Name: Martin Mumby

Age: 59

Hometown: Monmouth

Occupation: Mac operator, printing trade.

Website/Blog Address: Catch Cult Angling Magazine

Angling Questions

UK Specimen Fish of Note: 2 x 30lb river pike and a 30lb carp from ‘Heartbreak lake’!

Venues fished: Pit’s, ponds, lakes, lochs, canals, reservoirs and rivers. Not caught a carp from a loch yet!

Favourite venue: The River Wye, Scottish lochs and Heartbreak lake.

Favourite Methods: Float trotting for pike, legering for chub and barbel and sitting behind 3 rods for carp

Top fishing tip: Fish to the conditions, especially in the winter, to get the odds in your favour. Enjoy your fishing and have a sense of humour…it’s only fishing!

Highlight of angling career:   Catching a 30lb river pike. Meeting some wonderful people, including Eddie Price,  and going on to publish and design some great fishing books, including The Barbel Society book. Recently, introducing my grandchildren to the gentle art.

Tell Us A Little About Your Angling Life: Started as a kid with my Dad and uncle on the river Severn. Caught a 3lb tench when I was about 12 and this got me into trying to catch better than average fish….been failing at it ever since!

Future Aims & Goals in angling: To enjoy my fishing. To fish on my terms, with who, where, and when I want! To try and improve all my pb’s and encourage my grandchildren to love fishing and the natural world….which they do already. To work on more fishing books, so if there are any budding authors out there….

What is The Main Food You Eat When You Are On The Bank: Bacon or sausage sandwiches in the morning and either curry, pasta or my Saturday eve treat of fish and chips.

And Finally, 3 words to describe The Hook Bait Company: Quality, quality and quality.

Non-Angling Questions

Apart From Fishing What Are Your Other Favourite Sports Or Pastimes: Squash, racketball, rugby union, and used to play a lot of golf. Interested in wildlife, especially birds of prey.

Which Team Do You Support: England rugby team, European Ryder Cup team and Aston Villa.

Favourite Genre Of Music: Mainly rock and blues.

You 5 Favourite Bands: Pink Floyd, Led Zep, David Bowie, Stevie Ray Vaughn. Not a band but I think Count Arthur Strong is a comic genius, for crying out loud!

Do You Have Any Pets: 2 cats. Ziggy and Jeanie.

Favourite Food & Drink: Traditional stuff. Known as a total food ‘weirdo’ on the bank! Not into communal meals but will drink pretty much anything, especially real ale and red wine.

Back to Field Testers

Name: Jamie Stanley

Age: 43

Hometown: Poole

Occupation: Ship Builder

Angling Questions

UK Specimen Fish of Note: Chub 7lb 15 oz, Barbel 14lb 3oz, Crucian carp 2lb 15oz, Tench 10lb 7oz, Perch 4lb 14oz, Pike 26lb 8oz, Roach 2lb 11oz, Bream 13lb 12oz, Carp 35lb 4oz, Eel 4lb 9oz, Dace 14oz, Salmon 15lb, Sea trout 12lb 2oz, Grayling 2 lb 15 oz.

Venues fished: Horton Church Lake, Frimley, Roach Pit, Rockford, Hampshire Avon.

Favourite Venue: Dorset Stour

Favourite Methods:Touch Legering

Top Fishing Tip: You can only catch what’s in front of you don’t waste valuable time on waters that don’t contain the fish you want to catch. Find them, bait them, catch them.

Highlight of angling career: Catching my first 4 lb perch what an amazing sight.

Tell Us A Little About Your Angling Life: I started fishing at the age of 8, my dad used to take me pike fishing to the river Stour, we never caught much but I used to love going with him. At the age of twelve, I got into carp fishing at a local pond catching some nice commons to 8 lb on worm. One day whilst fishing worm at the pond I caught a monster Perch by mistake, I could not believe the size of it from that day on a specimen hunter was born.

Future Aims & Goals in angling: To carry on enjoying my fishing and try to keep upping my pb list. I am also trying to get my son interested in the sport so he can help me cart my gear around when I am to old to do it

What is The Main Food You Eat When You Are On The Bank: Pasta, curry, and way to much chocolate. I am also a caffeine addict so lots of coffee and tea.

And Finally, 3 words to describe The Hook Bait Company: Quality, Helpful, Focussed.

Non-Angling Questions

Apart From Fishing What Are Your Other Favourite Sports Or Pastimes: Don’t have time for other sports, too busy fishing!

Which Team Do You Support: Don’t like football

Favourite Genre Of Music: club, trance, rock, pop.

Your 5 Favourite Bands: Oasis, Coldplay, Green Day, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren.

Do You Have Any Pets: No

Favourite Food & Drink: My wife’s roast dinners and coffee.

Back to Field Testers

Name: Nick Hay

Age: 56

Hometown: Marston Moretaine

Occupation: Electrician

Angling Questions

UK Specimen Fish of Note: 37lb 2oz Common Carp, 12lb 8oz Barbel, 5lb 12oz chub, 7lb 8oz male Tench

Venues fished: Linear complex, Great Ouse, local claypits

Favourite venue: Great Ouse

Favourite Methods: Stalking

Top fishing tip: Stay focused and make the effort to be different from the norm.

Highlight of angling career: 37 common stalked in the margins.
Tell Us A Little About Your Angling Life: Been fishing since I was 8, started carp fishing when I started work and up until about 10 years ago was all I did, been fishing for barbel,chub, tench and perch in the main and loving every minute of it, favourite method for me is stalking, just love the excitement and outwitting our quarry.

Future Aims & Goals in angling: Be more pro-active if time allows, want to beat my PB barbel this winter.

What is The Main Food You Eat When You Are On The Bank: Cheese and pickle sarnies, love em!

And Finally, 3 words to describe The Hook Bait Company: Good Honest Bait

Non-Angling Questions

Apart From Fishing What Are Your Other Favourite Sports Or Pastimes: Grandkids !!

Which Team Do You Support: Man Utd

Favourite Genre Of Music: Soul

You 5 Favourite Bands: 4 Tops, Temptations… too many to choose from !!

Do You Have Any Pets: Used to have German Shepherds but sadly no more.

Favourite Food & Drink: Fine Brandy, real Ale, curry and Chinese.

Back to Field Testers

Name: Lewis Gaukrodger

Age: 23

Hometown: Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Occupation: Product Designer.

Website/Blog Address: Rod Tips Pointing Skywards

Angling Questions

UK Specimen Fish of Note: Pike 28lb 13oz, Barbel 14lb 14oz, Chub 5lb 8oz, Perch 2lb 9oz, Carp- (River) 15lb 8oz.

Venues fished: Too many to list but mainly around Lincolnshire.

Favourite venue: Any venue with an ‘unknown’ factor.

Favourite Methods: Legered dead bait for pike in the winter months and free-lining for chub in summer.

Top fishing tip: If you’re not confident in your approach change it.

Highlight of angling career: Seeing my first magazine article published in Pike and Predators.

Tell Us A Little About Your Angling Life: I was taught to fish on a small Yorkshire river by my dad from the age of 4, mainly targeting roach and perch. From a young age I never really wanted to catch lots of fish I always wanted to target the biggest and this has now progressed into my specimen fishing today. Through the summer months my attention turns to chub and rudd, though come October I begin targeting pike from a number of waters. Towards the back end of the river season I normally get drawn away from the drop off indicators and my attention turns towards barbel from the Tidal Trent.

Future Aims & Goals in angling: Simply to continue enjoying my fishing and time spent on the bank, whether its a blank or a red letter day.

What is The Main Food You Eat When You Are On The Bank: I have to admit that my staple diet when on the bank is pot noodles, quick simple, no mess and 3 different flavours providing breakfast, lunch and tea!

And Finally, 3 words to describe The Hook Bait Company: Innovative bait ideas.

Non-Angling Questions

Apart From Fishing What Are Your Other Favourite Sports Or Pastimes: Cricket.

Which Team Do You Support: Cricket wise I am Yorkshire through and through (not a massive football fan).

Favourite Genre Of Music: Indie/Rock.

Your 5 Favourite Bands: Arctic Monkey, Foo Fighters, Bastille, Coldplay, Kasabian.

Do You Have Any Pets: I have a working springer spaniel called Elsie.

Favourite Food & Drink: I am a big fan of game so it would have to be Partridge in a berry sauce with stodgy mash and a real ale.

Back to Field Testers

Name: Christian Barker

Age: 42

Hometown: Ipswich

Occupation: Science Teacher.

Website/Blog Address: Watch this space?

Angling Questions

UK Specimen Fish of Note: Chub 6lb 4oz (Suffolk River), Pike 21lb (Suffolk River), Roach 2lb 1oz (Suffolk River), Perch 2lb 7oz (Suffolk Still Water), Bream 10lb 10z (Suffolk Still Water), Carp 24lb 12oz (Suffolk Still Water), Tench 7lb 9oz (Suffolk Still Water), Rudd 1lb 15oz (Suffolk River).

Overseas Specimen Fish of Note: Never spent more than 3 weeks out of the county of Suffolk (see above! lol).

Venues fished: Waveney, Gipping, Swale, Stour, Wye.

Favourite venue: Just love being near any flowing water.

Favourite Methods: Stalking using natural baits and winter ledgering for Chub.

Top fishing tip: Be prepared to do things differently from the crowd.

Highlight of angling career: Catching a 6lb 4oz chub from a small Suffolk river and making front cover of Anglers Mail – even if they had to airbrush my knees out of the picture!

Tell Us A Little About Your Angling Life: I have been a fisherman as long as I can remember. I am a passionate Chub angler and fish for them season through using a variety of methods and baits. I am passionate about spending as much time as possible beside my beloved rivers. When not fishing, I can often be found beside the river bank fish spotting and photographing my quarry below the water’s surface.

Whilst I continue to devote more and more time to my beloved Suffolk Chub, I can turn my hand to catching most species of freshwater species. I love fishing with cane fishing rods but would avoid being pigeon holed as an out and out traditionalist. I dabble a bit in sea fishing when the need takes me and have been known to be affected with Bass fever!

Future Aims & Goals in angling: 100 chub over 4lb in a calendar year.

What is The Main Food You Eat When You Are on the Bank: Pork Scratchings

And Finally, 3 words to describe The Hook Bait Company: Quality, Passion, Bespoke.

Non-Angling Questions

Apart From Fishing What Are Your Other Favourite Sports Or Pastimes: Keeping fit, photography, shooting, reading and cinema.

Which Team Do You Support: Hook Bait Company! With Iain Nairn up front and our new signing Swordsy… Should be unstoppable this season!

Favourite Genre of Music: Anything from Sinatra to DubStep.

Your 5 Favourite Bands: Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Oasis, Biffy Clyro, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra.

Do You Have Any Pets: Here we go! Peanut and sparkle (rabbits), Lily (cat), Wooster and Willow (dogs)….

Favourite Food & Drink: South Indian style Curry washed down with a cold bottle of Cobra beer.

Back to Field Testers

Iain Nairn : http://nairny.blogspot.co.uk/

Lee Swords : www.leeswordsfishing.co.uk/

Jon Preen : http://onthebankandinthestands.wordpress.com/

Lewis Gaukrodger : http://rodtipspointingskywards.blogspot.co.uk/

Grazy Roberts : www.grazyroberts.com/

Martin Mumby : www.facebook.com/martin.mumby.1?fref=ts

Bruce Ruscoe : http://chasingfishyshadows.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Andrew Kennedy : www.just-fish.co.uk

Back to Field Testers

Name: Jon Preen

Age: 46

Hometown: Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Occupation: Administration for the Football Association

Website/Blog Address: On The Bank & In The Stands & Yorkshire Specimen Group

Angling Questions

UK Specimen Fish of Note: 28lb 10oz Pike, 16lb 2oz Barbel, 6lb 14oz Chub, 2lb 1oz Roach

Venues fished: River Trent, Yorkshire rivers, Local canals & Still waters.

Favourite venue: River Trent

Favourite Methods: Stick float & all forms of feeder fishing.

Top fishing tip: Always listen when it comes to fishing as you never stop learning no matter how knowledgeable you are.

Highlight of angling career: Various match results in my early days, a 2lb 1oz roach as a teenager, my first double figure barbel & having bait ideas i come up with brought to life by The Hook Bait Company.

Tell Us A Little About Your Angling Life: I’ve been fishing for 39 years, since i was 7. I grew up fishing the Trent as well as local still waters and canals. As a teenager I worked in the tackle trade which helped me blossom and learn more than I could dream of as I was working for, and fishing with, some of the cream of the match fishing scene of the day. Working in the trade also really brought out my interest in bait additives as it was around this time that the carp scene really exploded and there were so many flavours coming out and I was always experimenting. A few years ago i decided to swap the Milo box and Pole for a bivvy and a couple of Barbel rods and I haven’t looked back since.

Future Aims & Goals in angling: To enjoy my fishing and pass on knowledge i have picked up over the years to youngsters, after all they are the lifeblood of our sport.

What is The Main Food You Eat When You Are On The Bank: Chilli and rice or Gammon and ‘tatties.

And Finally, 3 words to describe The Hook Bait Company: Quality, productive & innovating.

Non-Angling Questions

Apart From Fishing What Are Your Other Favourite Sports Or Pastimes: Football, Cricket & F1

Which Team Do You Support: Doncaster Rovers

Favourite Genre Of Music: Anything alternative, I’ve been a Goth, punk, hippy and rocker at various points in my life.

Your 5 Favourite Bands: Pink Floyd, The Mission, Fields of the Nephilim, New Model Army, The Cult

Do You Have Any Pets: No

Favourite Food & Drink: Sunday roast with lamb and mint sauce with an ice cold pint of real ale.

Back to Consultants

Back to the Team

Name: Darren McCann

Age: 52

Hometown: Elland – Halifax

Occupation: Managing Director, The Hook Bait Co.

Website/Blog Address: www.hookbaits.com

Angling Questions

UK Specimen Fish of Note: River Carp 38lb, Barbel 13lb, Chub 6lb 10oz, Roach 2lb 2oz (all on 3-B)

Overseas Specimen Fish of Note: Carp 45lb 12oz, Crucian Carp 5lb 4oz

Venues fished: Horton, Savay, Pit 4, Nutty Lane, Upper Severn, Dorset Stour

Favourite venue: Upper Severn – Pioneering country!

Favourite Methods: Stalking and close in fishing.

Top fishing tip: Don’t follow the crowds and keep it simple.

Highlight of angling career: Catching 4 carp in a morning from Horton including ‘Dumpy’

Tell Us A Little About Your Angling Life: Started late in life when I finished school and caught an 8lb tench from Farlows lake. Spent first 15 years chasing carp on some notable venues around the Colne Valley before moving to Wales and discovering the magic of chub and barbel chasing.

Future Aims & Goals in angling: The elusive 7lb chub from the Upper Severn.

What is The Main Food You Eat When You Are On The Bank: Whatever I remeber to pack!

And Finally, 3 words to describe The Hook Bait Company: Bespoke Bait Innovation.

Non-Angling Questions

Apart From Fishing What Are Your Other Favourite Sports Or Pastimes: Rugby

Which Team Do You Support: London Irish, Liverpool

Favourite Genre Of Music: Funk

Your 5 Favourite Bands: The Kinks, Madness, The Police, The Specials, ELO

Do You Have Any Pets: Cat

Favourite Food & Drink: Indian and lager

Meet the rest of the Hook Bait Company Team