Ian Chillcott continues to make strides in his ‘new life’ carp fishing, including a PB. We caught up with him for the full story of that Yateley Pads Lake forty…

Some of the greatest carp anglers to have lived have trodden the banks of Yateley Pads Lake albeit these days it’s a very different place indeed. I haven’t fished it properly for over a decade, – save for a charity bash – but I’d heard good things about how Martin Gardener had taken the place over and was nurturing the lake into a very special place once again. Martin goes back to the old Horton days with the likes of Dave Lane, Keith Jenks and Chrissy Pearson but I’d not actually met him myself until recently.

Anyway, some local chaps had booked the lake and asked me if I would go along with them. Anthony, the son, knocked on my door one day and simply asked if I fancied joining him and his dad and I was taken aback a little, gladly accepting the kind invitation.

He’s a nice fella, I was excited about making the trip down memory lane and the lake definitely offered the chance of what I’m calling my ‘new life’ personal best, which stood at a few ounces over 29lb from Hollybush Lakes where we sit today doing this interview. I don’t want that to sound overly dramatic but that’s how I term my life these days since my illness and subsequence operation, which I don’t need to dwell on here. It’s a fresh adventure and I’ve set new goals which I’m loving trying to achieve. So the date was firmly written in the diary and I couldn’t wait! 

While sitting at Hollybush Lakes for my interview this happened!