Like most guys at the hardcore end of the specimen carp scene, Mitch Smith used to stack up the hours, days, even weeks in pursuit of a single huge fish. But nowadays it’s regular action that he craves, and as head honcho at Sensas Carp he’s on a mission to ensure that others – especially newcomers – do likewise.
The boundaries between ‘pleasure’, ‘match’ and ‘specimen’ angling have become increasingly blurred over the past decade. If you doubt the truth of that statement, take a stroll around your local commercial stillwater and check out the number of folk using a combination of tactics from all of these three supposedly separate areas of the sport.
It’s common to see one rod on a buzzer with another bearing a waggler rig either held or supported on a traditional rod rest. Or a pole being shipped back and forth while a second rod awaits action with a method feeder end rig.
In fact, perm any combination of the above - plus a few more thrown in for good measure - and you’ll see that many modern anglers simply cannot be pigeon-holed into convenient categories. However, one thing they will all have in common is a desire to catch hard fighting carp.
Having overtaken roach as the nation’s favourite species somewhere around the early ‘90s, carp are unquestionably the people’s choice. But ask most of those anglers whether they catch as many carp of as large a size as they’d like to, and the honest answer is sure to be ‘not really’.
There are many possible reasons for this. Hedging their bets with two different approaches could be part of the problem, likewise fishing at the wrong times of day or with the wrong tackle or wrong baits. It’s this latter area which Sensas Carp, the new arm of French-based groundbait giants Sensas, have set out to address with a swathe of new products under the catchy Grab & Go banner.
Convenience Is The Word
The brainchild of European and World carp match champion Mitch Smith, the Grab & Go concept involves simplifying the often baffling world of carp baits and presentations into a single package. One which the average angler can take to their local commercial or ‘runs’ water and start catching, with the help of an easy to follow instruction sheet.
The range includes a Grab & Go Boilie Bag, an equivalent Method/Stick Bag, plus a super sized Grab & Go Jumbo Bag which is aimed at weekender sessions. These are available in four ‘2 Go’ flavours: Strawberry, Pineapple, Tutti Frutti and Fish.
The Boilie Bag contains 400 grams of 3 and 6mm pellets, 200 grams of 10mm and 14mm boilies, a pack of pop-ups, 25ml of dip, PVA string plus that all-important instruction sheet.
The Method/Stick Bag contains boilie and pop-up hook baits, 400 grams of Method Mix and 3mm pellets, 250 grams of crushed boilies, dip, plus PVA stick mesh and string. Each sell for a £9.99, while the Jumbo Bag – which also contains 18mm boilies, paste and 6mm expander pellets – is priced at £16.99.
Although the Bags have been ‘grabbing’ most attention since their launch late last year, there are also individual ‘handy bags’, dips and pop-ups available individually which allow you to top up parts of the bag which may run out faster than others.
In essence, it’s convenience angling taken to a new level. Despite the many and various bait bans which exist at commercial stillwaters, there should be a combination there which can be used at the majority of venues.
To demonstrate the variety and effectiveness of Grab & Go, we’ve come to Chestnut Pool - an established three acre commercial fishery situated near the Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire border in the village of Langford.
Like Mitch, owner Pete Wilson has a specimen carp background but also enjoys match fishing. He allows boilies, recognising their nutritional value to his stock which is mainly single-figure carp with a fair head of ‘doubles’ up to the low-20s.
Tackling up at peg 25, facing a narrow causeway between the two large islands, Mitch said: “I fancy the method to get them going, but I’ll also be getting busy with the catapult. Not many anglers loose feed boilies these days, but PVA isn’t everything and on well stocked waters you need to spread the feed a bit wider anyway.”
Aware that most Chestnut carp are in the 3-5lb range – considerably smaller than he usually targets – Mitch had scaled down his tackle. Although he’s a consultant for Grey’s, his rods for today were a near-vintage pair of 2.5lb test curve 12.5 footers hand built by Jack Simpson of Turnford more than 20 years ago. These were teamed with Shimano Baitrunners in 8000 size and 10lb main line, with a 3ft leadcore leader to pin things down at the business end.
A small tri-lobe method feeder housed a swivel carrying a 10 inch hook link of coated braid with a size 10 barbless hook and a shortish hair rig held well down the shank by a silicone sleeve.
On his other rod, he opted for an Anchor BDS 2oz lead on a quick release Korda clip with an otherwise identical end rig. “I can switch this one to a method feeder if things are slow, but somehow I doubt they will be,” grinned Mitch, who had already cast the Method rod out after mixing up the groundbait from a Grab & Go Method/Stick Bag and attaching a 10mm Fish 2 Go boilie. “Look at that indicator!”
Competitive? Just A Bit!
Throughout the session – with frequent interruptions from Mitch’s alarms - I quizzed Mitch about his background in angling in a bid to find out what fuels his irrepressible enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment of his work.
“Where did it all begin?” seemed a good opener for an angler with UK carp to nearly 50lb on his CV. “Star Lane at Great Wakering, was my learning ground,” replied Mitch, who still lives in nearby Southend. “In the very early days I would fish for anything, but this was one of the famous carp fisheries of the late’70s. The likes of Kevin Nash and Rod Hutchinson were on there, it’s the place where Delkim alarms were invented, so I soon focused on the specimen carp side of things.”
Something which nobody who sees photos or Mitch or has the pleasure of meeting him can fail to notice is that he’s a seriously solid fella – built, in fact, like a shot putter. And that’s exactly what he is, or was!
“I represented Great Britain in the shot putt at European and International level, and was set to compete in the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, but a multiple fracture of my spine ended that dream,” revealed Mitch, who underwent extensive surgery at the age of 20.
With support from family and friends, he refocused his life’s aims and found angling a constant area in which he could channel his highly competitive nature. Initially in a man versus big carp war of attrition, and latterly in the carp match scene both domestically and overseas.
Mitch’s type of carp matches aren’t your typical five or six hour contests, but the specimen carp world’s equivalent –pairs contests of 24 to 48 hours duration.
“You need to be organised and work very hard throughout. You both need to know your role down to the last detail. Regular success is a measurable discipline, which I’ve always liked. Results don’t lie,” he continued.
“When the NFA entered England in the first World Carp Champs in Belgium, I was asked to select and manage the team. Me and my regular pairs partner, John Dean, won individual gold and the England team took silver. It was a very proud occasion.”
Not that this was Mitch’s first overseas success. He’d already won the 2002 European Challenge in France, and set the FIPS-ratified 48 and 72 hour ‘Enduro’ records – the latter with a mega weight of 378.5Kg. More World success followed in Russia, where a return visit brought mass attention in the Russian mainstream press. “I was pictured on the front page of their Times after being asked to strike a bear pose! Then I helped the sports minister’s son catch a 56lb common,” he recalled.
Last year’s result in Portugal was a disappointing 10th, but Mitch hopes to make amends in Serbia this September. Meanwhile, he could be visiting a venue near you at any time! “One thing I really enjoys is doing the circuit with slide shows, school talks, after-dinner speaking. Most everyday guys are more interested in hearing ‘I caught ten doubles in a session’ from a water they actually fish’ than ‘Here’s my PB, here’s my French PB, here’s another whacker…’ I chuck in a few silly slides and tales to make ‘em laugh. It’s supposed to be fun after all,” he added.
Throughout a day spent asking questions, taking pictures, swapping anecdotes and bantering (you’ll never out-talk Mitch!), his method rod’s alarm was seldom silent.
Like all considerate carpers, he had the volume turned right down – but local youngsters Tom Orme, 15, and Jamie Poole, 16, in the adjacent swims to the left were well aware of the big fella’s prolific catch rate. They’d been catching bits on the float, but no carp had fallen yet to their other rod.
Within ten minutes, Mitch had rigged them up with method feeders – explaining every step of the set-up, from how to load the groundbait to the importance of silicone on the hook to prevent the hair rig flipping back and tangling – and sent them forth armed with a fresh batch of method mix groundbait.
Within 15 minutes Tom was into a carp, which was duly landed and photographed. Later, as they left for their lift home, the teenage twosome politely thanked Mitch for all his assistance.
“If only every fishery had someone on-site every day to go round and help out the young ‘uns, think how many would become lifelong anglers,” mused Mitch – whose alarms were still regularly trilling, by the way!
Quantity And Quality
Although the method mix had sent the smaller carp wild, to the point of having two fish in the landing net on more than one occasion, none of Chestnut’s larger residents had yet fallen to Mitch’s rods. He’d hoped a PVA bag filled with Pineapple 2 Go crumbled boilies secured to the BDS bomb with a rubber band that sits within a cleverly-crafted groove halfway down the body, and cast away from the main feed area, might pull a wary lump. But it wasn’t to be .
“It’s a very palatable product – taste one for yourself and see! The fruity boilies are based on sweetmeals and soya, while the fish version is very salty,” replied Mitch. “We’ve done our homework with field tests and we know these baits will catch loads of fish, for a price that is excellent value.”
After a cuppa for the road back at the Chestnut’s tackle shop, Mitch launched a selection of Grab & Go bags my way. “Use them, then e-mail me to tell me what you’ve caught – because I know you will catch,” was the big fella’s parting shot.
I’ve not yet had the chance. But I have to say that the common-sense tips on the instruction sheet are spot-on, while the sheer convenience of having pretty much all the essential ingredients for a runs water carp session in a single bag is a marketing masterstroke. Venue Fact File Chestnut Pool, Langford, Bedfordshire Description: Three acre lake with two islands (a cast of 18-30 metres), abundant marginal vegetation and wooden platformed pegs with raised banks behind. Depths run to 6ft and stocks include carp to 20lb-plus, averaging 3-5lb, golden tench, roach, rudd, perch, bream and crucians. Five hour open match record is 187lb, three hour evening match record 111lb. Open 7am to 9pm or dusk, whichever is earlier. Facilities: Tackle shop, drinks machine, flush toilet, gravelled car park. Day Tickets: £9 adult (two rods), £8 juniors (12-15), £6.50 OAPs/disabled/under-12s. Summer evenings (4pm-twilight) £5.50, £4.50 concessions. Night syndicate places available. Rules: Barbless hooks only, size 8 max. No fixed feeders, no leads over 2oz. Branded carp/coarse pellets only. Landing net/unhooking mats provided, leaving rod licence as deposit. Keepnets (fishery own) only permitted in matches. No dogs. One non-angling guest permitted. Contact: Pete Wilson on 01462 701865. Website: www.chestnutpool.co.uk Location: Off Church Street in Langford. Exit the A1 at Biggleswade roundabout, pass the supermarket then cross the River Ivel and follow this road round towards the town centre, turning right into St. Andrews Street just before the big fast food joint. Follow this road to traffic lights, turn right then head straight across the mini roundabouts and under the A1 bridge into open countryside. Langford village is a mile ahead, with the fishery signposted on the right shortly after the first traffic calming island. Postcode SG18 9QT.
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