BCAC- SOLD OUT

So, the British Carp Angling Championship sold out in less than 6 hours!! This is amazing as there are 6 qualifiers, over 6 different weekends at 18 different lakes. This proves that carp fishing is a sport with a huge following and one that i feel is now getting the coverage it deserves. To get the latest info on participants, sponsors etc check out http://www.britishcarpchamps.co.uk/ The site is packed full of useful information. The event is something Team Carp Times will be entering next year...........i just need to select a few anglers to be part of the team. Anyone interested send me a CV :) Watch and keep reading the blog for team news and announcements.

On a separate issue i was watching the One Show..........please don't hold that against me........and i was intrigued by what i saw. The latest craze apparently is instead of having turkey for Christmas dinner is to have carp. The clip went on to talk how a major supermarket chain will be stocking carp frozen that can be eaten. This is something i can't get my head round as i have always caught carp and appreciated it and returned it. The thought of eating one disgusts me quite frankly. i would be interested to hear your views and thoughts on this story.

That is all for now i'm afraid as i still haven't had time to go out although the time is getting nearer as i will have more free time very soon. The rebranding of Carp Times is underway and there will be a new logo and strap line in the new year. Something to look forward too!!

For now tight lines..

P.s if anyone would like to have their picture with their latest carp pic in the blog please send me the weight and where it was caught with the picture (obviously) and i will include some.

BRRRRR.............getting colder!

So its getting colder and the winter tactics are definitely in full swing and there have been some cracking plump, fattened up carp caught from a number of locations. Here is just one of them caught by our friend Mark Casper

Just had a read of Airfields Lakes blog (http://blog.airfieldlakes.com/) and Rich has just stocked Mustang lake with 20 more mirrors the biggest going in just under 16lb. I must find the time to go for a couple of days. On that point i haven't been out for a while. There has been a lot of things going on and they haven't all been fishing related.

On the plus side it is nearly Christmas!!! This is a great time to buy a friend or family member that piece of carping kit they have been needing. Check out our suppliers on Carp Times to have a look where you can source it from (http://www.carptimes.co.uk/tackle).

I imagine lots of you carpers/ angling fans will be emerging on the Norfolk Show ground for the British Carp and Angling Show. I will be there myself but in a networking nature speaking to potential suppliers for the new website not exhibiting. This will be a great event with tutorials, many different suppliers, free goodies and many competitions to enter. Matt Hayes will be amongst the people attending i believe so it will offer a great opportunity to chat to someone who has made a living out of successful angling. For more information have a look and check out the latest updates regarding the show (http://www.britishcarpshow.co.uk/index.htm).
Make sure you keep that weekend free..............21st and 22nd january!!


For now get lucky and don't forget to pack your thermals. Its getting chilly on the................finger tips!!

Carp Times

Complete Revamp!!

So Carp Times will be going under a complete revamp all of which will be revealed in the early part of 2012!!!! 

This is VERY VERY exciting!

 The revamp will include re-branding consisting of a new logo and a new mark. Coinciding with this the current website (www.carptimes.co.uk) will be no longer as we are having a new one designed and built. This is obviously a very exciting time for us at Carp Times and we appreciate all of your support and we will be letting suppliers know of the new advertising ideas. If you are interested in getting an early heads up and might want to be listed on the site or have an advertising space, drop us an email to info@carptimes.co.uk so we can discuss things further. 

If you have any questions or queries about the new site please don't hesitate to contact us.

The power of networking and general update

I wasn't really aware of 'networking events' until my other half started attending them to promote her business (www.norfolkbrides.co.uk). I attended one last night as a 'guest' and discovered what all the fuss was about. For those of you unsure networking events are where business owners/representatives go and chat to other people in hope of getting some work or maybe some recommendations. This is the fundamental idea of the events. However, the benefit often comes when you are not even at the events but in general day to day work as you build up your business links and people recommend your business. I have seen the fruition of this regarding the growth of my fiancés business. It really does have its benefits. Some groups differ but this particular one (www.norwichkitty.com) is laid back, not as formal and extremely cost effective. Most importantly it is growing and growing fast.

Networking definitely benefits your business and I recommend it. I met some businesses that i will be using in the future to help with branding, marketing, wed design and printing. Its all very exciting for us and we are looking forward to big things happening. I appreciate it is taking time with certain things eg. the e-zine and suppliers wanting adverts added to the site. This is all proving tricky at the minute and more will be revealed very soon.

Hope we are all cashing in and catching some fattening carp before the winter definitely gets upon us. For now all the best and get lucky!!

Greedy pike!!!

I was browsing through my local newspaper yesterday when i came across a rather interesting story. The story was about a 12lb pike that unfortunately died after trying to eat a 3lb carp!! When reading it i thought it was extraordinary. I know pike eat some big meals but that was crazy.

Here is the link to the article. Hope you find it interesting............especially the bit about the taxidermist. Maybe i should take up!!

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/clare_pike_meets_its_match_1_1093245

Another tough trip ends with a blank at the syndicate!

It was Wednesday evening and the weather was grim.......rain and wind just as me and my good friend Will Farrow from Darrow Fishing Tackle headed to our syndicate lake. as we arrived the weather had calmed down so we got our rods etc ready and got them in the lake. After a walk around the lake and seeing some pike relaxing near the bank i regretted not having my spinning rod with me. This aside we had come for carp. The lake isn't particularly big and as we were the only ones there so we tried to cover as much of it as possible. This didn't help us. We used a variety of different methods all of which had no success. This said once we had the bait in the water it gave us some time to get the bbq on and have a great feed on burgers and sausages as well as  a few beers (and i have to admit a bottle of rose). Needless to say getting to sleep wasn't a problem and we were both soon in the land of nod hoping to be woken up by a screaming bite alarm.............this didn't happen.

After awaking in the morning with not a single bleep we decided to have a sausage sandwich and call it a day. We knew it was going to be tough as it always is with 25 carp in a small lake and locating them is not easy. We will return for more drinking and gossiping as well as some fishing to help pass the time.............all in all it was an enjoyable evening even though we didn't catch. Who says you need to catch to enjoy yourselves??

For now carpers get lucky and catch those fattening carp before the winter gets here.

Next trip planned and some technical stuff!!

So i am out next Wednesday for a session with a very good friend of mine Will Farrer. You may of heard me mention him before. We are basically heading to a friends private water which I mentioned previously in hope of bagging some fish. The lake is tough but we are feeling confident we are going to get a fish on the bank. Will has been a carp fishermen for many years and has a lot of success fishing some tricky waters. He has recently opened his own tackle shop and is predominantly a Fox distributor but also stocks a large range of Middy, Shimano and other coarse companies as well as some sea fishing tackle and rods. If you are in and around Norfolk give him a look at Darrow Farm as his service is fantastic and passes on his knowledge and expertise. We are heading to the lake next Wednesday night and hope to bag a fish while they are on the feed.

The technical side is in fairness not that technical really................just a breakdown in seemingly an easy process. However, this is all I am saying for now as i am getting increasingly frustrated but I am sure everything will be all sorted very soon! I'm sure a fish or two will help with the stress levels.

I must congratulate Lee Merritt on catching a cracking mirror at 45lb 8oz which is UK PB mirror!! Well in Lee!


Thats all for now.

Lets all be lucky and land some big carp.

Tim @ Carp Times

Very quiet

So its been a while since i have posted anything........mainly because i have been uber busy with not just Carp Times but a few other ventures i have going on as well. I have also been under the weather with this horrible illness.......man flu!!! Just letting you know guys be very afraid of catching this. You literally can't do anything...........or so i told the other half anyway.

With the life threatening virus gone i am planning a trip to one of my friends private lakes. It is a very touch lake with it being around 3 acres in size and only around 25 good size carp. There are a few twenties, a few less thirties and one common caught at the right time that may top 40. He hasn't been caught for a long time so he is due out. The bed of the lake is very weedy so more than likely i will fish with a chod with a Nash pop up. I may also try a zig to see if we can gauge some fish if the chod isn't successful. I will be heading down with my good friend Will Farrer from Darrow Fishing Tackle to see if we can bag a fish or two.

For now I am back trying to get a few things sorted out..........website wise. I will keep you posted with all the latest news on all things Carp Times.

Tight lines danglers!!

Tim @ Carp Times

Baitboat banked and i blanked!!

So, the headline says it all really. Once again i got beaten by Airfield Lakes. As you can imagine i am rather disappointed as i was looking forward to getting on the bank and getting a bend in the rod again.........unfortunately it wasn't to be.........this time!! This means i will have to go back and have another go so its not all bad i guess. Richard, the lake owner says the lake is very up and down. Sometimes on certain days there will be a few fish out other days nothing. I saw one fish out all day.

As far as the banked baitboat goes it was rather unfortunate as the angler was trying to get his bait as close to the island as possible. Unfortunately he wasn't aware there was a ledge before the drop off and consequently banked his baitboat. Not a good start to his days fishing. He did mention swimming in and getting it but being the gent and helpful guy Rich is he said he would rescue the bait by rowing out to it. As sad as it may seem this was the most interesting thing that happened all day. I'm back home planning and thinking of how to attack the water next time.........i wont be beaten and i will land an Airfield carp.

For now.......hope you have more luck than me!

Getting set for a day session

So today has been spent getting a few things ready for my day session on Thursday to Airfield Lakes. It involved a trip to see my friend Will at Darrow Fishing Tackle (http://www.darrowfarm.co.uk/) just outside Diss in Norfolk to get some of the desired bait, flavourings, pellet and some PVA as supplies were running low. Bait is now being soaked and i have prepared some bags ready for action..........i just hope i have more action than last time!! I am feeling good about Thursday's trip however because Richard has said in his blog (http://blog.airfieldlakes.com/) the lake has been fishing pretty well and the carp are now starting to feed on Nash squid and Mainline Cell boilies. We will see how we get on!

I hope when i arrive Thursday there isn't too many lines in the water so i will have a pick of swims. Thats all for now carpers.............be lucky and tight lines!!

Carp Times

Wedding weekend!

Now i know this is not fishing related at all but i like to know how you fishermen got on over the weekend if you were lucky enough to wet a line so i am keeping you posted on what i got up to.

The 'Wedding Weekend' started Friday night. To cut a long rather dull story short it involved me getting in from work and going to help prep for the wedding that was taking place on the Saturday...............5 hours later we returned home midnight knowing we had to be back at 9 to assist and help the groom get through the day as my delightful other half was 'Best woman'...............not the conventional way but hey it was different and a good choice! The wedding came and went without a glitch and we ate loads of food and had a very chilled out party after which was fantastic. We left at 9pm as we were both struggling to keep our eyes open!!

Sunday came and i had foolishly set my alarm for 7am to get up and watch England take on Georgia in the rugby world cup. Needless to say we won convincingly and i should of stayed in bed. Sunday afternoon arrived and it was Wedding Fair time! This is something, if i am being honest i never thought i would of got into but as i am getting married myself and my fiancee has a wedding directory i have found myself drawn in to these shows and dare i say it........they are actually ok. We were there for 3 hours.........i know......longer than planned and anticipated as it enabled my other half to do some networking. We chilled out after the show and had a drink and i was thinking.........why am i not fishing?! Needless to say i didn't say this out loud! We drove the short distance home and chilled out after a weekend full of cupcakes, dresses, dramas and emotions.

All in all i had a great weekend and it makes me even more excited about my trip to Airfield Lakes on Thursday!!

Hope you got a few on the bank over the weekend if you were fortunate enough to go fishing for now tight lines!!

e-mag this, e-mag that.....in, out in out.......market it all about!!

So i have been very busy working on editing articles, looking through adverts coming up with competitions for the e-mag. That reminds me, a massive thank you to Simon Hollis from Splashbaits, Andy from AD Fishing (www.adfishingsupplies.com) and Steven Shallcross from Ultracarprigs (www.ultracarprigs.co.uk) all of whom have donated some great prizes for some lucky carpers to get there hands on. More information will be coming soon regarding the different competitions..........remember, you have to be in it to win it!!

If you are a carp supplier and you to would like to donate a prize for competition please get in touch and drop me a line at info@carptimes.co.uk.

Secondly, Carp Times is undergoing some changes. We are now working closely alongside a very well established marketing company. We have made this decision for a number of reasons but the main ones are to increase brand awareness and improve and re-structure our marketing strategy. This will give our suppliers more coverage by the introduction of improved SEO work and making the website more interactive and aesthetically pleasing. All technical terms i know and i apologise for that but we are doing this for the benefit of our suppliers.

Things are happening and we are all very excited.................I just need to remember Rome wasn't built in a day!!

For now happy dangling!

Next trip..............

So my next trip is over  a week away which to be fair is way to far away. It is the problem though of being busy with lots of other things occurring all the time. I am hoping for more luck though as the venue i am fishing i blanked on last time i visited........a slight change of tactics will be in order and hopefully there wont be as many lines in the water!! Anyway, i hope you all had a successful weekend and managed to get some fish on the bank.

Tight lines!

A great purchase!

Horrid weather!!

What ridiculous weather!! Not the nicest day for some fishing........hopefully Thursday will be better when hopefully i will get a chance to wet a line again!! I'm looking forward to it. Follow to find out how i get on!

Carp Times

First blog

So this is the first Carp Times blog!! This is all new to me so please bare with me.

We have been up and running since the end of April and the site is going from strength to strength with increased hits each month and visits. At this moment in time i am in talks with a highly regarded marketing company called Farrows (http://www.farrows.co.uk/index.php) to give the site, brand and marketing strategy a bit of a kick up the backside................as well as discussing the design work of Carp Times first edition of the e-magazine!!

This is all exciting and i will keep you updated with all the latest news both from the bank and regarding the developments of Carp Times.

For now tight lines and be lucky!