Quest Baits Blog

How fortunate we are that our passion takes us to the water’s edge with friends and especially our children. For me fishing for carp is a journey of learning & sharing knowledge.  Fishing is very educational, entertaining and through it we can begin to understand many things about life.

First & foremost we must respect nature… it’s vital for the future of angling. Preserving the quality of rivers, lakes and ponds, understanding its rythm while respecting the fauna and flora. I’ve spent so many good times at the water’s edge listening to the singing birds, watching as the sun rises and warms the atmosphere.  Or a sunset, heralding the end of day and the beginning of a night which we hope will be hectic with carp takes.

But also we must learn to observe… jumping carp, small movements on the surface of the water which will help us to put more carp on the mat.

All this reminds me of a 48 hours session spent with my son.  It was very hot but with good observation, experience and a good bait from Shaun Harrison we put a few carp in the landing net.  Beautiful photos and really good times at the waters edge.

Fishing for carp gives us magical moments forever etched in our memory. Have fun, respect nature, observe carefully & be confident in your approach and your bait and the rest will follow.

See you soon at the water’s edge.

Romu, France

Part 2 of Elie Godsi’s excellent article.  Part 1 is here.

There are as many different forms of contact as there are forms and methods of fishing. Consider the bob, twitch or slide as a lifeless float tip begins to dance on the water’s surface. One instant it is there and the next, as if by magic it can completely disappear.

Or the almost unbearable agony as a pair of rubbery lips finally breaks surface, nudging and prodding at the floating dog biscuits one by one but ignoring the hookbait.

When touch ledgering at night; the rod, the line, my arm and me, all merged into one: that electric moment when I get a sudden sensation of a rod springing to life in my hand. If all goes according to plan, the bite, the strike and that wonderful solidity of contact become one seamless experience.

And of course, oh joy, the sound of a buzzer waking me up instantly from deep sleep at three in the morning. continue reading…

Elie Godsi with 47lb+ of Laroussi Joy!

Let’s face it, for most people fishing in general is viewed as a bit weird and quite boring; for the outsider, carp fishing lies somewhere between the quaint and the full blown anorak. To us it might seem self evident why we are obsessed with this species, with fishing in general. Yet it can be so hard to explain to the uninitiated, to get beyond the many stereotypes and common myths about angling. People think we just sit motionless for hours sipping tea and catching nothing (though sometimes, all too often, we do); that we really do heave in old boots (I’m sure this must have happened to someone somewhere). Yes, we do own overgrown green umbrellas and yes, wearing waders looks funny.

When trying to explain why I am so passionate about my fishing, there are certain aspects that are easier for people to relate to and in my experience this is usually the best place to start. I can wax lyrical about the therapeutic and replenishing nature of being near water and my need to immerse myself in natural places. And I do. I can discuss the primeval need for the hunting instinct to gain expression in a modern junk food instant gratification superficial hi-tech world. I can speak genuinely of my need for peace and solitude; ‘getting away from it all’ is something almost everyone can relate to and I am usually on safe ground here. Above all else, it is easiest for people to relate to fishing as an essentially sedate pastime. Perhaps the most unshakeable myth about fishing is that it is largely uneventful and therefore relaxing if not utterly boring. This is however, exactly where the credibility vacuum lies: we all know just how exciting fishing for carp can be but how could anyone normal get excited about a fish? continue reading…