ANDREW RICHARDSON

Most memorable capture:
Apart from my first 30 and 40, catching my pb Common of 37-4 from a low stocked Lea Valley water, also catching a 40lb 12 along with 3 other 30+ mirrors and a 33-12 Catfish in a weekend.

Funniest moment on the bank:
Whilst on a week session in France I was fishing with a good mate Matt Freeman who was playing a fish, whilst netting we noticed a dead crayfish in the edge which we felt the need to get out for a ‘laugh’. All the pictures were taken of a nice mirror and due to a steep bank Matt stuck his waders on to put it back easier, I saw an opportunity open as whilst he was putting the fish back the crayfish found its way into his shoe. After getting the fish sorted and taking the waders off obviously the crayfish made him jump a bit but nothing too serious, it was when after he shook it out onto the floor to get his shoe on that I threw it back at him for the volley. Swinging full pelt he missed the crayfish then we both watched as his shoe came off and flew a full 25 yards into the lake! We both we in tears with laughing so hard as it landed, luckily it floated and wasn’t too deep so it was salvaged with the waders back on!

About me and my favourite style of angling:
I had my first rod was when I was 6 when my dad cut a bamboo cane from the garden for a trip to a local river to catch Perch, since then I spent a number of years targeting everything that swims. My earliest memory of fishing just for Carp was on a small club water; I was around 8 years old and caught a pb at the time of 2lb 14 on ledgered sugar paste! Throughout my teens I got into the match scene around Essex and Hertfordshire before finally wanting that challenge that comes with fishing for Carp.