CarpFever 2015

Q&A
What does a busy day look like in the life
of Mark Pitchers?
What was your biggest achievement
in angling the past 12 months?
It is pretty hectic. I hold around four
24-hour tutorial sessions a week which
by the time travelling is taken into the
equation means being away from home
for five days at a time. Around these I also
fit in magazine features, filming and my
consultancy work, as well as carrying out
work and maintenance on my fishery. It is
very demanding of my time; I’m lucky I have
a very understanding family.
Below: Mark
and Harry
Charrington
busy filming last
year’s C.A.R.P.Y
Challenge for the
Fox Edges DVD.
Wow, that is a tough one. I would probably
have to say the whole Challenge concept.
I never thought for one moment it would
become as popular as it has, and I am very
proud, and also incredibly humbled by the
positive response it has received.
What makes you a carp freak?
Well, I’m sure it sounds pretty sad but carp
fishing is always on my mind, I have fished
from a very early age and I have never lost
that ‘buzz’. I love everything about the sport;
the nature and the environment, be it either
urban or rural, and when the alarm sounds
the adrenaline still pumps, and regardless of
size I just like catching carp. So, I think that
makes me a carp freak…
We’re not used to naming our fish…
what is the craziest name you have heard
someone name a catch in the UK?
I’m not a fan of naming fish. Some lakes in
England allow you to name a fish if you’re the
first one to catch it or if it’s over a certain
size. As a result there are fish with silly or
inappropriate names. However, some of the
fish in my lake do have ‘descriptions’ rather
than names, just as a way of identifying them
for my records really. One fish has a white
waxy patch on its face, it’s had it for years,
I’m not sure I can say here what it gets called,
it’s a bit X-rated!
www.carpfever.co.za December 2015 | 11