‘What I wish I’d known at 20’ - Rob Hughes

May 26, 2020 Guest User

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, so for this series, we asked some of angling’s stars what nuggets of wisdom they would share with their 20 year-old selves and why. It makes interesting reading...

Rob Hughes - Carp Team England Manager

“Love every minute and grab every opportunity. If you hear about something, investigate it straight away. The best fishing is always the first fishing, because once you’ve read about it someone else will have already enjoyed the best of it.
“I was a proper carp tiger when I was 20, fishing the secret waters of Shropshire and Cheshire and not telling anyone anything.
“I was living in Oswestry training to be a solicitor and it was work, fishing and cars that occupied me. Not a lot’s changed!”

Rob is now manager of England’s Carp Teams

‘What I wish I’d known at 20’ - Adam Rooney

May 25, 2020 Guest User

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, so for this series, we asked some of angling’s stars what nuggets of wisdom they would share with their 20 year-old selves and why. It makes interesting reading...

Adam Rooney - former starlets ace and boss of guru tackle

“When I look back at my fishing at the age of 20, there were clearly things that I should have done differently. One of my biggest flaws was setting up too much gear and this often made me late for the start of contests.
“I’d regularly fish the White Acres festivals with top anglers such as Richie Hull and Gaz Stanley and although I experienced success there, I would certainly have a lot more rods and top kits out than pretty much anyone else!
“It all boiled down to a lack of confidence in certain areas on my attack, but I now know that you need to focus on a select few methods that you feel that you’ve mastered. If you stick to your guns with these, they tend to work more times than they fail. One of the best ways to realise what your faults are is to surround yourself with anglers who are proven winners.
“Fishing with Richie taught me so much. I’d take time out from actually fishing and sit behind him, taking note of every little detail. He was the best by a mile at commercial meat fishing and by quizzing him almost constantly I managed to master the tactic.
“It’s so tempting to rush to the lakeside and start fishing as quickly as you can but if there are local experts on site, take a little time to have a chat with them. There’s no doubt that small amount of time will make a massive difference to the amount you catch when you finally wet a line.”

Starlets were quick to recognise the talent of a young Adam Rooney.

The trophy that put Adam on the road to big-time match fishing success.

‘What I wish I’d known at 20’ - Dr Paul Garner

May 24, 2020 Guest User

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, so for this series we asked some of angling’s stars what nuggets of wisdom they would share with their 20 year-old selves and why. It makes interesting reading...

Dr Paul Garner - well-known specimen angler and Angling Times columnist

“Don’t put off opportunities that come up, you never know how long they will be around.
“When I was 20, fishing time was pretty much limited to the summer holidays from university, as I was living in London and studying marine and freshwater biology at Queen Mary’s.
“In the long summer break I would mainly be carp fishing in the Colne Valley, but at the end of my second year I got knocked off my mountain bike, crushing two fingers. Then, following my exams, I caught chicken pox. You can see the remaining spots in the picture, and I self-isolated on the River Colnbrook after barbel.
“Barbel were almost like unicorns to us back then, but I did manage to catch a few, mainly by stalking them with lumps of luncheon meat flavoured with Hutchy’s Monster Crab.”

‘What I wish I’d known at 20’ - Andy May

May 23, 2020 Guest User

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, so for this series, we asked some of angling’s stars what nuggets of wisdom they would share with their 20 year-old selves and why. It makes interesting reading...

Andy May - Match ace and 2016 fish O’Mania champion

“I would advise any youngsters or novice anglers to pick a couple of types of venue and tactics and get to grips with them.
“I was obsessed with fishing at 20 and spent my time jumping around a wide range of venues. Carr Mill Dam, the River Weaver and Cudmore Fisheries all came into the equation and as you can guess, the tactics required on all of those were very different!
“Learn the intricacies of each and continue to develop as you go along to make youself a real master of what you use.
“I chased points to win the Kamasan Matchman of the Year and I managed to achieve that three times but I wonder whether I didn’t spend enough time concentrating on a handful of approaches.
“I’m also a massive advocate of asking questions to others on the bank. I didn’t have the confidence back in the day – I’ve changed a little since then!”

‘What I wish I’d known at 20’ - Julian Cundiff

May 22, 2020 Guest User

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, so for this series we asked some of angling’s stars what nuggets of wisdom they would share with their 20 year-old selves and why. It makes interesting reading...

Julian Cundiff - well-known carp angler

“Leather trousers, a heaving bosom, lots of vodka, a mass of blonde hair and an adventurous nature may be physically appealing, but they certainly take your eye off the ball when it comes to fishing.
“I’d started work at the local magistrates court in 1980 and by 1983 things were ticking along nicely. Living at home with mum and dad and paying not that much rent left me plenty of money for fishing, girls, gigs and motorbikes.
“I’d been fishing since 1976, specimen-hunting (as it was known) since 1979, and carp had started to become more than just another fish to me and kind of an obsession.
“Side-hooked trout pellet paste, basic Optonics, glass-fibre rods and Abu Cardinals were the order of the day.
“I didn’t have a car then, preferring motorbikes for picking up girls. If I’m being honest, my KLX 25O was definitely not road-legal when loaded up, I can tell you!”

‘What I wish I’d known at 20’ - Rich Wilby

May 21, 2020 Guest User

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, so for this series we asked some of angling’s stars what nuggets of wisdom they would share with their 20 year-old selves and why. It makes interesting reading...

Rich Wilby - 2020 Drennan Cup Winner

“I’d say enjoy every moment spent on the bank and do not become obsessed with just catching. The fish will eventually come along, so don’t worry about blanking because that’s all part of specimen angling.
“Back in 1999 I was a broke art student at Staffordshire University. I only had my spinning rod with me at uni because I shared a tiny house, but I’d fish as much as I could every time I returned home to Norfolk in between terms.
“I would fish for all manner of species on local gravel pits and ponds. In winter, though, I loved spending time on the River Waveney targeting pike.
“My good friend Paul and I would walk miles, leapfrogging along the river and catching nice fish. It was a good way to walk off all those Christmas and New Year party hangovers.
“If I could go back in time I would also tell myself to go on more short trips and make the effort to get out of bed earlier for first-light morning sessions – I still struggle with getting up before 6am!”