Firstly happy New year to everyone.

The Catch and Release team have asked if I would be willing to submit a monthly bio/blog for the website. Seeing as I’ve nothing better to do I thought why not.

2013 wasn’t a great year for me in terms of my angling and to be fair I was kind of glad to see the back of it.

For those who may know. I was a Avid carp consultant this time last year, up until recently. I’ve not gone in to the details of what happened with the consultancy, however it was a large reason as to why I felt 2013 wasn’t a productive one for me personally.

I was trying really hard to impress my sponsors during 2013. I was told that I was taken on to produce media publications and material for the website and social media formats. That’s not a problem as I generally do that around my fishing anyway. The issue was however that none of my publications were being used and I felt a need to work harder to correct the issue. In the end it became more about media than it did the fishing and I began to fall out of love with my passion. There were other issues and reasons as to why I eventually asked to leave however, I needed to enjoy fishing again. I contacted everyone at the time and I like to think that I left on good terms. The products are quality and the anglers are all amazing people. I learnt so much from being around them and I progress forward with the ambition to be half as successful and happy as many of them.

I’m fortunate enough to be involved with other large companies within the industry. All be it in lower positions than I’d previously held, I feel they are more proactive and therefore suit me better.

The Festive period – Having a young family it’s always one of my most favourite times of year. I love the atmosphere around Christendom, when the house is full of excitement, family’s come together and you have friends over for game nights.

I also enjoy getting the rods out over the festive period in the hope of bagging a Christmas carp, last carp of the year or the first carp of 2014. However this year I’d agreed to help labour for my in-laws new house extension. This meant that my time became limited.

My good friend Ian Fisher however was right on it as he usually is! He’d already been baiting our chosen winter water with Livesystem boilie and had located where the fish seemed to be holding. As you’ll be aware the carp tend to hold up during the colder months, so location can be key. As my festive period proves.

I finally joined Ian on the bank, after originally getting stuck in traffic. He had one in the net and as I was chunking my rods out, (in the swim next-door) he was away again. With Ian managing 2 carp so quickly I decided to shoot a feature of his tactics. We spent the rest of the wet and windy day shooting Ian’s rigs, bait ect. He ended the day with 3 carp and I had noting, literally 10yrds up the bank. He returned the following day and had another 4!!! to compile the misery.

We then repeated the process on New years eve. This time looking to catch the last fish of the year. Again Ian managed 3 or 4 and I had nothing for the video blog. I was fishing the same tactics as Ian, the only difference to note was location.

Anyway that concluded and capped off a bad 2013 for me, perhaps aptly blanking on my final session.

Happy new year – As I touched upon it’s nice to target a Christmas carp, last one of the year and a first of the year, and with 2013 being such a bad year I was keen to get under-way for 2014. So when I received a text message from my mate Gareth about getting in a overnight session and a catch up. I jumped at the opportunity. It transpired that Ian was also booked on to fish that night so we were confident of some action between us.

Unlike the festive period the day had passed without event as the cold night drew in. It wasn’t long

before normal service was resumed however as Ian banked 4 fish in 90min and even lost one to prove he is human!!!

I’d developed a stinking headache so decided to get my head down early and it also got me out of the duty of netting all Ian’s fish in the rain. The headache tablets had kicked in and I’d just drifted off  to sleep when I was in to my first carp of the year. It wasn’t the biggest but it was a very welcome start to my 2014 campaign.

2014 – I’m delighted to be going in to the new year with my syndicate tickets already sorted and targets all set out. I’m fishing a very well known Bedfordshire syndicate, steeped in history and full of big fish. It’s not the sort of fishing that I’m used to but I’m very much looking forward to developing the skills required to be successful and hopefully adding some of the lakes residents to my photo album.

My second target water is one that I visited with Ian Fisher last year for a catch up session and brief look. I fell in-love with the water as it really suits my angling approach and style. I’ll be fishing and working with my friends Rob and Ian who are also on there and hopefully sharing in there captures and my-own. The lakes a clover shape and therefore it fishes like 3 separate lakes. This will place emphasis on water-craft and a good bait.

Media – As I write this I have literally just got off the phone to Alan at CC Moore about being involved in some monthly filming projects. We will be working together this year to develop and publish a series of films for CC Moore TV. The video platform is available worldwide on all viewing formats, so it’s a very exciting prospect. Especially as we have half arranged my first filming session to be on Orchid lake with NEW CC Moore consultant Joe Jagger. The project will involve me meeting, interviewing and talking to a lot of good anglers which is a massive opportunity and one I’m greatly looking forward to.

I’m very fortunate in that I have already supplied two articles to the Angling times and UK Carp magazines. Both have been published this month so I hope to continue producing articles for them and the angling media.

I’ll of course continue to upload and supply content for the Catch and Release guys, CC Moore website, my own formats and hopefully the Korda website also.

Fishing with the stars – I have been asked to attend the Linear fisheries (fishing with the stars) annual event again. Last year myself and friend Lee Robbins looked after the band Occasion. The event was a lot of fun and raised a lot of money for a good curse. I’m delighted to have been asked to attend again.

Those are my current plans for the year ahead. I’ve got a very busy year ahead and more than enough opportunities to make up for 2013’s failings.

Whatever your years targets are for 2014 good luck and tight lines.