, which includes journey-banishing

then my own minor (and fairly

went back to the mid-70s, so Kev

borh felt it was an ideal opportunity

lengthy!) fall-out with Nashy had

jumped at the chance to make a set-

for a fond reunion, and so it was

coffees and then transporting

long been forgotten and I was

of-Sirens peace offering to his old

that we gathered at Kev's H Q on

your gear to the swim by means of

invited down to Kev's Chutch

mate. Rod was grateful, rang Kev to

Monday 30th April for our Chutch

a quad and trailer. Conditions

Pool for an interview session, as

tell him so, and

Pool session,

temporarily kind and allowed us to

all were

recorded in successive Carpworlds

normal service

'we' being

get set up in the dry, with a week

and More From the Bivvy. At that

was resumed,

Rod, his

of cold, wind and rain promised.

time I acquired a set of the new

albeit at a

old mate

When Browning wrote 'Oh ro be

Nash Siren buzzers. I knew that

distance of 150

and mindel'

in England now that April's there,

Rod was in the market for buzzers

miles. So when

Mark

etc.: he failed ro mention that come

because his remote had either died

I gOt this year's

Lawson,

the end of April winter sets in again

on him, or had gone walkabouts,

annual invite to

and YOutS

with a vengeance!

>OJ u;

-5

my foam with me! Ok, I'd PYA

cast against the clip, or stop

and settling in the swim, actually

bag the hook on the cast, which

the end taclele just before

starting fishing on a water you

was what I did. A small bag, a few

it touches down, the lead

Atter the chore of getting ready

D..

aren't familiar with, particularly

teaspoons of mini pellets, and a

is thrown forward in the

very weedy one, is the next mental

Monster Squid Snowman hookbait

clip and you don't suffer

barrier to be surmounted.

went out on all three rods. I had

premature ejaculation."

....

never quite sure where the dividing

two in the area I most favoured,

Chilly only prematurely

line lies between exploring a swim

but wasn't sure what to do with the

ejaculated once in a billion

oQI

I'm

thoroughly to give you the best

third. Eventually, I found a clear,

casts on the St. Lawrence,

possible chance of catching, and

firm area round to my lett, and

and 1 adopted the tactic

spooking the fish so thoroughly

that was where the third hookbait

at Church Pool-

through over-exploring

went. I had a vague recollection

course he's right. That's

that you

undermine your chances of catching

Jerry Hammond

before you have even started!

his fish from that lett-hand channel

catching one of

Darrell Peck seems to understand where the line lies and when I read his book I marvelled

things like that for yourself! (1 have a feeling th;lt

influencing

most of the world of carp fishing

factor. At

probably already knows how

rod tip, with not a Zig Rig in sight!

that stage any

to cope with that situation, but

Game on. We declared an amnesty

there may be one or two of you

on Zig Rigs there and then! Mark's

factor

out there who don't, so apologies

first fish was his first English 40 at

to the majority who do.)

exactly 44lb. "Good here, innit ?!"

was a help because I was

be honest, I'm not sure I now

only had history to go on. A comment

had come from virtually under the

influencing

seeing no movement

in me

you

can't figure out simple

2010 session,

at the trouble he would go to

to go to Darrell's lengths, and in

a technophobe;

which was an

in finding the right spot. To have that thoroughness

what comes of being

during the

"Actually starting fishing on a water you aren't familiar with, particularly a very weedy one, is the next mental barrier to be surmounted"

and of

and

The next problem_was that the fish hadn't been coming Out on

at this point on

casting PYA bags which don't have

as his mate Roger Smith might say. The 'first English 40' syndrome

bait. We were told that Zig Rigs

is another area common to many

had been the only route to success

carpers of my generation, simply because 40s were few and far

any case, juSt where is the line?

the lead in them when you are using

for ages, and here was another area

Bait-wise, rig-wise, location-wise

an efficient lead safety clip, a tactic

where the current generation of

between when we were in our hair-

and spot-wise there is always

I'm only just coming ro terms with.

carpers excel, but which we ageing,

shirt days. The current generation

going ro be something better.

When we fished in the World Cup

creaking, dyed-in-the-wool

You settle for what you think is

on the St. Lawrence I bemoaned

the

baiters have difficulty coming to

best in all those areas and then

fact to Chilly that when the bag was

terms with. I was pretty sure that

(anglers and 40s ... ), or maybe

play it by ear as you go along.

simply used to carry the hookbait

Hutchy wouldn't be Zigging, but

because they are better anglers, fish

I had a reasonable cast around,

and a small source of attraction,

bottom-

catches them for fun, which may be because there are more of them

the

1 wasn't sure about Mark. 1 soon

Zig Rigs, and go to endless lengths

and found weed wherever I cast. I

Fox clips were too efficient and had

found out because he had a take

to make sure they are fishing in the

was in a swim I hadn't fished before,

an irritating propensity

before my kettle had even come

right spots! That's slightly tongue in

but I had been able to observe

the lead as the end tackle hit the

to the boil for the first brew of the

cheek. There never was a better carp

the carp's favoured areas during

water. "I've been over that before!"

session! In fact, he had two takes

angler than Hutchy, whose instinct

my two previous annual sessions.

said the big man resignedly. "If you

before I had my first brew, but he

for getting everything right is the

lost the first fish in circumstances

stuff oflegend.

we needn't explore, and successfully

both fished Savay prior to the great

landed the second. The wind and

water starting to produce 40s, and

for ejecting

Naturally, I explored those areas first. Eventually I found two spots that seemed clear enough ro fish,

Mother hen Mark preparing a moufh-burning hof spaghetti Bolognaise!

ABOVE

Mark had a personal besf of exacfly 441b before my kettle had come fa fhe boil for my firsf brew of fhe session! BELOW

provided I foamed the hook on the cast. Surprise, surprise, I hadn't got

But he and Mark

rain were hacking into the corner

the same can be said of numerous

where he was fishing and the takes

other waters these guys have enjoyed success on down the years. (And Rod has accumulated

a few

4(')s on his CV over the years since his Savay and circuit waters days.) By the time we'd photographed Mark's big fish, darkness was descending. 1 mention that because Mark disclosed that he had caught on a plastic hookbait,

and I'd got

three proper baits out in the lake. 1 wasn't inclined to change, so 1 didn't. I'd give it a day or two my way and see how we went. Next - eventually - was evening meal time, which was where Mark did his mother hen bit each night. Spaghetti Bolognaise was on the '1:1

u 8

menu and Mark went to great lengths to prepare it. As he did his impressive culinary exercise 1 marvelled at the number of cans oflager that were produced

ABOVE LEFT One fish from my brace of mirrors from days two and three. This linear of 371b Boz is a particularly gorgeaus fish. ABOVE ~IGHT Mark had a couple in the sack, including our old friend The Cuckoo Fish at a high of 451b 120z.

them on my (their) patch. The end

lines and the lerr-hand tod tip was

eventually she came in, and I

result was that my crashed-out

animatedly pulling round ro the

gratefully pulled her over the net.

was steadily interrupted

state

by calls of

left! 'This must be my first take

I keep getting told I'm 'good for

nature and liners ftom the swans.

of the year; I thought ro myself,

Daylight came with no meaningful

gratefully. It nearly went wrong. The

strong for my age, or for any age,

signs of life to the tods, and no

slack-ish lines and the very strong

come to that. For me, the hardest

sounds of fish movement thtough

wind had caused a jam of some

part oflanding

the night. The guys on the far side

description

from the water to the bank, and this

wash down the meal, but after

of the lake had enjoyed a number

the reel handle. A big swirl near

one forkful of the evening meal I

of sightings as they

realised just why there was so much

set up the previous

Not another swan through the lines... No, a cion king great mirror of 451b 40z was causing the Siren to sound! BElOW

liquid refreshment available. It

arrernoon, and I

was to soothe the burning feeling

was seeing nothing.

generated by the spiced-up spagbol!

Early days, but I had

I don't normally do spicy foods, but

an uneasy feeling

"For me, the hardest part of landing a fish is moving it from the water to the bank"

and I couldn't turn

my age', but that doesn't mean I'm

a fish is moving it

carp was certainly big enough ro

the branches of a

make that a difficult exercise. I was

tree beyond where

halfway through this wet, muddy,

the bait had been

wind-blown

positioned

materialised from the direction of

meant

Q, having

struggle when Mark

that I couldn't

give line anyway,

a toilet run and an early-morning

but at some stage

cup of tea. Between us we did the

been back to base for

on this occasion I was so hungry

that the Paisley

that I finished the genetous plateful.

luck (my version of my apparent

I needed to win some! I think

necessary and the zeroed scales

But it was mouth-burning

ineptitude!)

the line must have looped round

revealed a weight of 45lb 40z.

hot:

too hot for Rod, in fact, who cried "Enough!" after two mouthfuls.

had struck again.

I was drinking the second brew

one of the eyes because after a few

First fish of the season and a new

of the morning at 7.30 when one

minor adjustments

English personal biggest. I'll not

I was suddenly

Mark explained that it was his spicy

of the swans picked up the middle

in touch and doing battle. It was

say 'personal best' because I'm not

spagbol. I'd guessed that ... We ate,

line. I suggested that it go forth and

a big battle, too, with the fish

exactly sure what a personal best

had a little drink, I listened while

multiply, reset the indicator, and

bedding down on a number of

is, and I felt that my contribution

they reminisced about the Savay

turned to go back to the bivvy. The

occasions on the way in. One thing

towards catching this particular

days and their early adventures in

buzzer sounded again and I had a

about fishing at Rainbow is that

fish was fairly minimal! It was

France prior to it being overrun

quiet chunter about the persistence

you get accustomed

a privilege to be on the water

by Brits, then we retired to Out

of stupid swans, only to find that

big fish hard, which I needed ro

in the first place, and I'd

swims. I crashed. It was raining

the swans were nowhere near the

do with this carp. The hook held,

simply chucked three heavily

to playing

again, and there was a cold wind. If Mark hadn't caught a fish I'd have thought Out chances were zeto. After the exertions of the previous few days it was a relief to get in the bag secure in the knowledge that I had nowhere to go and very little to do for a few days, a recurring feeling of joy in my session fishing. I love being chilled, be it at home or when I'm installed in a swim: it's the bits in between that seem such hard work! I suspect that my idle streak is getting stronger as I get older. The only battle I had that night was with the pair of too-friendly swans who felt I was invading their territory; and to be fair, I was. These weren't nesting swans, so they must be youngsters who haven't yet reached maturity. Eventually, they took up residence on Mark's margin baits and among Rod's lines but for the first night I had

'0 CL

E >=

Cii

....G> C.

o Why do these lovely little balls of fluff grow up to be such big, noisy, messy creatures? ABOVE

LEFT Me

and Mark with a couple of carp-fishing giants. BELOW LEFT Rod

up and about at first light could only mean he'd had action of some sort. Later we gathered to take the pictures, with Kev showing his obvious delight at having his old mate at the lake, and catching. BELOW RIGHT Rod had a second fish at the exact moment when he would have been pulling off for home.

prebaited Nash Monster Squid

and all that that entails, even

it is possible to get across to the

drinking, and occasional visits

hookbaits out in likely-looking

tougher than I do, so it took him

current generation just how big

from the ever-helpful Nash crew,

spots and this lump had obligingly

a while to get imo his stride. He

Rod's reputation

and Kev himself Rod was due

completed the equation, bless it!

found the Spots all right, and he was

at the height of his powers, but

away mid-Thursday. I got up at

On the other hand, as I'm having

soon in action, but the odd minor

to many of us he is the all-time

first light Thursday morning and

was when he was

a crack at writing Bivvy Three and

disaster resulted in him losing

carp-fishing icon. I've fished with

peered through the grey morning

was recording the session on the

the first two fish he hooked, one

him on a couple of occasions and

dampness ro the far bank. The big

bank, I was more than grateful to

on each of the first two full days.

I know that what I do during a

man was up and about!

have any sort of result, let alone my

For my part I couldn't help but be

session with Rod is of secondary

impression that these days Rod only does up and about with some

biggest-ever English carp! The fact that Mark revealed that he had two fish in sacks round the other

"I got Up at first light Thursday morning and peered through the grey morning dampness to the far bank. The big man was up and about!"

I get the

influenced

importance.

by Mark's

the big man is a bit like playing

reluctance so that could only mean

margin tactics

Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final of

one of two things; he'd either

Sharing a session with

(which hadn't

the World Championship

at the

caught a fish, or lost another one.

worked for

Crucible: it's a no-brainer

and you

His movements suggested the

me on the

are there to make up the numbers.

former and I went round ro see if!

pool during

The fact that Rod and Kev got on

could help. He had a mirror on the

famously after their long separation

bank and was clearly keen to get it

side didn't diminish my pleasure

sessions) and I set about finding

was a consolation

at catching the carp in the

and hemping a fishable margin spot

certain anxiety for Rod to put a

slightest. When we gathered for

close to the reedbed on my right.

fish on the bank. Mark and I were

out to be when we weighed it later

the photos some time later, one of

That worked and over the next

there till Friday; Rod had to leave

at 37lb 80z. We took the pictures

but there was a

imo a sack and go back to bed. It looked like a big 30, which it turned

Mark's fish turned our to be my

couple of days I had a brace oflovely

on the Thursday. His two lost fish

mid-morning

with Kev and Mark

old friend The Cuckoo Fish at a

mirrors from the spot weighing in at

did little to allay the anxiety.

in attendance,

and Rod decided to

clonking 45lb 120z. Less than 24

37V,lb and 381b. The smaller of the

hours into the session and three

two was a particularly

personal biggests, or personal bests, on the bank already! I think Rod finds the act of relocating ftom home to the bivvy,

lovely fish.

The week followed a cold and wet, but comfortable,

pattern

hang around till teatime to try to catch during the afternoon feeding

Bur it isn't just in hindsight

of rain, mud, Mark

that the session was about Rod

cooking the evening

fishing the pool, and his reunion

meal, the three df

and it was exactly that time

with Nashy. I don't know that

us eating and

when he was away again. It

spell - which he did. He had been due to leave at 1.30 p.m.,

was another mirror, weighing in at 30lb 40z. Then, just when he was getting into his stride, it was time for him to pack up and go home! Don't you just know the feeling?

It has to be said that apart from the stunning carp population

Church Pool and the lovely,

peaceful surroundings,

one of the

form the basis of his current series

great joys of sessions there is the

that the season referred to was just

way you are looked arrer, not least

not representative

in terms of the movement

is capable of producing,

of your

of what the pool and the

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and is an awesome alternative to

So while Nick's return of 113 carp

the fate I suffered at the end of the

was remarkable, it is symptomatic

is an oft-quoted

of the fish on a water get caught

statistic that a third

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many different fish he had caught,

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and he thinks there were 90. There

heavy rain. So thanks Kev for the

chance to fish with Rod and Mark

through his captures to see how

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fishing. I asked Nick to check back

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three lots of gear back to the car

landed in the season just ended!

park through the cold east wind and

means of a quad bike and trailer

II T,$l ~"'T_

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of the way the water has been

142 carp landed in 201012011;

.... ••

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2IlOSt10 ~10/11 lO11f12

back again. This is achieved by

2010 session when I had to barrow

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season just ended proved the case; 354

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tackle from car park ro lake and

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165

163

142

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their efforts way beyond the call of

reasonably often, a third get caught

When you are fishing a water with

periodic whinges earlier abour

dury in looking after us, and thanks

occasionally, and a third don't get

such fish in it I think it pays to try

the chore of getting ready for

to the residents of Church Pool for

caught at all. Oddly enough, that

a range of different single attractor

sessions and then travelling to

falls in line

hookbaits on one rod in the hope

them. I know I'm not alone in that

exactly with

that you will stumble across one

area bur I was interested to hear

some early

that these fish will have a go at Out

Ronnie O'Sullivan's psychiatrist/

observations

of curiosity. Mark Walsingham

psychologist being interviewed

I made of the

reckons that some of tJ1ese big

during the snooker World

Mangrove fish

old commons are predatory and

Championships.

feeding in the

are more likely to get caught on a

near-antithesis

edge during

making the session so memorable. But, for all that, I think my abiding memory will

"Advancing age means Kev has his own crosses to bear and I don't think fall-outs sit as lightly with him as they may have done at one time"

dead bait than what we consider

involved in preparing for and doing

my first days on the water in the

to be conventional

something we love, is common

be of just how delighted Kev was to be back in the

Apparently this regarding the effort

carp baits.

company of his old mate Rod after a

summer of 1983. I wrote about the

These thoughts about uncatchable

among sportsmen who have to

break of nearly quarter of a century.

experience at the time. The water

fish cross my mind when we see

spend a lot ohime

Advancing age means Kev has his

must have been clearer then than it

the extraordinary

of their ambitions and can lead to a

own crosses to bear and I don't

is now because I was able to watch

the number of fish caught from

reaction against the effort involved.

think fall-outs sit as lightly with him

the reaction of a group of carp ro

one season to another. The fact is

I felt a bit guilty while I was listening

as they may have done at one time.

my baits from what we then referred

that some seasons they are more

to the interview and made a mental

ro as the viewing tree. I watched six

catchable than others, and while we

note to stop whingeing about going

carp in the area of my baits. Two

can rationalise all we want about

away for long sessions when it's a

were quite enthusiastic

quality of bait, quantity of bait and

problem hundreds of our readers

Thanks guys; it was special. Here's to the next time. I'm writing this with the May

about the

difference in

away in pursuit

work parties at the Mangrove and

baits (but suspicious!); two were

the ability of the anglers fishing

would love to be faced with! I'm off

Birch Grove just a couple of days

half interested - although I got

the water, the simple fact appears

to Rainbow at the end of this week

away. I try to update the Mangrove

the feeling that was because of the

to be that some years they feed

for a fortnight. I know a great many

news from time to time because it

two who were interested - and two

on bait with more abandon than

of you would love to be getting

is a special place in most people's

simply didn't want to know at all

they do during others. Let's hope

ready for that trip so I'll promise

minds, and fortunately we have our

and didn't go near the free offerings.

that the season we are just starting

not to whinge about it if! happen

turns out to be an abandoned

to mention the trip next month.

own resident number cruncher,

Commons

in particular can be

Steve Guy, who goes through the

difficult fish and some of them just

logbooks and keeps me abreast of

don't want to know about bait at all.

one; that keeps everyone happy! Finally, I had one of my

Have a good season. See you next time. CW

the catch returns for both waters for the previous season. The latest returns show just how unpredictable these ancient meres can be! It seems to be a fact oflife that when you suffer a slow season the consensus is that all the fish have died, or mysteriously disappeared. That was 'certainly the feedback I got from some departing members arrer the entire syndicate had banked 142 carp during the 201012011 season (although

four

members caught most of those fish). I guess some of you will have figured from Nick Burrage's results which The ups and downs of the Mangrove resu~s over the last few years.

TOP RIGHT

Mangrove number cruncher Steve Guy with a Mangrove fish that Nick Burrage didn't catch this season! RIGHT