Total Carp Staff

Learn about how 'The Don's' life-long love of carp was formed with Derek Ritchie: The Early Years 

Don’t miss the exclusive interview with Derek ‘The Don’ Ritchie in the latest issue of video magazine Carp Channel Monthly. Derek is now in his sixties yet his obsession with carp fishing is not diminished – the man who has been with Mainline since the beginning is still fishing four times a week. 

In this first part of three, Derek talks about his first 30 years – from his introduction to carp fishing in Southend through to his partnership with Rod Hutchinson and his capture of the Essex carp record at 36lb. As you would expect with any interview with ‘The Don’, it’s compulsive viewing and littered with great stories; including his pioneering use of black eyed beans with tomato soup; and how he once ‘jacked in his job’ and ‘lived’ on an island for a while to concentrate on his carp fishing!

The programme includes some never-seen-before black and white photographs of some of the carp he caught through the 1970s….

Famous carp water to reopen following clean bill of health from scientists. Tests on the fish of the famous Horseshoe Lake have been carried out following a spate of mystery deaths at the venue – with the results showing disease was not to blame. Over 60 specimen carp are estimated to have inexplicably perished since spring, leading CEFAS scientist to conduct stringent virology tests to determine the cause. However two rounds of examinations have come back negative of any trace of disease in the venue’s valuable stocks.

The hugely successful Carp Spectacular, which normally takes place at Brentwood Leisure Centre, has expanded to include extra dates and moved to a larger venue. As well as the winter show in February, now at Garron Park, Southend, there’s an autumn version at the same place on November 5th and 6th. Go to www. carpshow.

Pristine specimen finishes off 40 fish summer total. This stunning 35lb linear tops an amazing run of fish for Bristol-rod, Andy Edwards over the last few months after he put in the hours on a well-known Oxfordshire syndicate water. With a string of specimens already to his credit, including a 34lb 6oz mirror and a number of 20s, Andy caught the big linear from the famous Linch Hill using a 1inch chod rig fished to a tight silt area Andy had located in between weed beds. Fishing at 76yards range Andy’s deadly hook bait that has been the secret to his success, was a cork ball wrapped in Pallatrax Jungle paste.