Key
MF: Matthew Fleet
NG: Neil Golden
( Question 1 )
MF: When did your passion for angling begin?
NG: As far as I can remember some form of angling has always been part of my life, It was the mystery that surrounded life underwater for me and once John Wilson's Go Fishing first aired in 1986 there was no looking back
apparently even when I was in a pram I was more interested in the fish eating the bread than the ducks!
MF: Matthew Fleet
NG: Neil Golden
( Question 1 )
MF: When did your passion for angling begin?
NG: As far as I can remember some form of angling has always been part of my life, It was the mystery that surrounded life underwater for me and once John Wilson's Go Fishing first aired in 1986 there was no looking back
apparently even when I was in a pram I was more interested in the fish eating the bread than the ducks!
( Question 2 )
MF: When did you start carp fishing and targeting big carp?
NG: This was a change of fortunes if I'm totally honest, I was a reasonable match angler in my teens but due to quite a dismal upbringing I was passed from pillar to post a lot
looking back, it was just a matter of time before someone close to me stole all my tackle to make some quick cash, this happened on two occasions so the term " heart breaking " doesn't even come close
I had to scrimp and borrow for a third time to get out on the bank again and all I can say is thank god for TF Gear
but going back to the question, I never really set out to target just carp but there is only so many times you can get snapped on light tackle before you start wanting to catch the buggers that get away with it
MF: When did you start carp fishing and targeting big carp?
NG: This was a change of fortunes if I'm totally honest, I was a reasonable match angler in my teens but due to quite a dismal upbringing I was passed from pillar to post a lot
looking back, it was just a matter of time before someone close to me stole all my tackle to make some quick cash, this happened on two occasions so the term " heart breaking " doesn't even come close
I had to scrimp and borrow for a third time to get out on the bank again and all I can say is thank god for TF Gear
but going back to the question, I never really set out to target just carp but there is only so many times you can get snapped on light tackle before you start wanting to catch the buggers that get away with it
( Question 3 )
MF: Where's your favourite venue / water?
NG: My favourite venue is currently Weston Park in Shropshire, It's shallow and very weedy it produces some absolute belting fish
it's not the most difficult lake in the world but it can fight back on it's day if you catch my drift?
there's also a good group of anglers on there and some I'm glad to call friends!
MF: Where's your favourite venue / water?
NG: My favourite venue is currently Weston Park in Shropshire, It's shallow and very weedy it produces some absolute belting fish
it's not the most difficult lake in the world but it can fight back on it's day if you catch my drift?
there's also a good group of anglers on there and some I'm glad to call friends!
( Question 4 )
MF: What's your most memorable capture?
NG: I'd like to think that there's something memorable about most of my captures because each one gives me a little reminder of why I do it in the first place
it can also boil down to the people that are there to share it with, the venue and the passion or pain you go through to land your prize that also makes it memorable
if you were to hold me to one fish that I can share a picture of it would be a dark scaly from Weston, it was the one I really wanted above all others
MF: What's your most memorable capture?
NG: I'd like to think that there's something memorable about most of my captures because each one gives me a little reminder of why I do it in the first place
it can also boil down to the people that are there to share it with, the venue and the passion or pain you go through to land your prize that also makes it memorable
if you were to hold me to one fish that I can share a picture of it would be a dark scaly from Weston, it was the one I really wanted above all others
( Question 5 )
MF: What is the best piece of angling you have witnessed by another angler?
NG: Difficult one this as if you catch a fish surely that's the best bit of angling you can do in that situation and when someone catches when I don't then they have clearly done something better than me on that day
I think some of the levels of fish care I have seen recently can be classed as the best piece of angling I have seen
I know there is some arguments on fish care out there but when you see someone deal with a capture in all the right ways it really shows the mentality of the individual and to me that's a good angler
however to add a bit of humour to the question there is something that always makes me laugh and I'm clearly going to hell but what a cast this was
a few years back I was watching a lad cast a PVA bag from the swim next to me, naturally I was looking to see where he was fishing before I decided on my spots, anyway the cast was one in a million! it was a reasonable distance, wasn't clipped up and his first cast of the session
it landed under a huge overhang and you could not of placed it that well in a boat, it turned out he'd not been carp angling long so when I said " that's a great cast " but their's no fish there mate he thought I was being serious and reeled in
MF: What is the best piece of angling you have witnessed by another angler?
NG: Difficult one this as if you catch a fish surely that's the best bit of angling you can do in that situation and when someone catches when I don't then they have clearly done something better than me on that day
I think some of the levels of fish care I have seen recently can be classed as the best piece of angling I have seen
I know there is some arguments on fish care out there but when you see someone deal with a capture in all the right ways it really shows the mentality of the individual and to me that's a good angler
however to add a bit of humour to the question there is something that always makes me laugh and I'm clearly going to hell but what a cast this was
a few years back I was watching a lad cast a PVA bag from the swim next to me, naturally I was looking to see where he was fishing before I decided on my spots, anyway the cast was one in a million! it was a reasonable distance, wasn't clipped up and his first cast of the session
it landed under a huge overhang and you could not of placed it that well in a boat, it turned out he'd not been carp angling long so when I said " that's a great cast " but their's no fish there mate he thought I was being serious and reeled in
( Question 6 )
MF: Who is your angling hero?
NG: Big question but to stay true to myself I'll have to say John Wilson because of the first Go Fishing series
his magical words of " we're in " are still with me today and I use them every time my alarm melts off
MF: Who is your angling hero?
NG: Big question but to stay true to myself I'll have to say John Wilson because of the first Go Fishing series
his magical words of " we're in " are still with me today and I use them every time my alarm melts off
( Question 7 )
MF: Who is your biggest inspiration outside of angling?
NG: My wife Michelle and her family, they absolutely hate fishing but when it comes to everything else they are truly special people
MF: Who is your biggest inspiration outside of angling?
NG: My wife Michelle and her family, they absolutely hate fishing but when it comes to everything else they are truly special people
( Question 8 )
MF: Like myself you fish overseas in France as well as in the UK is catching monsters over the channel as bigger reward as catching big carp in the UK?
NG: When I go to France I expect to catch big fish because it's France and I help run a lake out there so I'm also a bit spoilt
as for being rewarding, if you and your mates book a French trip and catch a big fish after 12 months of planning, checking catch reports and keeping in tune with the lake then yes this can be very rewarding
but France for most people is a holiday, it's a chill out in the sun with good banter and a few beers for 5 - 7 days, catching a big fish in your home country though is the one for me
there is a massive difference between spending a season on a lake and a week, I enjoy seeing how the lake changes with the seasons and adapting accordingly
because you spend more time in your home country you tend to get to know the fish without ever catching them and spend more time discussing the venue
you can get to know the carps habits, patrol routes, weaknesses and the difference of how they feed in a shoal compared to when they are on their own, it's impossible to understand a lake to this level if you only fish it for a week at the same time each year
MF: Like myself you fish overseas in France as well as in the UK is catching monsters over the channel as bigger reward as catching big carp in the UK?
NG: When I go to France I expect to catch big fish because it's France and I help run a lake out there so I'm also a bit spoilt
as for being rewarding, if you and your mates book a French trip and catch a big fish after 12 months of planning, checking catch reports and keeping in tune with the lake then yes this can be very rewarding
but France for most people is a holiday, it's a chill out in the sun with good banter and a few beers for 5 - 7 days, catching a big fish in your home country though is the one for me
there is a massive difference between spending a season on a lake and a week, I enjoy seeing how the lake changes with the seasons and adapting accordingly
because you spend more time in your home country you tend to get to know the fish without ever catching them and spend more time discussing the venue
you can get to know the carps habits, patrol routes, weaknesses and the difference of how they feed in a shoal compared to when they are on their own, it's impossible to understand a lake to this level if you only fish it for a week at the same time each year
( Question 9 )
MF: Do you set targets in your fishing?
NG: I don't set fish targets as much as I used to but that doesn't stop me from having a wish list, the targets I set are based on time spent on the bank and learning from the previous season to understand what I did well or what I need to improve on
I've fished a lot of new waters this year which is something I didn't do the year before and that has kept me on my toes
MF: Do you set targets in your fishing?
NG: I don't set fish targets as much as I used to but that doesn't stop me from having a wish list, the targets I set are based on time spent on the bank and learning from the previous season to understand what I did well or what I need to improve on
I've fished a lot of new waters this year which is something I didn't do the year before and that has kept me on my toes
( Question 10 )
MF: Can you give me and all reading this interview a general background regards your role at Shimano and how the opportunity became available to work for such a large and well respected company?
NG: I joined Shimano as a professional angler in March this year ( 2018 ) after leaving my consultancy role at Nash Tackle, I still remember the call from Ian at Shimano asking if I wanted to be involved in things going forward and that he wanted to be the first to approach me
the rest is history and my role with Shimano is a very enjoyable one and it involves me being a brand ambassador by attending shop days, casting academies and show weekends, oh and between me and you Matt I get to go fishing a little as well
without saying too much there are big things to come from Shimano and I hope you all enjoy the journey with us because the game is changing
the one thing not to miss is the launch of the Shimano Isolate bait range which is coming early in ( 2019 )
MF: Can you give me and all reading this interview a general background regards your role at Shimano and how the opportunity became available to work for such a large and well respected company?
NG: I joined Shimano as a professional angler in March this year ( 2018 ) after leaving my consultancy role at Nash Tackle, I still remember the call from Ian at Shimano asking if I wanted to be involved in things going forward and that he wanted to be the first to approach me
the rest is history and my role with Shimano is a very enjoyable one and it involves me being a brand ambassador by attending shop days, casting academies and show weekends, oh and between me and you Matt I get to go fishing a little as well
without saying too much there are big things to come from Shimano and I hope you all enjoy the journey with us because the game is changing
the one thing not to miss is the launch of the Shimano Isolate bait range which is coming early in ( 2019 )
Many thanks to Neil for agreeing and conducting a very interesting interview.....