Competing For Carp, Home And Away

Long-time pals Billy Flowers and Jamie Londors are two of the World’s most consistent carp catchers. The two England Carp Team members share their sessions and insight in Angler’s Mail.

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OUR Carp Team England commitments have been hugely different this year, as we’d usually be talking about this year’s World Championships right now, but it took place much earlier than usual, having been part of the World Angling Games, in South Africa, way back in February. That mega-event seems like a distant memory, but we are now looking forward to the 2020 World Champs, in Ukraine.

This Eastern European country won’t feel like a step into the unknown, as I recently took up a very rare chance to visit it, to compete in a match at the World Champs venue – Trident Lakes, near a place called Lviv.

The invitation to fish a carp match at the venue came at very short notice, so it was hardly surprising that only three members of Carp Team England could make it – manager Rob Hughes, team regular Karl Pitcher and me.

I’d only just got back from a family holiday, so I had to sort my kit out quickly, before meeting Terry Smith, from Euro Carp Tours, who would make the tough 30-hour drive to the venue with all our gear.

Before jetting off, I visited Lincolnshire’s Westmore Fishery, where I met up with the Shimano crew for an open day. It went really well, as we caught a few carp, and it was lovely to chat with people, old and young.

The next morning I was on a flight to Ukraine, and several hours later I was reunited with Terry and my gear. The match was going to be a 72-hour affair, so getting some sleep beforehand was a priority.