When I decided to start teaching tutorials I was in no doubt that having 30 years of carp fishing under my belt held me in good stead. I knew that as a sponsored angler, I was more than capable of catching carp, but that’s simply not enough. I needed to know that I could get my fishing skills across to my students in the correct manner. Having spent 15 years as a Gunnery Instructor in the British Army on the M109 Self Propelled Howitzer I decided to draw on my military training when teaching. Apart from being slightly deaf and liking my music loud, it works perfectly. Planning and preparation are a very important part of carp fishing; implementing military teaching and planning techniques help my students understand what’s needed to catch carp regularly. It has always baffled me that carp anglers have been ‘too proud’ to get professional advice in order to improve their skill set. In most other sports, such as golf, tennis or cricket all the best players have lessons from coaches to improve their results, so why not in carp fishing? There are many reasons that the best carp anglers consistently put those big carp on the bank- it’s not simply down to luck! The information is usually closely guarded; the winning techniques are whispered in small circles. My aim is to share this knowledge with you on your personal tutorial / teaching session. It’s the small pearls of wisdom gained through 30 years of experience that will help you improve, and bank more fish. The Basic tutorial is a day session. It is designed to be an introduction to the sport. This is an excellent ice breaker for the beginner or for those returning to the sport after a break from fishing. My teaching experience has taught me that we must break the learning curve down into incremental steps, you will learn far more effectively this way. Learn a skill, replicate it at your own pace and move on to the next skill. The advanced tutorial is a 24 hour session. It will take place on one of the UK’s big fish venues. The venues contain fish up to and over 40lbs in weight.

This is a hard core big fish tutorial on a venue which has a reputation for producing some for very big carp. These venues are not easy, the learning curve will be extremely steep and you will need to switch on from the start of the session. The aim of the session is to help you improve your chance of catching a big carp and smashing your current PB, which on these venues - is more than do-able. Your bait, food and drinks are all provided for you on this session. You simply need to be in the right place at the right time with the right mind set, and don’t forget your tackle! (I don’t like boats, I don’t own a boat- please do not bring one!) There are no real short cuts or ‘magic baits’ in carp fishing; it’s a journey, a fantastic learning experience which will take you to some beautiful destinations. “Every journey starts with a single footstep, so let’s get you started on your way”. TT

Image © Toby Taylor

Image © Toby Taylor

Image © Toby Taylor

Image © Toby Taylor