Dave Jones

When I was 10 years old I started fishing on my local stretch of the Thames in search of big chub.

One winter morning when the river was unfishable my father and I visited a small still water, this was when the obsession began for me, as I caught my first carp (all 5lb of it) on a float fished maggots in the margins.

Growing up in the Cotswolds I was fortunate to have plenty of lakes to choose from, but I learnt the most on a small water opposite the Carp Society's Horseshoe lake.

By using the local trout farms pellet supply to my benefit I soon came to terms with the lake and its residents, and many multiple captures later I plucked up the courage to cross the road to Horseshoe.

Any youngster with the right attitude couldn't fail to learn on Horseshoe, but more importantly it was so enjoyable to be catching some of the most beautiful carp in the country.

My most memorable sessions from the Shoe were - a 3 fish catch on a freezing February night, topped by a gorgeous 30lb+ fully scaled, and a 13 fish catch in 48 hrs topped by an old upper 20 mirror.

After a couple of seasons on the Shoe I started angling on tricky club waters around South Cerney such as Wick, and Ham Pool.

My time on these waters taught me how to angle for carp in ultra pressured environments, and also the value of applying a quality bait at the right time and in the right place.

Last season I decided to fish Farriers for a year, on one of my mid-week over nighters I was just leaving for work around 7am, when Tim Wagner asked me to photograph one of two 30's he had caught in the night.

I started using the I40 shortly after, and my results were amazing, I broke my PB numerous times and am delighted to now be a member of the Mistral team.

Having relocated to Bedford I am now fishing new waters once more so to have a bait I am confident in is vitally important.

Tight Lines, and be Lucky.

Dave Jones