“Yeah Right……”

I remember many years ago reading a great quote from Mike Tyson about opponents who had such and such a plan to beat him” Everybody’s got a plan till they get hit in the face” he said..True, very true. Bit like carp fishing isn’t it ( well not the punch to the face but who knows having seen cars fire bombed recently…) Everybody’s a great carp angler…until they have to get out there and do it….especially from November through to April…. If I had a pound for every carp angler who told me that this was going to be his year,that he was going to do overnighters this year, that he was going to tear it apart,do the winter…and didn’t I’d be a very wealthy man…Talk is cheap and actions are what catch carp NOT an increased profile on social media and the best fishing tackle that money can buy.

So I thought a few words on having the drive to succeed would be nice for Bite Edge if you excuse my indulgence. Let me tell you now that just like you I am human and at times carp fishing really pisses me off and my mojo is severely dented. Just a few weeks ago I did a round trip of almost 450 miles to Nashys in crap cold NE conditions for a short session. I managed the only bite on the lake and then the bloody thing dropped off for no apparent reason? And when they are 35 plus that hurts. Believe me that day I was not in love with carp fishing and I could have packed it in there and then..Thank god for caffeine and the Guns and Roses CD in the car….

Take it from me the most successful carp anglers in this country GENERALLY have a LOT more time than you or I( though you’d never think it from the way they carefully hide it in their writings …..cough cough ) but their tackle ,bait and rigs are much the same that anyone could use. But what they do have in abundance is drive to succeed. For some it burns so deep that they are prepared to give up their jobs for it and for others they will give up virtually everything to live a very Spartan lifestyle in pursuit of carp. Now I am not saying that’s right or wrong but what I can tell you is the more focussed and mentally driven you are long term the more successful you will be. But how do you get there when you do have a life outside carp fishing,do have a family and friends you want to keep and do want to keep it as a hobby not an obsession ? Well you can and if I can YOU all can….To keep things in perbadctive as a Legal Adviser in the courts I work a 5 day week and usually that means up at 6am and home for 7pm . I have a home,family,friends, loads of other interests ( rock music,WWE,cycling,motorbikes the lot) and still catch lots of carp each year from a variety of waters all year round. Once again if I can then any of you can…Here are just a few pointers that I have found work for me and keep me focussed…..

1- I only fish waters I like with people I like. The more I enjoy something the more likely I am to keep at it even when conditions are bad, when it ain’t happening and when I am getting a kicking from the carp. Simply fishing waters for the carp alone stopped floating my boat a long time ago. They are carp nothing more,nothing less people…

2- I ignore what people round the country are catching…So what if Carp Talk is full of whackers countrywide/worldwide…How will it affect your fishing or my fishing ? Probably not at all other than by making us think we are getting it wrong…Forget it and concentrate on your water and you’re alone …

3- I ignore what others are catching on the water I am fishing OTHER than as a reference point as to my success on the day. If I am not catching and everyone else is I may have to buck up my ideas but generally that’s not the case. Worrying about what someone caught yesterday and all that stuff can end up driving you mad. Unless they are catching them when I am there I don’t even ask. It just adds to confusion.

4- Be healthy. The healthier you are on and off the bank the better you will feel and fish. I have never met anyone who fished better with a hangover or so bloated and lethargic they couldn’t climb trees,push the barrow or get up early. Each to their own but healthy body,healthy mind and healthy catch rate.

5- Focus when you are there. When I am fishing I don’t read,answer my phone ,write or socialise. I have so little time that the time I do have is spent giving it 100% So that’s watching the water like a hawk,thinking solely about fishing that day and putting distractions to one side…..

So five simple pieces of advice that will probably catch you more than any advice on rigs ,bait and super duper tackle. If you do all that now already fair play to you but from my observations over the last thirty years its the mental side of carp fishing that makes the big difference? Money can buy you bait,rigs,tackle and waters. It could buy you drive and mental focus thank god……..Not even Nashy or Danny can sell it you…….

See you out there and feel free to keep in touch with me via social media
Facebook Julian P Cundiff
Twitter @juliancundiff

Jules

Big Thanks to Julian Cundiff for writing this article 

Caught from a water I like with people I like

Church Lake. Even fishing sometimes kicks me….

I do have a life outside fishing and so should you..

One from a multiple hit short session overnighter and I didn’t even ask who’d caught at the weekend!!

                                                  Six books to my name but I still do it for me nobody else..

                                                              Watching the water like a hawk even in the rain