Fishery FastLane

Sparsholt College rivals reunited! I studied Fishery Management at Sparsholt College with Mark. It didn't take long to recognised how employable he was right from the get go, he was the man to beat! It's been great to catch up with Mark in recent years, both sharing the same passions for angling and rugby! Marks story is different to most of the other students that I studied with, having...

Rich tells his story of how his dream was realised when he found Spring Heath Fishery quietly on the market without too many knowing about it. Nursing the site from neglect into a fantastic mixed fishery with incredible numbers of big Perch and a Carp fishery which sees very little angling pressure. A great holiday venue with quality fish of all species. Check out https://springheath.co.uk/ Are yo...

I sit down with Miles Carter, fishery manager of Horseshoe Lake and director of The Carp Society. Miles shares the full, untold story behind Horseshoe Lake… From the unique member-led acquisition that made it one of the most respected carp fisheries in the country, to disease challenges, internal conflict, and a period of corruption that nearly saw the fishery taken away from its own members. Toda...

Dan comes from the 'Golden Era' of fisheries graduates, studying at Sparsholt alongside the likes of Viv Shears and Andrew Ellis. In this episode Dan shares his story that led to his current position as Fisheries lecturer at Plumpton College. Dan has gone above and beyond to put Plumpton on the map as a recognised fisheries college, a reflection of his passion and genuine interest in fis...

Ashley Groom tells his story of how he developed his syndicate fishery from a green field, now nursing fish to 60lb. Unique fishery management methods from farming snails to feeding fish like pigs. A story of patience, persistence and consistent progress. If BIG CARP is what you want, you'll learn a lot from this episode. Are you involved in fisheries and want to see healthy progression in yo...

Viv Shears was my Fisheries Management tutor at Sparsholt College back in 2010 where it all started for me. So, in many ways, he helped shape the path that led me into the industry I work in today. After missing the grades needed to become a vet, Viv followed a different path into fisheries. One that would see him manage some of the most influential carp fisheries in the UK with CEMEX Angling, lec...

Arron shares first hand insight into how coarse fish are bred, reared, selected, and supplied to UK fisheries. Essential listening for fishery managers, owners, and serious anglers who want to understand the supply chain behind their stock and make more informed decisions for the future of their waters. 🎧 Fishery Fastlane is the podcast where we strip back the noise and talk honestly about what a...

Dave Webb is the founder the UK Wild Otter Trust and knows everything that there is to know about the animal which has caused so much destruction to fisheries. We discuss what fisheries can do, the goals of the trust and what the future looks like. Dave is an angler himself and sympathises for fisheries, he wants to help. Fod help from Dave and The UK Wild Otter Trust visit  https://ukwildottertru...

Tony's fishery management experience isn't limited to the 'The Islands Fishery' & carp farm 'Carp 4 Restocking'. If he had more fingers, he'd put them in more fishery management pies, which is what gives Tony such an incredibly broad range of skills and experience relative to our industry.  An incredibly insightful conversation with fishery management take-aw...

Promoting Fishing and Growing Angling Worldwide - Episode #6 Rob Hughes Rob Hughes — international carp angler, Carp Team England competitor and champion, TV presenter, and one of the strongest voices promoting angling as a legitimate sport. Rob has travelled the world fishing at the highest level, representing England on the global stage, while also using his platform to change public perception...

I dig straight into what makes Andrew both popular and unpopular in his career as a fishery consultant. Un-influenced by trends, opinions or data. Andrew has built a career around honesty. His direct delivery isn't always palatable to everyone, but it's always outcome driven and based on experience, not books. We talk about: 🐛 The influence of ecologists 📊 Data vs experience 🔍 Simple...

Neil shares what happened on the day that his life changed forever. Once a marathon runner, before being hit by a speeding motorist days before the London Marathon. What unfolded meant that Neil could restart life with a project that restored purpose when adjusting from the active life he once had, to now living with a disability from that day. Carpenters Lake was born. Neil shares the incredible...

In episode #3 of the Fishery Fastlane, I sit down with Tom Pollard from Churn Pool to explore how he built one of the most successful premium carp fisheries in the Cotswolds Water Park. Tom shares how he keeps angling pressure low while maintaining a thriving stock of healthy carp, the challenges of managing crayfish, dealing with otters, and how modern fishery business models are changing across...

Rich Seeds tells his story from running a small day ticket venue to the purchase of a large gravel pit in the Cotswolds. Within 10 years the lake has become one of the most exciting pits in the waterpark with a syndicate waitlist which he's had to close due to un-manageable demand.  Rich explains how he's done it with interesting insights into crayfish and the influence they have had on...

The Cotswolds Waterpark has such incredible angling history across hundreds of gravel pits. Dan has seen the waterpark develop and observed how fish populations have established across the park. He shares the stories behind how the Carp were moved around the waterpark and how South Cerney Angling Club established before rising to become the biggest in the region.  We talk about the Otters, Beavers...

I've got a stinking cold, my head feels full of custard. Like a legend, I power on through to numb your skull with droning guff. Sit back, turn the volume right down and do something else while we explore the twists and turns involved in a life of mediocracy. Come back on the 10th for stories more interesting than mine.