>> Anglers

John Walsh

Allow me to introduce myself my name is John Walsh. I am in charge Product Development Manager for Korum Age 43 I have been fishing since the age of 6. I have been involved in the fishing trade since the age of 15.

My 2 great loves in fishing are carp and barbel but as I get older other species are providing distractions.

I have fished various North West lakes including Wyreside nr Lancaster and the Rivers Ribble and Dane. Had my first big Northwest carp aged 22 at 26lb.

I discovered continental fishing in 1994 then in 1996 got the bug for the big French rivers –

Carp to 47.5lb in France (River) UK P.B 29lb 12oz
Barbel to 12lb River Ribble 1997
Chub to 6lb 5oz River Ribble 1997

Due to the constraints of work most fishing is limited to short sessions for the barbel on the Middle Severn – a great testing ground for many of our products. Also I have a full week on the rivers of Southern France a carp angler’s paradise.

Paul Billington

It was at the age of ten when I first discovered my love for angling. I would spend most of the school holidays with my mates fishing small farm ponds catching rudd and eels and having a good time which is what it should be all about.

It was around this time that I got my first taste of carp fishing. Three days spent on a bivvy on the banks of Burton Mere in Cheshire. Under the guidance of my Uncle Al it was not long before my first carp was in the net, a lovely common of 9.12. I had a smile from ear to ear and it will always be a special time to me and one which I will never forget.

From that moment on my love was for carp fishing and the next eighteen years were spent in pursuit of this fish. I fished loads of waters in this time from small Lancashire pits to venues like Lynch Hill and Orchid, even a two week trip to South Africa.

Most of my time though was spent on the Wyreside lakes complex at Lancaster.

I took many carp from here over the years and the highlight for me was in 99 when I captured a brace of carp of 33.8 and 32.4 in the same session. I dabbled with other species during this time including bream and barbel and due to the time consuming nature of carping in 2000 I pretty much began to fish solely for barbel.

Many an hour would be spent on the banks of my local River Ribble in pursuit of this magnificent fish and the more I did it the more enjoyable it became. I have taken many barbel from the river and many memorable catches including the current river record of 15.8.

I now spend a lot of time tench fishing in the spring and summer and barbel and chub fishing in the winter.

There are many species I would like to fish for but when time is limited I think you can do to much. Specialist angling is very time consuming and demanding so for me concentrating on just a couple of species works best. I enjoy every minute I spend on the bank and will hopefully continue to do so for many years to come.

Dave Lumb

Dave is probably best known for his writings about pike fishing, particularly lure fishing, over the last twenty-five years. However, since 2004 he has been giving the pike a break by returning to his angling roots primarily pursuing tench and bream on stillwaters, barbel and chub on rivers.

Having been involved in the tackle trade since the early 1990s, and now scraping together a living as a rod builder, Dave knows a thing or two about what makes fishing tackle work in the real world. Although he would never claim to be anything more than an angler of average ability, with a philosophy of keeping fishing simple, he hopes that his results can give other people the confidence to succeed.

With pike over 37lb to his credit, Dave’s notable captures from recent seasons include perch of 4lb 12oz and barbel over 13lb from two rivers, although a ten pound tench still eludes him. Dave also builds and runs angling websites including barbelnow.

Graham Marsden

Graham Marsden is a long established angling writer, photographer and tackle consultant. His first article was published in 1968 and he has been writing regularly ever since. His articles have appeared in almost every major British angling journal, and in many foreign angling publications including Germany's Blinker, Sweden's Svenskt Mete and Italy's Pesca In. He has written in every issue of Coarse Fisherman magazine since its first issue in 1975, in which he currently writes a comment column. He is the author of several books and contributor to scores of others. He has contributed articles and photographs to several major angling partworks that were published across Europe, made professional videos, appeared on TV and broadcast his own show on local radio for eight years.

Graham has caught specimen fish of every freshwater species and still holds, as far as he knows, the Cheshire county records for both tench (11lb 4oz) and bream (14lb 1oz). He holds the unofficial world record for the biggest catch of double-figure bream in the shortest time ever recorded (13 bream over 10lb in two hours). In 1996 he was runner-up in the Angling Times prestigious Drennan Cup, in which the country’s leading specialist anglers cast their vote; a feat possibly unequalled by a northern angler catching northern fish.

In recent years he has become increasingly interested in pole fishing, being particularly impressed with the ideal bait presentation that pole fishing offers.

Graham has been consultant to many of Britain's leading tackle companies and is one of the UK’s most respected anglers.

He now edits and writes editorial, features and reviews for the UK’s foremost angling website, Fishingmagic.com.

Chris Ponsford aka The Pons

Chris Ponsford first cast a line over 40 yrs ago, and has built up an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the sport, such is his enthusiasm for it. Better known latterly as a Barbel expert, due to living in the Barbel rich Midlands, he has caught well over 250 double figure Barbel, to over 15lbs from local waters like the Severn, Warwicks Avon and Teme. Latterly, he has been concentrating on other species, River Carping being a favourite, with fish over 25 lbs from many rivers, as well as targeting huge Chub, Perch, Bream, Roach, Rudd and Zander.

He is the reigning Midland Angler Specimen champ, winning this prestigious twice now, competing in a 24hr species competition at Gt Linford,on both river and lake, and has also competed for many years at top level as a match fisherman, enjoying plenty of success at Team and Individual level, both in the Midlands and the Southwest, as well fishing for a winning BH Trout Fishing team at many venues, and well as being a Tournament Caster, at both Sea and Trout events, casting over 250 yds many years ago.

Sea Fishing off the shore and boat has always been a love, something he still has a go at when time permits, a recent trip to Gambia being an example.

The last few years has seen Chris developing his media skills, writing for many Angling Publications, giving talks and indulging in a passion for photography, which he uses as a freelance Photo /Journalist. His most recent projects include two DVDS ,the best known being “Teme Tigers”, “Carp “ and more are being made as this area continues to grow.

He is also a qualified Angling Coach, and River Guide, and is very active with the EA, his employer, in promoting Junior Angling in the Midlands, as well seeing anglers daily as a River Bailiff.

Just as happy fishing a three metre whip for Gudgeon up the local Canal, or chasing some uncaught monster, Chris is a big, larger than life personality. He brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to what ever he pursues, and loves his fishing more than ever, as the sport changes and evolves.

Duncan Charman

Born in Alton, Hampshire 1965, Duncan angling career started when his father took him fishing to a small farm pond called Hartley Mauditt at the tender age of four. This small pond at the time was full of rudd, which kept him busy along with a few big wild carp, sadly now history. These big golden carp stirred his imagination and he can still remember the first one he landed and the fight that scarred him senseless.

His competitive streak took over and throughout his teens he completely destroyed his fellow competitors on this small pond to the extent that numbers dwindled as anglers knew they were fishing for second spot. His secret back then was simply, trout pellet. Whilst other anglers stuck with the faithful maggot Duncan arrived with pellets that had been scolded the night before along with another new purchase, a pole. Although both these methods seem standard today, twenty-five years ago they were just beginning to evolve! He recalls spotting one of the locals creeping on all fours behind him during such a match in the hope of spying on his new wonder bait. Unfortunately for him his pellets were covered with a towel and it was only a few years later when the desire to move onto more challenging matches that he let his secret out.

Joining Oakhanger Angling Club, Duncan soon became match secretary and captained one of their teams to victory in the Central Southern League fished on such places like, Shillinglea, Petworth Park along with his introduction to rivers such as the Wey, Arun and Rother. It was the introduction of the now commonplace carp puddles that Duncan’s enthusiasm for match fishing ended but his competitiveness continued and a turning point, which saw a true all-rounder born.

At the age of 25 Duncan evolved from a match angler to the early stages of specimen hunting and although not interested in national records he enjoyed catching huge bags of tench from Frenshan Great Pond along with emptying most other club waters he visited. The passion for simply going fishing to catch as many fish as possible in a session spanned a decade or so and looking back these were probably the most enjoyable days of his angling career. The move to catching specimen fish of all species was really due to the local lakes becoming so busy and it was whilst enjoying the peaceful seclusion of Thorpe Park in Surrey that a fish came along that was to change his total outlook on angling, a pike of 31lbs 10oz. This fish really fired him up and the adrenalin rush he felt when everything comes together and a fish of a lifetime graces your net has to be experienced to be appreciated. Knowing that feeling has driven him on to take an impressive personal best list which includes – eel 7lbs 1oz 8drams, perch 4lbs 9oz, crucian carp 3lbs 13oz, roach and grayling 3lbs plus two British records in the shape of Silver Bream and Pumpkinseed.

For the past four seasons his attention has turned away from the busy Stillwater’s and onto our unmolested and peaceful rivers. The two most favoured rivers are the Loddon and Thames, both of which have rewarded him with specimen fish for the hours spent in search of the unknown. Two years ago the Loddon threw up a personal best 16lbs 10oz barbel whilst Duncan tried to up his best of just into double figures. Since then he has built up a picture of many a stretch and has the ability to locate and catch numerous doubles during the winter months. The Thames is what really fires me up now and is the location that l would choose if l had just one place to spend the rest of my angling career. It is a beautiful river that has such diverse fishing available for so many species. It’s the carp that are addictive here, as you never know what will turn up next. My best to date is a common of 31lbs 15oz and in terms of numbers seven in a night will be hard to beat especially when you can go for weeks without a run. Location is the key and with my small Bic boat l will be spending loads of time this summer just looking and observing. It is an ambition to be able to angle for carp from this that have never been fished for that excites me, so watch this space for some serious angling pioneering.

Nigel Botherway

Nigel is a regular presenter on Sky TV's weekly fishing programme, Tight Lines, and Keith Arthur's Fishermans' Blues radio show on talkSPORT (6am-8am every Saturday and Sunday morning on 1089 and 1053 medium wave).

He is also a respected specimen angler with an enviable personal best list that includes UK carp to 50lb 8oz, a 33lb 12oz pike, 15lb 2oz barbel and 3lb 9oz roach. Overseas, Nigel has tamed 500lb sturgeon, giant sharks, tarpon, alligator gar, catfish, Siamese carp and mahseer.

"I get offered lots of tackle to test, but you could count on one hand the number of tackle companies whose products I trust," said Nigel. "Korum is one of those firms.

"I am also a massive fan of the Sonubaits' S-Pellets, so much so, that I'd feel handicapped if I went fishing without them."

Mark Walsingham

I’ve been a fanatical, all-round angler from the age of six and I enjoy all forms of fishing from casting a fly rod for salmon, sea trout and wild browns, to stalking large carp and fishing the rivers barbel, chub and perch. I’ve been lucky enough to catch trout and chub of over six pounds, barbel to twelve and a half pounds and carp to over fifty pounds in the UK.

I’ve worked as a professional fisheries manager for more than twenty years and own Ashmead, one of the best carp fisheries in the country. I am a senior conservation manager with The National Trust and see angling as the perfect way to connect people with the natural world around them. I’ve written articles for Trout and Salmon, Carpworld, Carp Talk, Specialist Angling World and Waterlog magazines.

I’m probably as far removed from the usual tackle tester as you could imagine. I’m a member of the Golden Scale Club and use traditional tackle (built cane rods and centrepin reels) for all of my fishing. Having said that, I’m very demanding of the highest quality when it comes to hooks, line and other terminal tackle and bait. My mobile, stalking approach demands quality and simplicity from the luggage and clothing I use. Korum fits the bill perfectly with their well-designed, practical and high quality equipment.

Gary Knowles

Gary Knowles has been contributing to national angling publications and specialist magazines for some time now and has written regularly for such publications as Angling Times, Coarse Fisherman and Pike and Predators to name but a few. A true all rounder Gary is equally at home fishing large glacial lakes for pike, the Cheshire meres for bream and tench or flowing water in pursuit of barbel and chub.

With a PB list including perch to 4lb-10oz, pike to 31lb-08oz and bream to 14lb-07oz he is no stranger to big fish and due to his limited time constraints likes to maximise his chances of success by targeting whichever species is best suited to current seasonal and climatic conditions.

Gary describes himself as a passionate fisherman, who has been involved in the sport all his life and recounts his earliest memories as sharing fishing trips with his father and grandfather. The love of the sport and the enthusiasm has never diminished throughout the passing years in fact he describes this as "stronger than ever".

Working full time as a Project Manager and raising a young family Gary says that every moment on the bank is precious to him and for this reason ensures his planning for each trip is meticulous. That said he firmly believes that fishing always should, and will be, all about having fun and anyone who has spent time on the bank with him will confirm that enjoyment is high on the agenda.

Craig Waddington

I have been fishing for one species or another since my dad introduced me to angling when I was just six years old. My early years were spent learning the art of float fishing and just trying to catch anything that would accept my crudely presented bait.

It was around the age of twelve that I caught my first double figure carp, a monster of 12lb caught on freelined crust. The size and power of that fish left a lasting impression on me and from that point I knew I wanted to target specimen fish.

The next couple of years were spent chasing many different species in the lakes and rivers around Northamptonshire. I managed to catch my first 20lb carp when I was fifteen and I was slowly turning my attentions solely towards carp.

Once I left school I went to study fishery studies at Sparsholt College in Hampshire so my angling took a back seat for a couple of years whilst I completed my national diploma, which I completed at merit level.

After leaving college I worked as a fishery manager for a year and was able to get back in to angling once again. My next job saw me working in a bait factory rolling and developing new baits, this gave me a good insight and understanding of what makes a good carp bait.

These days most of my angling revolves around carp but I also like to catch specimen sized fish of any species.

My personal bests are; Carp 30lb 2oz, Barbel 10lb 10oz, Bream 15lb 3oz, Tench 10lb 2oz, Chub 6lb 15oz, Roach 2lb 12oz, Perch 3lb 2oz, Dace 1lb 4oz and Grass carp 27lb.