We're back, a few days later than normal due to the festive break but we have a fantastic podcast to kick start 2026. This month we have two great guests, first up is Jake Davoile, a Fisheries Management Advisor who works for the Angling Trust on a variety of predation projects including the one I really wanted to discuss, seal predation. Yes you read that right, it's a far bigger issue than many even know and Jake plus others have been working tirelessly to re-home seals that ended up in the river Nene with devastating impacts to fish populations. This really is a must-listen as seals in our freshwater systems are on the rise and sadly seal predation has decimated many freshwater river sections in recent years, including a section of the Thames that I was fishing only last year.

We follow that with a thoroughly enjoyable chat with Simon Hartop. Now in my opinion Simon once caught a carp that rocked the angling world, almost unknown at the time but equally as impactful as the Black Mirror but this one was even harder to catch. We get an insight into that incredible campaign, as well as his time on the Thames and how fishing for odd uns, carp with very few captures has consumed him over the years. It's not all carp, it was wonderful to touch on Si's editorial work with the BCSG magazine and his involvement with Gaz's Subsurface journals too. To add a little slice of nostalgia to the mix I got to record this chat on Si's old Thames boat, the "Griffin" as by some strange turn of fate my good friend Liam now owns it and it's taken on a new chapter in it's angling life. Hope you enjoy it and Happy New Year to all our listeners.

We have a whopper of a podcast this month for you to enjoy. We recorded this live "in session" over at Embryo's Baulking lake in Oxford. Me and Mark had already caught a couple each so we discussed our approach, especially in depths of over 35 feet. This certainly added a few new challenges to think about. Another topic of conversation was bait application, the art of stealth and we ask ourselves can you ruin a session before you've even really started. This is also a special episode as we have carp fishing royalty on as our special guest, Mr John Carver. John is a man who was present when Chris Yates caught his iconic Redmire record, fished with Jack Hilton, caught his first Redmire carp on a slice of ginger and even went on to run the syndicate. This one really is a trip down memory lane....

It's great to be back behind the mic once again with a new episode of The Carp Fishing Podcast. Our special guests this month are a carp fishing comedy duo, in fact trying to get the pair of them to be serious for an hour or so wasn't easy but it worked. Jon Miller aka The Swedish Godfather and Jake Bromley aka The Housewife's favourite join me for a good old natter, just like the ones most of us have while sat round a kettle on the bank. Jon especially would have never agreed to come on if it wasn't for Jake's gentle encouragement but I am glad he did as Mr Miller has been around the block. His album is bursting at the seams with big carp yet most of them rarely see the light of day. Jake is also a ninja when it comes to catching big uns so I tried my best to extract some pearls of wisdom along the way.

Their humour was infectious but sadly some of the Essex slang was lost on me, they call each other potato, what is that about? We also have the usual dose of mine and Marks ramblings and this month we touch on the subject of content over exposure. Specifically if you're making content without awareness of these issues. We discuss the impact content can have on venues, locations, the fish and discuss a recent film that dropped called "Bon Sens" from the guys at Brakass. This film hit hard recently and without spoiling the discussions it's one to check yourself. Lastly, we have our resident Scandinavian Leney aka The Panther reading his monthly sermon. Get your answers quickly to win a Baitworks prize. Enjoy.

What a treat to have Pete Orchard as our guest this month. Pete's been the river keeper at the famous Longford Estate for decades. The Hampsire Avon runs through his soul and so does some pretty crazy punk music. Pete has been known to sport a mohawk and a cravat on the same day, he's a really colourful character with endless stories to tell but it was the discovery of giant carp in this crystal clear river that became our talking point. Pete's tales of uncaught giants gliding between the streamer weed were wonderful but like many things in life you have to make hay while the sun shines, as nothing lasts forever. In addition Mike and Mark talk in depth about watercraft, the changing of the seasons and how this impacts tactics and of course we have another sermon drop from the Panther aka Tim Harris and if you're the first to get it right, you'll win a Baitworks bait bundle! Enjoy.

This month we have a great guest and one angler we've been longing to get on the podcast for some time, James Parry. James first came on my radar when a picture surfaced of a giant carp, one that had a stature like the iconic Black Mirror. This fish was as good as it gets and became etched in carp fishing history as one of the best we've ever seen. James recounts his adventure that ended with his dream carp in the folds of his net, a story that won't fail to get you buzzed up for an adventure. James also tells of his discovery of a record sized carp back when big carp were rarer than hen's teeth, proper pioneering stuff. That aside, me and Mr Bryant discuss rigs, water levels, low oxygen issues and touch on a recent trip that had us both paddling our own canoe down a river for 6 hours in 37c heat........ enjoy!

Simon Scott returns to the mic this month as we delve into what's happened since his capture of the incredible Burghfield common. We also delve into years of carp behaviour and touch on how Simon's observations have shaped his own angling approach. Si never fails to drop pearls of his wisdom during these chats and I'm sure you'll enjoy this one as me and Mark pick his brain on a variety of topics we've never really discussed with him before. As well as Simon's interview we have our usual ramblings this month that touch on rig camo, rig mechanics, the importance of bait palatability and taste and how this plays a vital role when it comes to rig mechanics. The panthers sermon competition is thrown in for good measure as it gathers more cult status so don't forget to throw your answer in to be in with a chance of winning a Baitworks prize. Enjoy.

Sit tight, cross your legs and brace yourself for a typical Mark Bryant story about a subject many would keep under wraps, but not Mr Bryant. Having recently had the "chop" Mark recalls his time on the operating table with some hilarious moments mixed in. Mark pecker aside we recorded this one in session and got to discuss our tactics while the buzzers scream for help on numerous occasions. Light leads, oily boilies, a carp's desire for fat and protein post spawning are just a few topics covered. I also catch up with Otto Reade and get to delve into his recent 5 week solo trip to France. A trip that tested his mental and physical resilience to the max. He very nearly came home after the first week having hit many challenging obstacles but through gritted teeth it worked through the pain and turned his session into a trip of a lifetime. Otto's account is both honest, raw and relatable. Enjoy.

As promised, we're back with the second part of mine and Gaz's podcast. This time around we delve into the realities of public, days only fishing as experienced during our recent "40 Autumns" film. These days only venues are hard graft, rules are strict, fines are harsh and they're not everyones cup of tea. Also in certain areas, these lakes usually have a dark, shady vibe as darkness arrives and the venue in question ticked all those boxes, including the local dogging hotspot. We jokingly called all these things "carp protectors" as fishing them is not for the faint hearted but what an adventure we had. As usual you'll also get your monthly dose of Mike and Mark ramblings, included is a funny story of how I managed to make Gaz's hair look like a giant afro on a recent road trip capture shot. Last but not least, our monthly sermon returns as Panther Harris delivers his latest reading. The first person to simply guess the author, book and chapter name wins a prize. Enjoy.

We're back again with another episode of the Carp Fishing Podcast and what a difference four weeks can make. In fact in this episode we've gone from frosts to Mark floater fishing live on the bank as he tries to outwit a cotswold carp on a freelined floater. While the events unfold we discuss a recent Baitworks staff social, the importance of a stealthy approach and we also touch on a guest session with a lovely chap called Graham who donated money to the Angling Trust through an auction to fish with me and Mark for 24 hours. The Panthers sermon is back after last month's popularity with the chance to win a Baitworks prize. We finish off with a great guest, my recent right hand man on our Forty Autumns film, Gaz Fareham. This time I got a chance to chat through his work life balance, how things have changed, the demands of work overnighters, keeping it fun and in perspective and we finish off with a tale of a big un caught between a busy work schedule. Enjoy.

Welcome back to another episode of The Carp Fishing Podcast. This month we have a new feature, in fact it's a competition so keep your ears primed for the Panthers Sermon and be in with a chance of winning a Baitworks bundle. That aside, we touch on a great trip we just experienced in Europe, Mark's deep sleep patterns, the importance of water depth in the spring before we have a great chat with this month's guest, Jack Barrett. Jack is no stranger to big carp and his passion and obsession with being outdoors was plain to see. We got to delve into a tale that saw Jack land a 50lb plus urban mirror, one that came with many challenges before Jack managed to get his moment. Also, we discuss the issue of money moves in the industry and how at times that doesn't always align with authenticity and integrity. Enjoy.