QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH STEVE WHITBY
Introduction.....
Before we begin may I Matt say a big thank you to Steve for finding the time also for agreeing to do this Interview for www.carpmarathon.co.uk it’s much appreciated! …… ready? …… lets begin
Key
#MF - Matthew Fleet
#SW - Steve Whitby
Question 1.
#MF - So then Steve when did your passion for angling begin?
#SW - When I was about 5? Mum would buy my elder brother Andy and myself ‘nets’.
This was a 6 inch mesh net on the end of a 4-5 foot cane and we would ‘fish’ for whatever we could catch, mostly minnows.
My brother Andy only went fishing when mum bought us the nets, but I spent all my time time going.
Must have been around eight when I was allowed off on my own, that’ll be 1961:-)
Anyhow by then I had my grandads split cane & green-heart float rod and a second hand black prince reel!
Around my village there was big roach and dace in beautifully secluded rivers and backwaters…I was totally spoilt!
I played truant a lot to go fishing….tut eh
Question 2.
#MF - When did your quest for big Carp and Carp fishing begin?
#SW - June 16th 1980 is when I caught my first carp, but my first thoughts and reccy of potential waters started in the late summer of 1979.
As it happens I have just written about it for my next series of article’s in Carpology 107 (Jan 2013)
Carpology.....
#MF - Matthew Fleet
#SW - Steve Whitby
Question 1.
#MF - So then Steve when did your passion for angling begin?
#SW - When I was about 5? Mum would buy my elder brother Andy and myself ‘nets’.
This was a 6 inch mesh net on the end of a 4-5 foot cane and we would ‘fish’ for whatever we could catch, mostly minnows.
My brother Andy only went fishing when mum bought us the nets, but I spent all my time time going.
Must have been around eight when I was allowed off on my own, that’ll be 1961:-)
Anyhow by then I had my grandads split cane & green-heart float rod and a second hand black prince reel!
Around my village there was big roach and dace in beautifully secluded rivers and backwaters…I was totally spoilt!
I played truant a lot to go fishing….tut eh
Question 2.
#MF - When did your quest for big Carp and Carp fishing begin?
#SW - June 16th 1980 is when I caught my first carp, but my first thoughts and reccy of potential waters started in the late summer of 1979.
As it happens I have just written about it for my next series of article’s in Carpology 107 (Jan 2013)
Carpology.....
Question 3.
#MF - Where’s your favourite venue ?
#SW - The River Cam. Its on my doorstep holds 30lb+ carp and there all gems. Downstream it has even more to offer and I have yet to fish it…
The Stunning River Cam.....
Question 4.
#MF - What’s your most memorable capture ?
#SW - A fully scaled mirror from a local water of mine in 2008 which as it happens I have just written about!
It was the real deal for me, a fish over thirty years old that lived in a wild overgrown, low stock gravel pit and caught only a handful of times.
I think I might have caught it in 1986 though when I was fishing it back then but I have no pic so cannot be sure, however there has only ever been two fullys (originally) in the lake.
I caught the bigger of the two at 23.8 and it was my fifth fish from the water in about two weeks, which was unheard of….
I waded into the reeds and out to the bars to get this one, in camo gear!
It was all a bit hush hush
Steve's Fully Scaled Mirror.....
Question 5.
#MF - ( Bait ) A subject I know Is dear to your heart, Where do you begin when creating a new bait?
#SW - Depends on what I want it for and where.
Mostly I will go for a really good fishmeal during spring summer but switch around depending on time of year and venue and how I feel too.
I like to test baits all the time and I keep trying to find the one.
Which I have at times I am sure.I still have much to learn too and plenty of things to try.
But everything changes the next time your out and so paying attention to the most important detail outside your knowledge of carp and the environment is important I think.
Sure you can get success out of a bag, but when it’s bait you have devised, you have rolled and toiled over and toil it is to produce 100 kg I can tell you, well? that’s more satisfying than just popping a bag of the latest craze surely?
To be honest I don’t think I will ever use anyone else’s bait not unless I had something to do with it of course.
Put it this way if i do use a bait other than mine it’ll be to catch carp and no other.
The other important thing is my hookers. I make them specifically to do what I want.
I use cork ball popups and hard hookers that are well and truly glugged but still tough so they don’t taint, I can balance them precisely and the cork ball never absorbs enough water to change the setting…. important for self setting rigs.
Boilies And Steve Uses Lots Of Them.....
Question 6.
#MF - Who Is your angling hero ?
#SW - You mean “Who Is Your Angling Hero’s ?”
Lenny Middleton/Rod Hutchinson/Chris Yates.
To me they encapsulate what carp fishing should really be about.
But then..if it has to be one… Richard Walker because it was a forth edition of his book Still Water Angling ( I still have it and read it ) that got me fired to get started back in 1979-1980.
Then all those wonderful writers back in the 80’s. All legends and far to many to name here.
The Great Lenny Middleton.....
Question 7.
#MF -Who Is your biggest Inspiration out side of angling ?
#SW - My Dad, he is now 83 and knows more about computers than I do and I have a comp/sci honours degree in it!
He used to build them back in the 70’s and he has travelled the world building radio communications systems.
He has had some real adventures in his life too. Spent eight years out in Iraq etc before all the wars.
Lived in Kuwait for 5 years or more..
I could never equal him.
He used to get really pissed with me sometimes when I skived school to go fishing.
But I knew he also understood.
Question 8.
#MF - You spent some time on the famous Woolpack complex, In your own words can you tell me more about your time on there and what you caught
#SW - I had the time of my life on the Woolpack and loved every precious second of it. I fished mostly three short day sessions in the week and worked the rest of the time. Much as I do know.
I used to move around the lake all the time with little kit and a pod with three rods and a landing net I could just pick up! and walk with:P
I caught a lot of the carp in there and most importantly learned a hell of a lot.
I was fortunate enough to spend time sitting talking and drinking endless cups of tea with the great Lenny Middleton.
I am proud to think he liked me enough to give up so much of his time and answer so many of my questions too.
Not to mention all his tea I used to drink!
The Famous Woolpack Fishery.....
Question 9.
#MF - You Tube and blogging, Myself and many others have had the pleasure of watching many of your bankside experiences via your you tube channel ( The Carp Catcher ) and now your becoming some what of a house hold name, When did you decide to start filming your sessions and did you think your filming / blogging would become such a hit?
#SW - I started in may 2007 just for fun really and to be honest I still do.
Obviously I never expected to become as popular but I guess you get out what you put in sometimes so all the support I get is really appreciated.
Question 10.
#MF - Do you set targets In your fishing, Or Is the thought of being bankside when you get the chance enough to feed the drug of Carp fishing ?
#SW - I have never set any targets as far as size or a particular fish is concerned as I don’t see it has any relevance to my fishing however I do try to be by the bank as much as I can.
Steve's YouTube Channel.....
That’s your lot folks, all that’s left to say is once again a big thank you to Steve for finding the time to do a very interesting questions and answers for www.carpmarathon.co.uk
happy angling and tight lines
Matt
