JOHN CLARIDGE
YEAR BORN: 1973
OCCUPATION: Tackle Den Shop Manager
John Claridge grew up in the Yateley area, and was lucky enough to fish some of the historic waters in their prime.
He has an impressive album, including the iconic mirrors such as Basil, Dustbin, Single Scale and Chunky, to name a few.
John is a family man and works in a busy tackle shop, so his time is rather limited. In the past couple of seasons he has fished the large gravel pits on the Cotswold Water Park catching many big carp to over 47lbs.
A Farriers Common – 43lb 14oz
The Brute – 48lb 2oz
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
Q. Favourite venue past and present?
A. Past: Yateley Car Park Lake Present: Sand & Gravel in the Cotswolds
Q. If you could catch one carp dead or alive what would it be?
A. Easy – my nemesis, the late great Heather the Leather
Q. Off the shelf hookbait or homemade special?
A. Off the shelf match the hatch
Q. Big windswept pits or small intimate waters?
A. I prefer small and intimate but find myself fishing big pits these days as i can’t stand someone setting up 20 yards away!
Q. Spring or Autumn?
A. Autumn
Q. Favourite Sticky Baits product?
A. Frozen Manilla
Q. Pop-ups or bottom baits?
A. Wafters
Q. Favourite moon phase?
A. Depends on the fish i’m after as i find particular fish favour a certain moon phase but if i had to pick one probably the build up to a full moon
Q. Three things you wouldn’t go fishing without?
A. Tea gear (always have a tea boi) / Spod to avoid the gulls / Tub of Manilla Pop-ups as i’m so confident in them and can use a Pop-up or a balanced snowman
Q. As a younger angler who did you admire in the carp angling world and why?
A. Richie McDonald for catching Bazil from my hometown Yateley and his single-minded approach which I witnessed first-hand when I used to visit him regularly after school when he was fishing the Copse lake.
