Two new consultants – Chris Cox and Tommi Jackson – have joined Taska’s ever growing carp team bringing the number of experts flying the Taska flag to 28.
Taska’s Jack Bowker commented: “It has always been our philosophy to recruit the ‘guys on the bank’ and bringing these two young talents onto our books shows that this is just what we want to do. After initially speaking to these two guys we could tell they had a real talent that may otherwise lay undiscovered and we believed they had what it takes to be part of our exclusive consultant team.”
Chris Cox: I started fishing at the age of 6, growing up in South Africa with its beautiful scenery. We were often beside lakes and rivers. Starting off with my mum and dad who both fished, I caught my first fish on rod and line with bread flake but it turned out to be a massive crab from out the river. I was so excited but wouldn’t go near it, my dad wanted to take it home and eat it, but I didn’t let him as i got upset. Looking back I think he was joking.
I went on to catch many other carp, and small fish when living in Africa, as well as winning two cups. In 1998 I moved to England. I started fishing day ticket venues for a few years then joined a club water called channels when I was 14. Catching all of them including a lake record in my first year I stayed another year because I loved it over there. As time has gone on I have fished many waters in England and caught quite consistently, with numerous thirties, forties and a 53lb beastly mirror. I can’t think of a better place to be, than beside a lake, watching the sun rise and set. It’s been my passion for many years and that will never change.
Tight lines.
Tommi Jackson: I started fishing at the age of five following in the footsteps of my dad, who is quite a successful angler, banking UK fish to 58lb 6oz. I started my angling career on just local runs waters until the age of around ten. I then started going on to medium level waters with fish to around 20lb and the average size being double figure fish.
At 14 I started to fish more difficult waters with fish to around mid-thirty’s. The lake in question was quite weedy and this was totally new to me. I went from catching five or ten fish a session on clear sandy bottoms, to blanking with the odd capture. I did manage to catch a nice fish on my first session, which was 25lb 10oz and also a PB at the time (14).
Now I am fishing a local 30 acre pit which has an unknown stock of fish. The lake is deep (30ft) and very weedy with a lot of snags, All the fish are proper English carp. So far I have caught 18 fish, the biggest being a fish known as cut tail at 32lb 10oz (PB). I love fishing for these real old character fish. With the lake allowing boats, this gives me the opportunity to see exactly what I am fishing over and bait up spots accurately. I also like to fish quiet day tickets which have nice looking fish in and occasionally will fish an easy water just to try new things out.
