Carp fishing personality
Carp fishing Interview with: Rod Simpson
Fishing for carp
Age 38
Carp fishing for over 30 years
Married with 3 children (that’s why I fish so much!)
Best fish: Any big carp especially when caught from big unknown French venues including the carp fishing in France lakes. I am not interested in weights and have lost count of the amount of big carp I have caught. I have caught approximately 200 over 17.5 kg (35 lb +) carp within the past 12 months to just over 60 lbs. Catfish to 87 lb and sturgeon to 72 lbs. I am not interested in the weights only in the enjoyment that carp fishing gives me.
Which rods do you use
Caveman carp rods, in my opinion they have all I am looking for from feel under the tip to maximum casting range of any carp rod.
What bedchair do you use
Enduros: I was happy to be one of the few anglers that caught fish on the France Vs England competition
Favourite venue: River Mosselle and any big lakes with virgin carp (I love the unknown)
Venues and Countries fished: Lac Du Der, Mosselle, Gondrexange, Seine, La Horre, Saone, Oise, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium and a number of commercial lakes.
Dislikes: Carp anglers who steal carp and people who use dangerous rigs
Likes: The wild side of carp fishing and photography, I am known for fishing in France but also enjoy being out of the way hidden in the woods away from everyone else, enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the great outdoors.
Magazines I write articles for: Carp World, Carp Connect, International Carper and Carp Addict
How to be successful: Location and finding the spots where they will feed once they have been located.
Equipment: Ultimate A Life Bivvy and unhooking mat, Armaled end tackle, FMJ rods, Delkim pro alarms and receiver, Ultimate A life sleeping bag and Wychwood spod and marker rod.
Future: I aim to fish the lesser known venues around Europe in search of the great unknown. There is something about fishing those big wind swept waters that flicks my switch.
Message to the younger generation: Carp fishing is about being their don’t think you have to go out and catch big fish straight away, learn how to handle carp before moving onto big fish venues. Just because you see big fish in the magazines don’t think you are failing if you don’t catch them, as you gain more experience eventually you will catch them. Go fishing and enjoy the nature, the peace the wild life but most of all look after it because your children will want to see it when they are old enough and stay away from DRUGS!
Why I fish in France: I fish in France approximately 15 sessions per year, I travel to your country as it is the best carp fishing country in the world, your lakes are beautiful the carp are big and they are plentiful. My first trip to France was over 20 years ago and have visited every year since.
I have a message that I would like to get across to all of the French carpists: 99.9 % of English carp anglers visiting your country are genuine carp anglers in search of a dream fish just like you are. It is only the smallest minority of anglers who are involved in carp traffic and there is an equal amount of UK, Dutch and French anglers who take carp! The reason that English seem to be blamed is due to a small amount of commercial fishery owners buying stolen carp, the vast majority of English lake owners refuse to buy stolen carp! Wouldn’t it be better to join forces to eradicate the carp traffic than to place blame? The thought! France and England together against carp traffic! ECHO and CAMOU are growing in strength and will eventually aid in reducing the problem, we should all assist in this fight?
