Mark takes a rare week off in search of monster carp.
Well, its very rare for me to be away from the factory for more than a day at this time of year but the opportunity to go over and enjoy some French sun was just to much to pass on. With ongoing rise in demand for our products I was somewhat reluctant to go away for a week as we were already a man down at the factory and I just knew I would be returning to a mountain of bait to roll and messages to reply to. Luckily, my misses and sister came to the rescue as both know the business inside out. My misses Claire in particular as she has been with me from the very start, even helps roll on the hand tables from time to time… I know, I’m very lucky! She does put up with a lot!
The journey over was some what eventful as I managed to get the meeting point times muddled up. There I was sat at Dover at 10am when the meeting time was 10pm! Great! I then took the decision to drive all the way back home (Cirencester) that was three and a half hours away. This was a decision I was soon to regret as my trip home came to a stalemate on the dreaded M25. Grid lock. After sitting in traffic for 4 hours I then had my tyre blow out on the M4! With no spare I had no option but to call a friend up to bring a new tyre and drive an hour to assist me! If any of you have changed a tyre on the motorway then you know its quite a scary 10 minutes with lorries etc. whistling past you only 3 yards away. That certainly focuses your mind! By the time I reached Cirencester it was 6pm and I was a wreck. I had just enough time for a cup of tea and a shower before I had to get back in the car and drive all the bloody way back. Not a great start!
Armed with the the mighty Atlantic Heat-shelf life 18mms I introduced over 35kg throughout the week. The shelf-lifes were pre soaked in our ever reliable Hot Fish oil and spodded out at 120 yards range to the back of a bar. I enjoyed a 10 fish haul with carp of 26, 29, 35, 40.4, 42, 44, 45, 46.6, 47.4 and 47.7 gracing my net. Pheewww! To say the fish were well on the bait would be an understatement. Even fish captures from other anglers at the venue had the classic Atlantic Heat deposited in their weigh slings! Home or abroad, they know what’s good for them. There were some almighty fish caught on the trip culminating in a huge 79lb 12oz common caught by Clive Gibbins. What an awesome fish to witness on the bank, just massive!
The trip home was very straightforward with no hiccups to report! I always find going away for a few days from the business does give you fantastic clarity of thought and direction. Walking back through the Factory door Monday morning was something that I was really looking forward to. I feel very lucky to work in an industry that I can absolutely engross myself in. So much so that it does not feel like work to me, just things to do to progress the company.
>Great to be back.
