NASH PODCAST S2 E65

This weeks’ podcast guest is Martin Symonds. Now Martin may not be a household big carp catching name, but he is a man who coupled with his father Norman has shaped the landscape of carp fishing to the industry we see today.

How? You might ask, well back in the 1960’s Norman brought and formed the first commercial day ticket carp fishing lake “Waveney Valley Lakes” a complex which couple with his importation/stocking of carp from Europe was the mecca of carp fishing at the time attracting anglers such as Rod Hutchinson, Lenny Middleton, Kevin Maddocks, Jack Hilton, Peter Regan, Jeremy Wade and in later years Kevin Nash and John Wilson to name but a few. The lake at the time boasted a number of 20lb+ and even 30lb+ carp spread over its six lakes which at the time was far more than all the other venues in the UK could offer put together. Martin talks about the development of the complex, his father’s vision and legacy as well as the advancements that were made in the importation and rearing of carp. He also covers his experiences fishing with the big names of the time, revolutionary carp fishing developments such as the hair rig came to be used on the complex and ultimately what lead to the site being sold in 1980’s. Keep your ears peeled for Martin also sharing a story about his capture at 13 years of age of a 45lb+ carp that would have claimed the British Record and why this never came to be.

Martin talks in depth about his own life and how he, much like his father carved his own path. To stay Martin has had a “colourful” life would be an understatement. There’s everything from hitchhiking around Canada and The USA which lead to him training with Chuck Norris to him living in Japan and becoming a very successful Koi carp farmer and now buyer. Indeed, Martins Koi business is to this very day incredibly successful with him helping many stars/rich and famous select the very best Koi to be exported all over the world. He’s a gentleman who’s full of character, charisma and knowledge as his career in fish farming, fishery management and general entrepreneurship shows.

After the success at Waveney the family bought Homersfield lake which from a site of utter ruin has become one of the top waters in the country boasting huge carp, catfish, roach and tench. Martin discusses the stocking of this lake from its conception and how a lot of subsequent stock derived from the European fish they imported before importing fish was banned had been spread around venues far and wide across the UK. Indeed, generations later a lot of fish that are caught are no doubt derived from fish that came courtesy of Martin and his father’s work. Nowadays the venue is home to Martin and his family after his fathers passing but its sure to say his father’s legacy, hard work and vision lives on to this very day and testament to him carp fishing owes him a great deal. This is a fascinating look at the background of carp fishing not from just an angling perspective but the formation of a model that fisheries follow to this day.