Editor In-Chief Address
A scaley New England mirror, caught as the leaves started to change color
As summer starts to ebb away (it’s late August as I write this), I start to plan where I will fish at my favorite time of year; Fall. In New England, the Fall season is glorious for the most part. Cooler temperatures, stunning foliage, hungry fish feeding up for the winter and all the pumpkin spice products you could think of!! If you already have your fishing planned for the next few months, then I hope it is rewarding. If not, gather your equipment and make the effort to get out onto the banks. Even better, join the Fall Big 4 competition and log your captures for the chance to win some great prizes. Here’s a few tips to help you on your way:
Some of my best results and biggest fish
• Target early morning or late evening/night sessions at the
have come right at the end of the Fall season
start of the fall
and into early winter, so don’t be tempted to
• As the weather gets colder, bright sunny days are also a
pack up your gear once the first frost arrives.
good bet. I target shallower water in these conditions • Look for weather patterns; full moons, big southerly or westerly winds, drops in air pressure etc • Give the carp some food. Don’t be afraid to put plenty of bait into the water as the fish are feeding in preparation for the winter • Prepare for the weather; lots of warm and waterproof clothing, good food, appropriate shelter, rechargeable lights as the nights get longer • Do not stop fishing at the first sign of cold weather. Carp will feed right until the water freezes and in some cases under the ice! Keep the bait trickling in and the carp will continue to feed
A lovely common, caught in late fall
In this edition we have CAG Big 4 results, Essence of Carping, CAG Socials in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey along with Take A Kid Karping. We also have guest articles from a number of CAG members. The cover shot is dedicated to a good friend of CAG, Paul Hunt. Paul was well known to many of you as he ran the successful business; Canadian Carpin Holidays. He also fished many USA waters and tournaments. Paul sadly passed away on August 5th, following a courageous battle with an aggressive form of leukemia known as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). I fished with Paul on a couple of occasions and also kept in touch via social media. He was a true gentleman and a great angler and will be sorely missed by those who knew him.
Paul and Lisa, fishing at Emma Long (Austin, Texas)
As always we rely on our members contributions and I want to thank everyone; both past and present who has contributed to this magazine over the years. Without your input the magazine would cease to exist.
Hope you all enjoy this edition and as always, if anyone would like to contribute; please send any communications or materials to: naca@carpanglersgroup.com
Dean Brookes Editor in Chief
President Address
One of 22 fish including 6 twenties on a hot, overcast afternoon in August 1996
The summer of 2026 looks set to becoming one
So what does this mean for us as anglers? If you
of the hottest on record both in the USA and in Eu-
see excess algal blooms and the fish look listless
rope.
then avoid fishing. This especially applies to smaller
Fishing in such warm conditions can be very challenging both for the angler and the fish. But
or shallow waters where fish cannot find shelter in deeper areas.
contrary to most thoughts on the subject scientific
Avoid taking fish out of the water or keeping them
evidence shows that carp feed optimally in water
in retention slings etc. Keep mats out of direct sun-
temperatures of 84F (28C). I’ve had some memo-
light, wet thoroughly to cool them and limit any time
rable summer fishing on the Connecticut River in
the fish is out of the water.
water temps of 80-84F when the fishing was literally “on fire”.
Finally don’t forget to protect yourself… plenty of water (rather than alcohol) to stay hydrated plus
The key issue is not temperature but more im-
shade & protection for exposed skin with sunscreen
portantly the oxygen levels in the water. As water
and hats etc will all help keep you fishing longer in
temperatures increase the level of dissolved oxy-
life.
gen drops significantly. Carp are remarkably toler-
Above all enjoy your summer
ant to low levels and above 5mg/L remain active
and let’s see some great catches!
and healthy (Dissolved oxygen is typically around 8-10 mg/L at 30F in freshwater). However, throw in lots of sunlight, algal blooms & excess nutrients and any remaining oxygen can all but disappear.
Iai n S orrel l CAG President
Contents
My Carping Journey
PAGE 7
ESSENCE OF CARPING Winners
PAGE 12
Spring BIG 4 Winners
PAGE 19
CAG FLOAT FESTIVAL
PAGE 29
NJ and DE CAG Social 2026
PAGE 32
Pennsylvania CAG Social
PAGE 35
Take A Kid Karpin’ 2026
PAGE 38
The Lucky 7
PAGE 45
A History of Carp in Great Britain
PAGE 55
Richard ‘Dick’ Walker
PAGE 64
From the Rivers of America to the Reservoirs of Brazil
PAGE 70
Dale Hollow Trip
PAGE 78 Front Cover: Remembering Paul Hunt
The Carp Anglers Group (CAG) is North America’s longest running carp fishing organization. Established in 1993 it is dedicated in its mission to:
Support, Protect & Encourage Catch & Release Carp Angling We are a not-for-profit organization, run by volunteers, established to pursue the following objectives: A) To gain acceptance of the carp as an exciting and challenging sport-fish. B) To become better carp anglers, assist others and encourage them to join us. C) To treat the carp with respect, promote the release of trophy-size carp and encourage others to do the same. D) Most of all: Go fishing, Share with others, and have Fun.
As a member you will be adding your voice & support to help CAG in its efforts to work with State & other key organizations to increase the recognition & protection for carp as a sport fish. Member Benefits Include: • Full CAG Community Forum Access • CAG Apparel & Merchandise • Quarterly NACA Magazine • Fish-Ins, Events & Tournaments • New Member Pack with Tackle, Decals and Magazine Membership is only $20 / Year (+ a one-time $5 joining fee) which includes you, your spouse & any children under 18 living in the same household
Learn more: www.carpanglersgroup.com
My Carping Journey By Mike Ledford
My dad introduced me to carp fishing when I was
With no pay lakes around I began searching areas
12 years old. I grew up fishing several different pay
to fish across Texas. This is where I made a huge
lakes near my hometown of Gastonia, North Caro-
discovery. Although Texas don’t have the pay lakes
lina. I spent approximately 23 yrs fishing the pay
that I grew up on, there were several area lakes
lake style in North Carolina. In 2009 I relocated to
and rivers that have very good carp fishing.
Schertz, Texas. North American Carp Angler
7
This is where I converted or should I say a mixed
These are tactics that are not always taught on the
style of carp fishing. About the only thing I still uti-
pay lakes. I can’t say I agree with the pay lakes
lize in regard to pay lake style is the Abu Garcia
and how a lot of the guys fish them.
Ambassador reels and certain times I will utilize a
A lot of good memories growing up; however,
pack bait. Other than that, I am more euro style.
Euro style fishing just seems to cover A to Z when
Especially, in how I have learned to care for the fish
it comes to carp fishing. I introduced my sons
I catch.
Austin and Charlie to carp fishing at a young age
1.No fish ever touches the ground.
as well. However, they are learning much differ-
2.Only one small hook is utilized.
ently than I did and both are very good and avid
3.Only utilize a landing net that will not harm the
anglers.
fish, ex: eyes, scales, etc.
I am very proud of them. In 2020 we began High-
4.I only use baits that are safe for the fish.
tower Outdoors as an Outfitter. Our goal is to
5.No fish is mishandled, ex: following landing they
teach upcoming anglers the sport of carp fishing
are immediately placed in a cradle and kept wet
the right way and the many different tactics.
before quickly being returned to the water and assuring they swim off.
North American Carp Angler
9
My favorite rig is the Ronnie rig style utilizing a
A lot of this determines when and where I fish and
small pop-up (12mm). I just seem to catch bigger
for how long.
fish on the smaller size, weird I know. I tie all my
I’ve noticed in Texas that the bite is much better at
rigs and make my own PVA bags as well.
night once air temps stay above 90 degrees and
I like to use a leader that is 7 inches in length with
that’s almost anywhere, I fish. I’m not much for the
a #6 hook. I place the PVA onto the leader using a
zig -rig, but I believe on those sunny hot days, you
baiting needle. I allow the pop up to float about 2
may do pretty good just below the surface.
inches off the bottom. No particular color or flavor used but I would say I have had more luck using
Over the years I’ve landed several commons well
bright colors. I prefer using a bolt rig or running
over 30lbs with a few in the low 40’s. My PB is just
rig depending on how the fish are biting. I have
over 43lb. My pb small mouth buffalo came during
learned a lot watching weather patterns, ex: fronts,
this springs big four at 65lb 8oz. A lot of big fish
wind direction, temps, barometric pressure, cloudy
in Texas to be caught yet. I am after the next new
or sunny, etc.
state record, both common and Smallmouth buff.
Some challenges I face here in Texas are the
There is a lot more of them than they are of us carp
aquatic growth in area lakes. This can make it
fishermen so being a little more courtliest would be
extremely difficult especially during the hotter
great as I am to them. I have to say I like it quiet
months. Another big factor is recreational pressure
and peaceful when I’m in a session. The past 40
or disturbance. I cant blame those for the love of
years of carp fishing have been an amazing jour-
water as I love to fish just as they enjoy what they
ney at the least. The Carp Angler Group has made
do, however a lot of people don’t understand the
it even much better. Theres a lot of great anglers
time, effort, and money that is put into what I do.
out there and I have respect for all.
North American Carp Angler
11
CAG Monthly Photographic Competition
CAG members are invited to submit photographs that capture what is unique and exciting about carp fishing in North America. The photos do not have to be of someone holding a fish (this is NOT a Trophy fish competition) but they should be recognizable as being related to carp or buffalo fishing in North America and should reflect the capture of a special moment. The ‘essence’ of carp fishing in North America might memorialize a remarkable scale pattern, someone’s first carp, a group of friends fishing together, a spectacular sunset, time of year or perhaps a dramatic background or landscape. The judges will pay particular attention to the subject matter and composition and not just the photographic or editing skills. In the event of a tie or any disputes the CAG BOD will be the final arbitrator. Each month (April through November and then combined for December through March) we’ll announce a winner and Award a Prize or Voucher
(worth $100) with the winning photo appearing in a forthcoming NACA magazine as well as the CAG Forum Site and Facebook page. We also award CAG Medals (Gold, Silver & Bronze) in honor of the top three winners. Learn More: https://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?/topic/67034-the-essence-of-carpfishing-in-north-america-photo-competition/ Our thanks to Big Carp Tackle for helping support the Essence of Carping Competition!
April 2026 Winners
First Place -Frederick Hiller
Second Place -Tom McCarthy
North American Carp Angler
13
Third Place -Jessica Day
May 2026 Winners First Place -Marty McDaniel
Second Place -Joshua Jones
Third Place -James Leister
North American Carp Angler
15
JUNE 2026 Winners
First Place -Evan Aziz
Second Place -Tom McCarthy
Third Place -Fredrick Hiller
North American Carp Angler
17
This year we saw a record number of entries with
In the Regional Awards the honors went to Domen-
an incredible 80 anglers signed up from all quad-
ic Firestone for Region I, Chris Matthews Region II,
rants of the USA for the 2026 Spring Big 4 competi-
Michael Ledford in Region III and Francois Massart
tion.
in Region IV.
The Spring Big 4 runs from March 15th to June 15th which usually offers anglers, across all regions
In the Big Catch Category Domenic Firestone took
of North America, the best opportunities to catch
the honors for the Big Common with a 47lb 12oz
big carp as they put on weight after the long winter
Common, Patrick Fandel for a 37lb 2oz Mirror.
months and ahead of the spawn.
Meanwhile Michael Ledford had the biggest Buff at
We also saw records broken with three anglers re-
65lb 8oz while Jerome Moisand took the award for
cording over 160 lb for their Big 4 carp. In the end
the biggest Grass Carp at 45lb 0oz.
Michael Ledford from Texas secured first place with 164lb 1oz from second place Domenic Firestone with 162lb 2oz and third place Stelian Bogdan with 161lb 9oz. North American Carp Angler
19
Top 10 – Big 4 Winners 1st Place - Michael Ledford
2nd Place & Big Common –– Domenic Firestone
3rd – Stelian Bogdan
North American Carp Angler
21
4th – Jacob Jellison
5th – Steve Zablocki
6th – Rickie Shemelia
7th – Francois Massart
North American Carp Angler
23
8th – Dave Pickering
9th – Paul Metts
10th – Kody Clayton
Big Mirror – Pat Fandell
North American Carp Angler
25
Big Buffalo – Michael Ledford
Big Grass Carp – Jerome Moisand
Big Carp Tackle, West Coast Bait Boats and Hiper
Once again we need to thank Jerome Moisand for
Fishing continued their sponsorship for the Top Ten
monitoring, answering questions, recording the en-
Big 4, Big Common and Big Mirror together with Big
try weights and finalizing the results table. Great
Buffalo and Big Grass Carp awards. We were also
job!
joined by new sponsors Bottom Feeder Baits which
And of course thank-you to everyone who took part!
allowed us to extend our Big 4 prize awards from a top ten to a top fifteen!
Proposed rule update for Fall Big 4 2026. In addition to the photo requirements any angler
Thank-you to our generous sponsors for your
catching a carp that weighs 30lb or more will need
amazing support and helping make the Spring &
to submit photos showing measurements of the
Fall Big 4 competitions such popular events in Carp
fish’s girth and length. More details to follow.
Anglers Group calendar!
Spring Big 4 2026 Sponsors
North American Carp Angler
27
Catching carp on float tackle is both fun and chal-
Float fishing for carp is often a great way to ex-
lenging! It also helps develop some of the funda-
plore new waters. A handful or two of sweetcorn
mental skills of angling that include: (1) concentra-
can be thrown in at likely looking spots while walk-
tion and observation as well as lightning reflexes to
ing around a lake or pond. As you walk back around
set the hook, (2) accurate placement of the baited
again with your rod you can now drop the float in
hook often in tight confines to weed or snags, (3)
any areas that show signs of carp feeding such as
careful determination of depth and (5) the neces-
bubbles, swirls, mudding etc.
sary skills to play a hard fighting fish on light tackle.
North American Carp Angler
29
So it was with this in mind that Richard Jongpier
In the end our Spring CAG Float Festival winners
came up with the idea of a CAG Float Festival and
were Jerome Moisand who receives a $100 tackle
got the ball rolling.
voucher and runner up Richard de Oliveira who
The inaugural event place over the weekend of
wins a $50 tackle voucher.
June 6th and 7th by submitting photos and weights of carp or buffs caught using float fishing tech-
Our thanks to Big Carp Tackle for supporting CAG
niques ONLY. It was open to everyone on the CAG
with these prizes.
Facebook page so included both CAG members and non-members.
CAG Float Festival winner: Jerome Moisand 11lb 8oz
CAG Float Festival runner-up: Richard de Oliveira 5lb
Look out for dates for our Fall CAG Float Festival. Congratulations to our winners and a big thank you Richard for coming up with such a funtastic float fishing event! North American Carp Angler
31
New Jersey and Delaware CAG Social 2026
By Jake Jellison
Rickie Shemlia Jr and myself Jake Jellison decided
It is known to hold many 30 pound carp and bigger
to hold the first New Jersey and Delaware CAG so-
throughout the river. Having the event in June made
cial event on June 13th, 2026 from 7am-5pm. The
it tough to catch the bigger fish since it is spawning
event took place at the Burlington Riverfront Prom-
season but there were plenty of fish caught!
enade in Burlington, New Jersey along the Dela-
We always welcome people to participate in the
ware River. Having two states combine for a carp
event. There was a man and his son who were carp
event was incredible. It was a great turnout with 29
fishing but unaware of the CAG event and decided
people attending with 23 carp put to the mat.
to take part in our event. Nazarii Semeniuk and his
The Delaware River is one of the best river systems
son pictured here with the biggest carp of the event
in the United States for carp.
at 22 pounds.
The bite stayed steady which is rare to see on a tidal river like the Delaware. Usually there are “bite windows” when the carp will bite in a particular tide. Then it will be quiet with no bites during a different tide cycle. One of the participants named William Mayo ended up catching a double which means he had two bites at the same time and he was rewarded with two decent carp on the mat.
Kids are the future of fishing which is why we always encourage as many kids to participate as possible. We had a total of 4 kids participate. We teach them the fundamentals of carp care, baiting, and how to tie rigs. Most importantly, we touch the value and respect of catch and release. Pictured below is a nice catch and release of a common carp by Paxton Prater. His brother Kai Yvon Prater also got in on the action with a nice common pictured here.
North American Carp Angler
33
Carp care is of paramount importance
when catching these special fish. Carp are tough fish and can handle
different terrains such as rocks, mud, and other predator fish. However, when out of the water they need to be handled properly as they can easily slip out of your hands. Using a carp cradle or mat shows how these fish
can safely be handled out of the water. Using a scale on a sling can help
ensure the fish isn’t damaged when weighing.
The event was a huge success with lot’s of fish and good fellowship with other carp anglers. As a token of appreciation, everyone received a commemorative poker chip of the event for their participation. Thanks to Rickie Shemelia Jr (New Jersey CAG State Chair) for co-hosing the event with me. Tight lines and see you out on the bank.
Pennsylvania CAG - End of Spring Social I was recently honored to be named co-chair for the Pennsylvania
chapter of the Carp Anglers Group (CAG) alongside Dominic Firestone. Here’s Jake’s Write up. For those who may not know, CAG is a not-for-profit organization established in 1993 to promote carp angling as a legitimate sport across North America. The group focuses on encouraging responsible catch-and-release practices and protecting trophy-sized carp for future generations through education, events, and strong community support. With that new role in mind, I decided to host my first CAG social on June 13, 2026. I wasn’t sure what kind of turnout we’d get, so we put out a simple post and hoped for the best. To our delight, about eleven adults and several enthusiastic children showed up—an ideal mix, because nurturing the next generation of carp anglers is at the heart of what CAG is all about. We kept the day relaxed and fun, with friendly awards on the line: medals for the biggest and smallest common, medals for the biggest and smallest mirror, and a $50 gift card for the fish closest to 10 lb. Action kicked off early. Our partner Chris Braddee was into fish right away and landed a beautiful little mirror—the only one of the day—earning him the hardware. Then the kids’ rods started bending, and the real magic unfolded. We spent the afternoon teaching proper handling, unhooking techniques, and basic rigging while watching big smiles spread across young
There’s nothing quite like seeing a child land their
faces.
first carp and feel that unforgettable rush. North American Carp Angler
35
Thanks to Team Fish Fighters, we kept everyone fueled with pizza and cold drinks throughout the day. Rafael Walzo from Carp Angler generously donated landing mats, which proved invaluable. When the bite slowed in the afternoon, we ran a lighthearted casting competition—closest to the bucket—keeping spirits high until evening. As the sun dipped lower, the fish turned on again. Robert Riely landed a solid 18 lb common to claim the biggest common medal. I was fortunate to catch the smallest common, and Jeremy Metts’ daughter reeled in a 9 lb 12 oz beauty that won her the $50 gift card for being closest to 10 lb.
By the end of the day, the group had landed around 25 fish. The banks echoed with laughter, stories, and shared knowledge. A few anglers headed home as darkness settled, but a handful of us stayed on for a few more hours under the stars. No more fish came after dark, but the memories we made more than made up for it.
North American Carp Angler
37
Take A Kid Karpin’ 2026
By Austin Delosh
Take A Kid Karpin Introduces 32 Young Anglers to the Sport at Long Branch Park on Saturday, June 27,
Take A Kid Karpin would like to extend a heartfelt
Take A Kid Karpin welcomed 32 young anglers and
carp fishing in a fun, welcoming environment, re-
their families to Long Branch Park for a day dedi-
gardless of their experience level. We look forward
cated to introducing kids to the exciting world of
to seeing everyone back on the bank next year,
carp fishing.
where we’ll hope for tighter lines, bigger carp, and
While the fish didn’t cooperate as much as every-
another unforgettable day of introducing kids to one
one had hoped, the slow fishing never dampened
of the world’s greatest freshwater sport fish.
the spirits of the participants. Throughout the day,
Take a Kid Karpin first started as Take a Kid Carpin’
the young anglers showed outstanding patience,
in 2010 as a Carp Anglers Group event staged at
determination, and positive attitudes as they waited
various locations across the United States. One
for the next bite.
of those locations was in Syracuse, NY hosted by
The event was a reminder that fishing is about
CAG members Bill & Diane Markle. Over the next
much more than catching fish - it’s about spending
15 years Bill & Diane continued to host the event
time outdoors, learning new skills, making friends,
now known as TAKK before handing over the reigns
and creating lasting memories.
to Austin Delosh in 2025.
The Take A Kid Karpin volunteers worked along-
TAKK is held in memory of Jaden Ruble and in sup-
side each participant, teaching proper fishing tech-
port of the American Foundation for Suicide Pre-
niques, fish care, and the importance of respect-
vention. Learn more: https://afsp.org/about-afsp/
thank you to all of the volunteers, sponsors, donors, and families who made this event possible. Your support allows young people to experience
ing the outdoors. Even when the action was slow, the excitement of seeing alarms sound, rods bend, and fish being landed kept everyone engaged and cheering each other on. The success of the day was measured not only by the fish caught, but by the smiles, laughter, and enthusiasm shared by all 32 young carp anglers. Events like these help inspire the next generation of anglers and ensure the future of the sport continues to grow. North American Carp Angler
39
North American Carp Angler
41
North American
CARP ANGLER
Magazine
North American Carp Angler
43
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The Story Behind the Lucky Seven Carp Team Invitational
People often ask me why I created the Lucky Sev-
ties, I even qualified for the Hungarian National
en Carp Team Invitational. The answer comes from
Team qualifier, finishing among the top anglers in
two very personal motivations.
the country.
The first takes me back more than 30 years to my
Looking back, I fished both individual and team
childhood in Hungary. Before I became known as
competitions. While I enjoyed individual success,
a carp angler, I was a competitive match angler
my favorite events were always the team tourna-
fishing freshwater multi-species tournaments. Carp
ments. Preparing together, sharing knowledge,
were part of those events, but they were not the
working toward one common goal, and celebrating
primary target species.
each other’s success was always more rewarding
I was fortunate enough to climb all the way through
to me than winning as an individual. The feeling of
the ranks, eventually competing at the highest lev-
accomplishing something collectively simply meant
els of Hungarian match angling. In my early twen-
more. North American Carp Angler
45
The second motivation came from my experiences
a more structured and transparent team selection
with Team USA carp fishing. Like many passionate
system, I was met with ridicule and disrespect from
anglers, I once dreamed of representing my coun-
certain individuals. The experience affected me
try on the world stage. However, when I fought for
deeply and nearly drove me away from tournament angling altogether.
It took several years for me to regain perspective.
Carp fishing in the United States is still a niche
Eventually, I realized that instead of allowing nega-
sport.
tive people to define my experience, I should focus
There simply isn’t enough sponsorship money
on my own passion and pursue the sport in a way
available to support these expensive international
that aligned with my values.
campaigns. For most anglers, the financial burden
My views on international competition also changed
is enormous. When you honestly weigh the costs
over time.
and benefits, it becomes difficult to justify. That realization led to a simple question:
Today, I believe that the current model of self-fund-
If I no longer wanted to pursue a world champion-
ing trips overseas to compete in carp fishing world
ship abroad, why not create something meaningful
championships is neither sustainable nor practical.
here at home?
The United States is a massive country with incredible diversity. We have anglers from all over the world, a wide variety of fisheries, talented competitors, emerging bait companies, established businesses, and passionate carp anglers. We have everything necessary to create our own premier championship event. The vision came to me about a year ago. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Despite being busy with my business and my fam-
our community needs. It brings people together. It
ily, I decided to follow my passion and turn that vi-
creates opportunities for sponsors. It helps grow
sion into reality.
participation. Most importantly, it creates a fair and
Today, only days after the conclusion of the first
competitive platform for tournament carp fishing in
Lucky Seven Carp Team Invitational, I can honestly
the United States.
say I am proud and content. Throughout my life I
Who knows? Perhaps one day the system devel-
have made contributions to the carp fishing com-
oped for the Lucky Seven will become the foun-
munity as an angler, mentor, teacher, and educator.
dation for a true National Carp Championship in
With this event, I believe I have also become a pio-
America.
neer for the future of our sport in America.
My ultimate goal is simple: elevate the sport of carp
The real reward was hearing the gratitude from
fishing.
participants. It was seeing the friendships, sports-
Carp, especially trophy carp, deserve greater re-
manship, excitement, and positive energy created
spect in this country. Team events like the Lucky
by the event. It was watching our community come
Seven provide a healthy, competitive, and sustain-
together around something bigger than ourselves.
able path forward. More teams will lead to higher
Would I do it again?
standards. Higher standards will produce stronger
Since the tournament concluded, many people
competition. Eventually, we may see prestigious
have already asked me that question.
national events where the best carp anglers in
My answer is yes.
America compete for major titles.
I believe this format is exactly the kind of event North American Carp Angler
47
And perhaps one day the tables will turn. Instead
Each team consists of three pairs fishing in three
of Americans traveling to Europe to compete, Eu-
separate sections: A, B, and C.
ropean anglers may travel here to test themselves
Within each section, teams are ranked by the com-
against the very best anglers America has to offer.
bined weight of their seven largest fish.
What makes the team format different? Traditional individual tournaments are often heav-
At the end of the event, every section produces a
ily influenced by peg draw luck. A great angler can
first through eighth place team ranking. First place
spend months preparing for an event only to draw
receives one point, second place receives two
a poor swim and have little realistic chance of com-
points, third place receives three points, and so on.
peting for the win. The Lucky Seven format was designed to reduce
The team with the lowest combined point total
that luck factor.
across all three sections wins the tournament.
A perfect score would be three points—winning all three sections. This format creates an entirely different strategic dynamic. A team may struggle in one section but perform exceptionally well in another. Success depends not only on catching fish but on teamwork, preparation, consistency, and performance across multiple areas of the fishery.
Luck can never be completely removed from fishing, but by spreading each team across three separate sections, the impact of a single bad draw is significantly reduced. It is still possible for a team to receive difficult pegs, but far less likely that all three pairs will be affected equally. The result is a competition that rewards the strongest overall team rather than simply the luckiest individual draw. That was the vision behind the Lucky Seven—and after seeing it come to life, I believe the future of team carp fishing in America is brighter than ever.
Were there any sponsors involved in the event?
We were also fortunate to receive tackle and bait
Yes, and I am incredibly grateful for their support.
support from many companies within the carp fish-
The main sponsors of the Lucky Seven Carp Team
ing industry, including Ben’s Tackle Shack, Fishing
Invitational were Carpy Commando and Orien-
Factory 3, PS Baits, World Classic Baits, Carp-
tRods USA, both of which played a major role in
Maxx, CarpBait USA, Proline, OneOnBaits, Carp
helping bring the event to life.
Slayer, DropBack, and BaitPro.
North American Carp Angler
45
The generosity of these businesses allowed us to
The competition came down to the wire, and after a
provide excellent prizes and support the anglers
thrilling battle, Fred Powers emerged as the winner
throughout the event. Their involvement showed
of the Big Daddy bait boat.
that many people in our industry believe in growing the sport and strengthening the carp fishing com-
It was the perfect way to end the tournament. The
munity.
anglers had spent days competing, working hard,
One of the highlights of the awards ceremony came
and supporting one another. Seeing everyone
from a special donation by West Coast Bait Boats.
laughing, participating, and genuinely enjoying
Instead of simply raffling off their custom Big Daddy
themselves during the awards ceremony reminded
bait boat, I decided to make the anglers earn it.
me exactly why I created this event in the first place.
We organized a true-or-false competition where
The fish, trophies, and prizes are important, but the
participants answered questions about West Coast
real success of the Lucky Seven was bringing peo-
Bait Boats and their products by giving thumbs up
ple together and creating memories that will last
or thumbs down responses. What started as a fun
long after the final weigh-in.
idea quickly turned into one of the most exciting moments of the entire event.
Final results of the 2026 Carp Team Invitational Tournament the Lucky 7. Over 10 30+fish, 232 registered fish towards top 7. Probably nearly 1000 carps landed all together by 48 anglers in 65 hours of fishing.
Overall team rankings: 1st- Polonia Carp Team, 6 points with 515.31lbs 2nd-One One Baits, 9 points with 517.37lbs 3rd-Carp Hunters Hungary, 11 points with 495.7lbs 4th-Proline Baits, 12 points with 490.37lbs 5th-Carpy Commando, 13 points with 485.7lbs 6th-BaitPro, 18 points with 460.2lbs 7th- CarpMaxx, 19 points with 435.7lbs 8th-Dropback & Friends, 20 points with 374.8lbs
North American Carp Angler
51
Section A
Catch Count
Total lbs
1 Zaliszewski/Salamon - A Polonia Carp Team
7
176.31
2 Metts/Metts - A One One Baits
7
168.56
3 May/Kocsis - A Carp Hunters Hungary
7
163.19
4 Atchinson/Skorka - A Dropback & Friends
7
158.88
5 Jackson/Russel - A CarpMaxx
7
158.63
6 Prokovich/Merrihew - A Carpy Commando
7
149.31
7 B Cisney/Anderson - A ProLine Baits
7
147.50
8 Howard/Howard - A BaitPro
7
141.94
1 Powers/Fawaz - B Carpy Commando
7
185.13
2 K Cisney/Hudson - B ProLine Baits
7
167.13
3 Targonski/Wilinski - B Polonia Carp Team
7
161.25
4 T Kiss/Feher - B Carp Hunters Hungary
7
160.63
5 Slivinsky/Myers - B BaitPro
7
158.75
6 Valentine/Dellinger - B One One Baits
7
147.06
7 Edwards/Dalton - B CarpMaxx
7
137.19
8 Clow/Peters - B Dropback & Friends
5
116.63
1 Lutz/Brooks - C One One Baits
7
201.75
2 Miros/Szajna - C Polonia Carp Team
7
177.75
3 Hawkins/Loftin - C ProLine Baits
7
175.75
4 Verba/N Kiss - C Carp Hunters Hungary
7
171.88
5 Kauffman/Thomas - C BaitPro
7
159.50
6 Kim/Eldridge - C Carpy Commando
7
151.25
7 Rafter/Delosh - C CarpMaxx
6
139.88
8 Bartlett/Jennings - C Dropback & Friends
5
t99.31
Section B
Section C
Biggest Common -Lutz/Brooks 36lb 13oz Biggest Mirror - Atchinson/Skorka 28lb 6oz Biggest Fantail - Zaliszewski/Salamon 28lbs 2oz
North American Carp Angler
53
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A History of Carp in Great Britain Common carp are known to be one of if not the earliest domesticated fish species. Archaeological records in China dating back to around 4000 – 6000 BC show fish being raised in rice paddies as a way to eliminate pests and help fertilize the crops. But it was the Romans, who were clearly skilled at aquaculture, that most likely brought carp from the Central Asian Caspian Sea to farm them in ponds across many parts of Europe. There are, however, no records of carp being introduced into Great Britain during the years of Roman occupation from 55 BC to 410 AD. Historians believe that carp finally arrived in Brit-
The early introductions during the middle ages were
ain sometime in the 13th and 14th centuries when
characterized by smaller, long bodied fish with pro-
monasteries adopted the fish culture ‘piscinae’ cre-
portionately larger tails than the deep bodied and
ated by the Romans. Christian practices prevent-
humped back carp we are used to catching in more
ed the consumption of red meat during fasting so
recent times. Often called ‘wildies’ these feral fish
raising fish provided an easily accessible source of
rarely reach double figures and are now thought to
protein. Early manuscripts also suggest that carp
survive in only a handful of waters in Great Britain.
were a ‘bill of fayre’ and like much of Europe raised specifically for the table among noblemen.
It is believed that the importation of carp into Britain was generally sporadic until the late 1800’s when
As they became more widespread in lakes and riv-
Thomas Ford, who ran Manor Fisheries in Lin-
ers attempts to catch them were noted in manu-
colnshire supplied carp to wealthy landowners.
scripts and books. Dame Juliana Berners in here Treatyse of Fysshynge with an Angle (1496), de-
In 1907 Manor Fish Fram was sold to the Sur-
scribed the carp as a “deyntous fysshe” (dainty
rey Trout Farm beginning an historic period in the
fish) but noted there were very few in England at
stocking of carp and on a significantly larger scale.
the time. In 1653 Izaac Walton described them in
Donald Leney, co-owner of the Surrey Trout Farm &
his book The Compleat Angler as ‘The Carp is the
United Fisheries near Hazlemere, had established
Queen of Rivers, a stately, a good, and a very subtil
regular exports of trout ova to British colonies such
fish, that was not at first bred, nor hath been long in
as Nepal, Ceylon, South Africa and possibly the
England, but is now naturalized’.
Falkland Islands to establish populations of brown trout.
North American Carp Angler
55
Then in 1925 he began to import Galician strain carp from a fish farm in the village of Vaassen in the Netherlands. These carp first originated from Galicia (hence the name) in Poland and were known for their rapid growth and deep bodied appearance. Leney continued to import and breed these carp and in 1934 introduced fifty fish averaging 3.5 – 5” in length to a water in Herefordshire, on the border of England and Wales. This small 3 acre mill pond on the Bernithian Estate was stocked in an effort to defeat the extensive weed growth which by all accounts was ‘alive’ with freshwater invertebrates. In just 17 years these fish had grown, without further intervention or feeding, to quite remarkable proportions. Redmire, as it became better known, produced the next three British record carp: Bob Edwards 31lb 4oz mirror in 1951, Richard Walker’s 44lb common in 1952 and 28 years later Chris Yates 51lb 8oz mirror on June 16th 1980, a record that stood until 1995. Contrary to popular belief there is no specific scale pattern (such as ‘linears’) to the fish bred by Donald Leney. The ‘Leney’ fish displayed a wide variety of ‘mirror’ scale patterns (linear included) together with some impressive commons. After the second world war Leney imported more fish between 1947 – 1957 and these were stocked in several waters throughout Great Britain including some of the newly dug gravel pits along the length of the Colne Valley. The essence of these stockings in several top waters was captured in ‘The King Carp Waters’ by the late Chris Ball. The clubs controlling these new waters were actively stocking fish of all species not just carp. As a result the carp came from a variety of sources so included ‘Italian’ and other strains not just Leney fish.
Donald Leney stocking fish
Since the late 80’s there have been many reports of carp being caught and moved between lakes or illegally imported from Europe. Fortunately increased fishery security and well documented seizures by Customs agencies has helped the situation but with a 50lb carp now worth some $25,000 the problem of criminal activity is unlikely to disappear. Fortunately angling clubs, individual owners and syndicates across the UK can easily stock top quality carp from well managed and responsible UK fish farms. These farm farms offer a wide variety of carp to meet the demand for match and specimen anglers.
Across the ‘Pond’ – A Comparison of USA & UK Introductions. The ‘intentional’ stocking of carp throughout Great
gration along river networks and periodic escape
Britian exclusively for angling since the 1950’s is
due to flooding into still water entrapments. How-
in stark contrast to the introduction and distribution
ever, carp were often sold as ‘livebait’ in the 1980’s
of carp in North America. In the USA common carp
and 90’s resulting in some further unplanned intro-
were introduced in the mid 1800’s as a potential
ductions.
food source and not for sport fishing. Once carp
The source and provenance of these fish is not
had been stocked in key waters there were no fur-
documented but is thought to be, in some cases,
ther formal introductions after 1896. It is interesting
fast growing Israeli carp (Dor -70 strain) which lead
to note that Joseph Redding in an 1884 US Fisher-
to some interesting large scale mirror carp captures
ies Commission Bulletin noted: The improvement
in several key locations, particularly in PA & TX with
in the stock is due almost entirely to the Germans,
some fish weighing over 40lb.
neither France nor England yet having anything better than the old- fashioned variety, which is of poor quality. So 1896 saw the last formal introductions of carp being stocked in the USA.
The
widespread distribution of common carp beyond the original US
stocking
loca-
tions has occurred primarily through mi-
Jerome Moisand with a possible Israeli strain carp caught in TX North American Carp Angler
57
The King Carp Waters – Savay! The Colne Valley is home to some iconic carp waters including Harefield, Wraysbury and North Harrow’s Springwell. But one in particular was destined for the history books. Savay, a 70 acre lake, then under control of Ruslip Angling Club, purchased some 2,500 carp with as many as 900 coming from Donald Leney in the years from 1950 to 1968. Over the first two decades these fish were rarely, if ever, fished for by design. It wasn’t until the early 1970’s when Mike Wilson decided to dedicate himself to carp fishing that the true potential of Savay was revealed. The results, for the time, were simply extraordinary. In those days a twenty pound carp was still a big fish and one or two considered an excellent outcome for a weeklong session. Mike, however, was sometimes landing several fish over 20lb (captured in what became known as ‘Billingsgate’ shots with several fish laid out like the famous London fish market) in a single night! His approach was remarkably straightforward but brilliantly executed. He began baiting up with sweetcorn and later maize (field corn) along the margins in a number of likely looking areas. He kept this going over several weeks and, most importantly, before making any attempt to fish.
His theory, later known as the Baiting Pyramid,
It also required extraordinary concentration to de-
was that the carp would become accustomed to
tect bites while hovering over the rods ready to
feeding confidently in these areas. Then, like most
strike at the slightest movement! Fortunately Mike
animal hierarchy, the swim would eventually be-
documented his captures on large format 2 ¼” slide
come dominated by the bigger fish. This was in the
film.
years before the arrival of the hair-rig so light tackle
tThese superb high resolution photos not only re-
tactics with 6lb mainline, 1.5oz weights and baited
corded the success he achieved but also became
#6 Au Lion D’Or hooks were very much the order
very much sought after as they were ideal for top
of the day.
quality publications.
A classic ‘Billingsgate’ pose with Mike holding one of the rarer ‘italian’ stocked fish. North American Carp Angler
59
Savay Reflections - Iain Sorrell My own time on Savay started in 1979 after meet-
The idea of bolt rigs was still unknown to me so I
ing Mike Wilson at a friend’s housewarming party.
continued with lighter tackle and leads but began
In those days joining Ruslip Angling Club was quite
to make boilies with Belachan fermented shrimp
involved and required a probationary period before
paste which I’d discovered a couple of years earlier
being accepted as a full member. It was important
when fishing for chub.
to attend monthly meetings, work party sessions etc as well as take part in fishing matches against other angling clubs around the area. Mike was club Secretary and assured me it would largely be a formality but warned me that it was of utmost impor-
These were made with semolina and hand rolled in
tance not to mention of any interest in carp fishing
various sizes often on the bank while fishing as the
as this might well scupper your chances!
smell had me banned from making them at home! In August 1980 I fished for a couple of days but with
So it wasn’t until late October 1979 that I finally got
no activity decided to move swims to the tip of the
to fish for carp on Savay. After a couple of blanks I
island facing the Colne bank.
soon moved onto my usual quest for pike and big roach on the rivers over the winter months. When June 16th 1980 rolled around and the start of the new season it coincided with the start of a new syndicate being given access to fish Savay by Redlands the lakes owners. They shared the Canal and Colne banks while Ruslip members maintained exclusive rights to the island that stretched down the middle of the lake. The syndicate was like a ‘who’s who’ of carp fishing and included the likes of Rod Hutchinson, John Baker, Abert Romp, Lenny Middleton and Andy Little among others. The ‘hair-rig’ and boilie fishing were still closely guarded secrets but at the end of the previous year Mike had showed me how a bait was being suspended on 2lb monofilament 1-2” below the bend of the hook.
The ‘narrows’ swim on the island at Savay. Yes I still have the cap!
My thoughts were that carp would be more likely to see and pick up baits as they moved through this narrow area between two swims that I knew were being heavily baited by syndicate members.
I put out a line of about 20 belachan boilies across
There were only a handful of commons in Savay
the channel with two baits fished at different dis-
in those days and this one was soon identified as
tances along the line. At around 5pm the Optonic
none other than ‘Sally - The Pride of the Valley’.
alarm on the left hand rod beeped twice then melt-
Mike Wilson was the first to catch her in 1978 and
ed into a continuous tone.
she went on to be caught a few times until her last
It was immediately clear that this was a decent fish
known capture in 1989.
and it promptly headed to my left in an effort to get around the end of the island. The rod was almost bent double as I applied as much side pressure possible hoping to get it stopped in time. As I was still fishing 1 ¾ pound test curve glass 11’ rods I’d made from Fibatube blanks the through action curve into the butt section of the rod certainly helped cushion the 8lb main line and 6lb hook length. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only 10-12 minutes the fish began to slow and
Sally – Pride of the Valley in 1980
I managed to get it into the net on my first attempt.
My final carp from Savay came in early October.
There she lay… my first Savay carp and remark-
I’d arrived later than planned on Friday evening so
ably a common which was a rare beast in a water
many of the favored swims along the island were al-
predominated by mirrors. I’d bought an old 2 ¼
ready occupied. I eventually squeezed into a swim
format Yashicamat camera from Mike which had a
next to a large overhanging willow and as darkness
‘clock-spring’ timer and 12 shots on a roll of 64 ASA
fell put out some belachan boilies 20-30 yards from
film. This required me running back and forward to
the bank and on the edge of the willow where it
reset the timer, pick up the fish as the timer ‘whirred’
touched the water.
for 30 seconds just to take a single photo. I took 4
At around 3:30am I was rudely awakened by my
photos before weighing the fish and returning her
Optonic sounder under my lounger. The right hand
all while hoping the focus, exposure etc had been
rod was away and I was into fish that seemed hell
set correctly. At 24lbs 8oz I was over the moon.
bent on putting as much distance as it could from me!
A couple of weeks later the slide photos came back
Every time I thought I had the upper hand the fish
from being developed. Unfortunately I’d set the
would quickly alter that delusion. On several occa-
camera up too far away but I had at least captured
sions the line ‘pinged’ off the carp’s dorsal fin mak-
the memory. It wasn’t until many years later that I
ing me think the line had broken or the hook pulled
noticed this fish had a damaged tail from a previous
so it was with considerable relief that I finally had
capture.
the fish in front of me. North American Carp Angler
61
But the fight was far from over and just as I got the
I grabbed my torch and could see a large, almost
net ready the fish took off under the willow and I
scaleless mirror nestled in the mesh. I was beyond
could feel it diving into the roots. After some very
excited, convinced even that this might be my first
tense moments the fish came free and following a
thirty. In the cold light of day the scales registered
couple more big swirls on the surface was safely in
27lb 12oz. My biggest carp and one of the many
the net.
magnificent Leney fish from the legendary Savay.
27lb 12oz my biggest and last fish from Savay
North American Carp Angler
63
Richard ‘Dick’ Walker For anyone who grew up fishing in Great Britain the name Richard (Dick) Walker is one treated with the utmost reverence. He is still, some forty years after his passing, widely recognized for his skills not just as an all-round angler, catching all manner of specimen fish, but very much as the ‘Godfather’ to modern carp fishing.
Before the early 1950’s catching carp was largely
At the time no one believed carp could ever attain
by accident or limited to a small number of dedi-
such weight and it was with some reluctance that
cated and often rather eccentric anglers. In fact,
the London Zoo finally agreed to send someone
before October 3rd 1951 no-one had ever caught a
to pick up and then display this magnificent fish
carp in England weighing over 26lb. But on that day
named ‘Ravioli’ but then affectionately known as
Bob Richards caught a mirror of 31lb 4oz from a
‘Clarissa’, in their aquarium where she continued to
small water in Herefordshire on the border of Eng-
live for many years.
land and Wales.
In his book No Need to Lie Dick Walker wrote:
This remarkable 3 acre lake, later called Redmire, was to become synonymous with the capture of Britain’s biggest carp for almost 3 decades. Less than a year later on September 13th 1952 Richard Walker hit the headlines for his capture of a common carp, from Redmire that weighed 44lb a fish and held the British record for some 28 years.
During my schooldays and for some years after
the Second World War, the carp was the subject of more misconception than any other fish. It was sup-
posed to take a hundred years to grow big; to be nearly impossible to catch, biting only if the tackle
was ultra-fine and then breaking away. A noted editor said that life was too short to even contemplate
carp fishing. If I hadn’t caught several large carp, and seen much larger ones before I read or heard all this, I might have believed them.
44lb – Walker’s capture of ‘Clarissa’ from Redmire North American Carp Angler
65
As a carp angler Walker teamed up with some no-
An early form of ‘social media’, if you like, that in-
table veterans of the era. The Carp Catchers Club
stead of a the ‘click of a mouse button’ or ‘tap of
was founded in 1951 by Denys Watkins-Pitchford
a screen’ very much relied upon a ‘stamp’ and an
(BB) together with Maurice Ingham & Dick Walker.
envelope and a few days wait to be delivered! The outcome of this combined knowledge helped foster
Their aim was to dispel many of the myths that carp
a far better understanding of how to catch carp and
were almost impossible to catch and between them
encouraged a growing number of anglers to begin
pioneered new methodologies based on observa-
their own quest to catch specimen carp throughout
tion and science often in direct opposition to ac-
the 1960’s and early 70’s.
cepted beliefs. Instead of keeping the ideas to themselves they
As an engineer Walker was a remarkable innova-
created a network of similar thinking anglers and
tor and tackle maker. The Heron electric bite alarm,
circulated information in the form of a ‘Rotary’ letter
specialist rods like the MKIV, Arlesey ‘bomb’ dis-
that was mailed from one person to another so that
tance casting lead weight and even folding triangu-
each individual could add to growing list of ideas
lar landing nets were just some of the creations that
and thoughts.
came from his inventive mind and skilled hands.
Dick fly tying in his ‘shed’ with a ‘Thorndike’ reel and several rods in the background.
Dick also made two center-pin reels using ‘Duralim’ an aluminium alloy. These well-crafted and engineered reels had larger and wider spools to retrieve line more quickly along with a ‘brake lever’ to apply drag to a fastrunning carp.
Richard Walker was instrumental in the design and development of specialist fishing rods. His first rods like the MKIV Avon and Carp rods were built with split cane and then later with fiberglass. In the 1970’s Walker heard a BBC Radio program that talked about the innovative properties of carbon-fibres. Walker, who was then a consultant for the renowned Hardy Bros company, immediately recognized the opportunities. After some initial trials it was not long before Hardy’s began developing fly fishing and other rods with this remarkably lightweight but very strong material. Dick playing a carp on Redmire with a MKIV rod with an early bite alarm.
North American Carp Angler
67
As a thoughtful and prolific writer he published
But it was his weekly columns in the Angling Times
many books covering all aspects of angling.
newspaper that ran for an incredible 30 years that
First published in 1953, Richard “Dick” Walker’s Still
he was perhaps most proud of and certainly carried
Water Angling represents the definitive “bible” and
the greatest readership.
intellectual blueprint for modern specimen hunting.
These thought provoking as well as instructive
Before its release, British angling was dominated
pieces on all aspects of fishing and the catching of
by centuries of folklore, superstition, and a passive
specimen fish helped many, myself included, great-
“float-watching, worm-drowning” ethos that treated
ly improve their angling skills.
the capture of large fish and carp in particular as a lottery or pure luck. Walker however, drawing on his Cambridge analytical engineering background and wartime research in radar technology, shattered this mysticism by treating angling as a series
In memory of Richard Stuart Walker: 29 May 1918 – 2 August 1985
of logical, physical, and biological equations. In chapters like On Catching Big Fish, he established a methodical system of “Five Essentials”. These were (1) locating fish through watercraft,
You can learn more about Dick Walker and his egacy on a dedicated website:
http://www.dickwalker.co.uk/
(2) avoid scaring them by understanding bankside vibrations, (3) engineering highly functional tackle including rods, nets and bite alarms, (4) choosing the right feeding windows, and (5) selecting baits rationally. By replacing “myth and potion” with science and observation, the book empowered ordinary anglers to target specific specimen fish with confidence, effectively launching the modern specimen hunting movement. The first ‘Essential’ led to Walker’s famous saying that he would rather ‘spend seven hours locating fish and one hour catching them than eight hours blanking.’ He also wrote for numerous magazines including Trout & Salmon where his experience as a notable fly angler led to solving the challenges of catching trout on large reservoirs.
My thanks to Rob Walker (Dick’s grandson) for his help with this article and giving us permission to use the pictures.
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69
New Frontiers
Carp Fishing Stories from around the world From the Rivers of America to the Reservoirs of Brazil By Thiago Godoy
My carp fishing journey started in the United States.
A few years later, I moved to Brazil for work and to
I was fortunate enough to learn from experienced
be closer to my mother and my girlfriend, who both
anglers who had spent years targeting wild carp
live here. Naturally, I wanted to continue carp fish-
in rivers. They taught me far more than just how
ing and put into practice everything I had learned
to catch fish. They showed me the importance of
in the United States. I quickly realized that carp
watercraft, location, observation, patience, and
fishing in Brazil is completely different from what
confidence in your rigs and bait.
I was used to. Access to rivers and reservoirs can
Those lessons became the foundation of every-
be very difficult. Many productive areas are located
thing I know about carp fishing today. Outside of
on private land or require long hikes through rough
fishing, I dedicated countless hours to studying the
terrain.
sport. I watched videos, read articles and maga-
Because of these challenges, I started fishing for
zines, followed some of the best carp anglers in
carp in pay lakes. Although they are different from
the world, and constantly looked for ways to im-
wild waters, they allowed me to continue develop-
prove. Every opportunity I had, I tried to apply what
ing my techniques, testing rigs, improving my bait-
I had learned on the bank. Like every carp angler,
ing strategies, and catching many beautiful carp
I made mistakes, but every session helped me be-
while learning more about how these fish behave
come a better fisherman.
in Brazil.
North American Carp Angler
71
Everything changed when I met Nathãn through
Finally, the opportunity came. We planned our first
Instagram. I had been following his work for quite
session together on a large Brazilian reservoir. That
some time and knew he was one of the few anglers
trip became the most memorable session of my
dedicated to true wild-water carp fishing near my
life. During that session, I landed the fish I had al-
hometown of Curitiba. We spent months exchang-
ways dreamed of catching—a magnificent 23.5 kg
ing ideas, discussing tactics, comparing experienc-
(51.8 lb) mirror carp. It was almost fully scaled, with
es, and planning a session together. It was obvious
beautiful Apple Slice scaling that made it one of the
that we shared the same passion for carp fishing.
most stunning carp I have ever seen.
The moment I first saw the fish roll in front of us is
It was proof that Brazil has incredible carp fishing
something I will never forget. After years of learn-
potential. There are truly exceptional fish swimming
ing, studying, traveling, and chasing carp in differ-
in our waters, and I believe many more giant carp
ent countries, holding that fish in my hands was an
remain undiscovered.
emotional moment that is difficult to describe. For
That fish also changed my goals as an angler. From
me, that capture represented much more than a
now on, my main focus will be targeting wild carp in
personal best.
Brazilian reservoirs.
Pay lakes will always have a place in my journey,
especially during overnight sessions while carrying
but the challenge of locating and catching truly wild
expensive fishing equipment. Reaching productive
fish in large open waters is something that moti-
spots often requires long walks through rough ter-
vates me every time I prepare for a session. I know
rain with heavy gear, making every trip physically
there are even bigger carp out there, and the search
demanding as well.
for them has only just begun. One aspect of carp fishing in Brazil that many in-
Because of this, anglers who dedicate themselves
ternational anglers may not realize is how challeng-
to wild-water carp fishing in Brazil deserve tremen-
ing—and sometimes dangerous—it can be. Be-
dous respect. They are driven purely by passion.
sides the difficult access to many waters, security
They willingly accept the physical effort, the difficult
is unfortunately a real concern.
access, and the security risks simply for the oppor-
Many rivers and reservoirs are located in isolated
tunity to pursue these incredible fish in their natural
areas where anglers risk being robbed,
environment.
I feel incredibly grateful to have experienced both
As more anglers embrace modern carp care,
sides of carp fishing—the rivers of the United
catch-and-release practices, and share knowledge
States, where I built my foundation as an angler,
with one another, our waters will continue produc-
and now the reservoirs of Brazil, where I caught the
ing remarkable fish and unforgettable stories.
biggest and most beautiful carp of my life.
My 23.5 kg mirror carp is only the beginning of my
Every lesson I learned along the way led me to that
journey, and I cannot wait to see what the future
unforgettable moment. I truly believe Brazilian carp
holds on the banks of Brazil.
fishing has a bright future.
North American Carp Angler
73
Where My Carp Fishing Journey Began - Nathan Claudino My journey with carp began when I was still a child, fishing alongside my father on the Várzea River in southern Brazil. He was already targeting carp, and I grew up watching those massive fish jumping out of the water. Every time I saw one, I wondered what it would be like to catch a fish that size someday.
That’s where my passion for carp fishing was born. Like most anglers in Brazil, I used to keep the fish I caught. But everything changed when I discovered European carp fishing through videos on the internet. Watching those anglers treat carp with such care and respect completely changed the way I viewed fishing. I realized that a great photograph and the memory of the moment were far more valuable than taking a fish home.
Since then, every carp I catch is safely returned to
Eventually, I found a clean spot in about five meters
the water. Carp fishing is still a relatively unknown
of water and spent the following week pre-baiting
sport in Brazil. There are only a small number of
the area. I invited my friend Thiago, whom I had
dedicated carp anglers, and almost all of our spe-
only known through conversations on Instagram.
cialized equipment has to be imported, making the
That’s one of the things I love most about carp fish-
sport even more challenging for those who want to
ing - the friendships that grow from a shared pas-
get involved. For many years, I fished exclusively
sion for the sport.
in rivers.
We arrived at the reservoir early on Saturday morn-
The challenge is that water levels constantly change
ing. For hours, we didn’t see a single carp show. It
because of rainfall. Strong currents, muddy water,
seemed like nothing was going to happen. Around
and rapidly changing conditions can make every
midday, however, we started noticing bubbles
session completely different from the last. Looking
appearing exactly over the area where our rigs
for more consistent fishing, I decided to explore a
were positioned, and our confidence immediately
large reservoir near my hometown.
grew. At around 3:00 p.m., Thiago’s alarm finally screamed into life. The moment he set the hook,
Before the session, I spent time thoroughly scout-
we both knew it was a very big fish. After an unfor-
ing the area. Using only a bare lead, I mapped the
gettable battle, we safely landed the carp on the
depth, felt the lakebed, and identified rocks, weed,
unhooking mat and simply couldn’t believe its size.
and other underwater features.
When the scale settled, it read 23.5 kg (51.8 lb).
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That moment represented much more than landing
That passion continues to drive me today. More
a giant carp. It was proof that all the planning had
than simply chasing bigger carp, I want to create
paid off—the time spent studying the water, prepar-
unforgettable experiences, build lasting friend-
ing the baited area, being patient, and working to-
ships, and help show that catch-and-release carp
gether as a team. It was the very first carp we had
fishing, built on respect for the fish and for nature,
caught from that reservoir, and a capture neither of
has a bright future in Brazil.
us will ever forget.
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carpangler.com
Dale Hollow Trip
By Paul Metts
Tucked along the Tennessee-Kentucky border,
Last spring, my nephew Jeremy Metts and I re-
Dale Hollow Lake has long been revered as the
turned there with USA Carp Guide for what would
smallmouth Capital of the World, thanks to its
become one of those trips you replay in your head
crystal-clear waters and the legendary 1955 world-
for years to come. We’d had a fantastic week in
record smallmouth bass. In recent years, however,
2025, breaking our mirror carp personal bests and
word has spread among carp anglers about its im-
enjoying nonstop action.
pressive population of hard-fighting commons and especially its stunning fully scaled mirror carp.
The highlights are captured in the Team Fish Fight-
Many of these fish are true gems, drawing visitors
ers YouTube video “Dale Hollow Dreams,” and the
from across the U.S. and even overseas to this
experience was so good we wasted no time book-
scenic reservoir.
ing the same package for 2026.
After a long, gray winter, the nine-hour drive felt like pure anticipation. When we finally rolled up to the lake, I could already smell the water and feel that familiar buzz of possibility. The next five days stretched out ahead of us, full of promise The first day was all about settling in—pitching camp, organizing gear, and mixing fresh bait under the Tennessee sun. We got a few spods out before dark and cast our rods with quiet hope. Even if the fish didn’t show right away, just being back on the bank felt right. Day two passed in near silence. No rolls, no crashes, no signs of life at all. I’ve learned over the years that carp fishing often tests your faith before it rewards it, so I stayed put, kept the swim primed, and focused on the details I could control. Still, the lack of action started to weigh on me. By day three, doubt was creeping in. Then the weather turned ugly. A fierce windstorm barreled across the lake, shredding canopies, scattering gear, and turning our tidy camp into chaos. We rode it out hunkered down, and once the gusts finally died that evening, we quietly put everything back together. The storm had shifted something on the lake—I could feel it. I decided to change things up, mixing fresh batches of bottom feeder baits blended with panko and tiger nuts, all laced with that signature R&W Carp Juice. I topped the spots with a few careful spod loads and fresh tiger-nut hook baits, then turned in under a clearing sky. North American Carp Angler
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The fourth morning greeted us with thick, ghostly
After a strong fight, a breathtaking fully scaled mir-
fog. Visibility was so poor I could barely see my
ror slid into the net—31 lb 14 oz. My new personal
rod pod. Then, in the quiet darkness, an alarm
best, and the fish that pulled the trip back from the
screamed. I ran toward the sound, heart pounding,
brink.
and lifted into a heavy fish.
I recast quickly. Forty-five minutes later, as the sun began burning off the fog, the same rod ripped off again. This time a solid 25 lb common came to the bank. Two fish in one morning after days of nothing—it felt like the lake had finally opened the door.
The day grew hot and slow, so I rested up and wait-
At 36 lb, it was another new personal best—and
ed for evening. As darkness settled, I topped up the
one of the most beautiful carp I’ve ever caught.
swim with the last of the bait and reset the rods with
Three long days of silence, a camp-destroying
fresh presentations. An hour after dark, the right-
storm, and fading hope… and then, in less than
hand rod absolutely tore off. The fish felt powerful
twenty-four hours, two new PBs. It was a powerful
from the first moments. After a tense twenty-minute
reminder of why we do this: the waiting, the adapt-
battle, a massive mirror broke the surface and slid
ing, the belief that one moment can change every-
over the net cord.
thing.
Huge thanks to Kenny Mac, Daniel Irish and the USA Carp Guide crew for another unforgettable trip. We’ve already locked in 2027. I’m also grateful to the sponsors who help make these adventures possible: One On Baits, R&W Carp Juice, Bubba’s Hawg Bait, Bottom Feeder Baits, Team Fish Fighters, Carp Anglers Group, Connecticut Custom Tackle, Sunny 3D LLC, West Coast Bait Boats, and 724 Grafx. North American Carp Angler
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