Nash Tackle Off The Hook Podcast - S2 Episode 32 - Gary Bayes

Explicit content warning

06/06/21 • 159 min

This week joining host Hassan on the podcast is the most eagerly anticipated of guests, none other then NashBait mastermind, former British record holder and the all-round true character that is Gary Bayes.

Gary starts by talking about suffering a recent heart attack and how he is straight back as busy as ever enjoying his life with his unrivalled passion for carp fishing and nature.

In terms of angling there’s no doubting Gary’s track record and pedigree. Despite choosing some incredibly testing venues he’s always had more than his fair share of success.

Starting with “The Essex Manor” he talks about how he managed to catch fish with astonishing regularity despite a lake which had a very well-established baiting campaign on it. He managed to develop a tactic which led to not need to set a morning alarm as he was inevitably woken by a take each morning. His campaign ended with the capture of his target “The Amphibian” which had eluded him for longer than he thought it would. He then decided to go back some years later with a new approach due to his change in circumstances in his private life and managed to catch the reason for his return in the shape of “The Northern Lin”.

Gary then set his sights on the infamous Collingbrooke in Kent. The venue held the British record mirror carp “Two Tone”. In true Gary style he used his bait as a weapon priming areas and managing to catch in his first season. After a very difficult second season due to the fish suffering from a gill parasite he finally managed to capture “Two Tone” at a British Record weight of 61lb 2oz making him the first person to catch a UK 60lber and on the famous Nash Scopex Squid also, a bait of his own creation.

On to the unknown vast expanse Fen Drayton and Gary applied all his knowledge to ensure that he was able to locate and fish spots which led to capturing a number of unknown carp including a common named after him “Bayes Common”. Despite the fish not seeing boilies and feeding on naturals his knowledge of fish feeding and bait lead him to unlock the code on the venue.

Gary shares his thoughts on various matters in the world of bait. From how Scopex Squid came to be to how you can change the way you apply bait to ensure success in your own angling. In this extremely informative section, he shows just how in tune he is with carp, their feeding habits and how as anglers we can adapt things in our baiting approach to help us.

Finally, Gary talks fisheries and how he manages Bayswater, Fen Drayton and a new fishery project which his is very excited to be in the process of developing.

You simply cannot fail to be entertained, educated and inspired by a true great carping mind. As for the man himself we know you’ll love Gary’s “both barrels” approach to everything he does.

Gary starts by talking about suffering a recent heart attack and how he is straight back as busy as ever enjoying his life with his unrivalled passion for carp fishing and nature.

In terms of angling there’s no doubting Gary’s track record and pedigree. Despite choosing some incredibly testing venues he’s always had more than his fair share of success.

Finally, Gary talks fisheries and how he manages Bayswater, Fen Drayton and a new fishery project which his is very excited to be in the process of developing.

You simply cannot fail to be entertained, educated and inspired by a true great carping mind. As for the man himself we know you’ll love Gary’s “both barrels” approach to everything he does.

Previous Episode

Nash Tackle Off The Hook Podcast - S2 Episode 31 - Justin Carter

This week the podcast welcomes Justin Carter, a truly inspirational man with an equally inspirational story having suffered a lifechanging accident whilst carp fishing leaving him paralysed and needing the use of a wheelchair.

Justin talks about his love for big carp and he recalls successful campaigns on Ringstead and Deepings. On Ringstead he managed to bank majority of the stock from both Crackers (a feeder water on the complex) and the main lake cumulating in his incredible capture of “The Lady” at over 55lb.

On Deepings despite some early struggles he managed to find a winning formulae fishing in the weed rather than the clear areas which lead to capturing the biggest fish “Black Spot” twice both times at over 50lb.

Justin talks about his love for fishing and how it contrast’s and balances his busy working life (he is an accountant with his own business) and how he enjoyed regular foreign fishing adventures to the likes of Morocco, France and Hungry in search of big continental carp.

Life changed for Justin when he suffered a fall whilst up a climbing tree fishing on Northley park. He was left paralysed from the waist down, with a punctured lung and torn Aorta. Drifting in and out of consciousness, he had to wait over 3 hours in immense pain before being found and airlifted to hospital. Then began a huge change in Justin’s life.

Over the next two years Justin’s positive mentality and love for his family, friends and desire to get back on the bank has driven him to fight against the odds and get himself rehabilitated to the point at which he is back to work and back out catching 40lbers .

He talks about the highs and lows, how he has changed, advice for people in similar situations as well as the people who have helped him along the way. You simply cannot help but be inspired by this tale and it certainly shows the power of the human mind, how much carp fishing can contribute to people’s lives and it certainly puts life into perspective. A massive thanks to Justin for being so honest and open in sharing his story.

Next Episode

Nash Tackle Off The Hook Podcast - S2 Episode 33 - Alfie Russell

Joining host Hassan this week is an angler who even at a young age has put London urban big carp fishing on the map with a host of incredibley special captures under his belt, it's none other the Alfie Russell.

Alfie is an extremely talented angler who has a passion for fishing in the hustle and bustle of London city searching for the “unknown” special carp that inhabit its waterways. Alfie talks about his childhood and how he learnt his craft under the guidance of his dad and uncle.

Alfie talks about his time with Nash Tackle, which was his first break in the fishing industry at the age of just 13. From his early appearances on the Nash Tackle DVD’s to filming Urban Banx 9 with Alan Blair. He talks through his love for urban fishing and how he is thankful for his time with Nash before he moved onto work with ESP more recently. Alfie also talks about the nature of the London urban big carp scene and how due to respect for his fellow anglers, he keeps locations unnamed as he talks about them in the rest of the podcast.

Alfie talks through his campaign on “The Park” which was the place that elevated his standing in the carp community where he managed to capture both a 40lb+ common and a 40lb+ mirror from the venue. As if this wasn’t impressive enough at the time, he was only a teenager and there was no previous record of capture for both these fish.

Next it was onto “The Forest” where Alfie pitted his skills in pursuit of a huge mirror in a silty old lake. Changing tactics, prebaiting and observing he quarry all led to him ending his time on the venue with his target which was another 40lb+ fish in his arms.

In more recent times Alfie talks about the capture of an epic looking canal 30lb+ linear. The stretch in question is certainly not for the feint hearted with a few scary episodes with the locals and more than one or two considerations in terms of his own personal safety whilst out fishing the canal. Alfie talks through his approach in terms of rigs and baiting and hints to a future video about his campaign on here to be released by ESP.

Finally, Alfie shares an insight into him, his struggles with anxiety, his love for his family and his ambitions and hopes for the future as he launches a hookbait rolling business. He also covers his love for other species namely perch and barbel proving that he’s an incredible all-round angler with truly a wise old fishing head on his young shoulders. There’s one thing for sure there’s more than a few gems of wisdom that will have you thinking about targeting your own urban uncaught carp.