Questions and Answers with Carl and Alex

An angler interview with Carl & Alex, the popular duo that made their name through their YouTube channel following their fishing escapades. Matthew Fleet from the Carp Marathon asks the questions…

Firstly may I say a big thank you to you both for taking the time out to do this interview.  Can you give me, and everybody reading this interview, a few words about yourselves, i.e. general background, etc?

Our names are Carl and Alex Smith and we are mad keen anglers from the South East of England. We do not have any relatives who fish other than our uncle who spears bass whilst diving. We do a bit of every type of fishing but we mostly concentrate on freshwater and coarse fishing.

At what age did you both begin fishing?

We started when we were 7 and 9 years old but we got properly into it all about 4 years ago, that is also when we started making videos about our fishing adventures.

Would you both class yourselves as all round anglers? If so, what’s your favourite species?

We like to do a bit of everything, but Alex tends to focus on carp and my favourite species is normally perch but from time to time I like barbel, gudgeon, pike or tench or pretty much anything!

Carp Fishing Interview with Carl and Alex

Alex with a stunning common

You have both become a big success on You Tube, when was the decision made to start the channel? Did you think it would be such a success?

We had watched the Bob Nudd DVDs, the Matt Hayes programs and some of Huge Miles’ productions and we just decided we would try and share our fishing adventures through videos of our own. We were never interested in numbers, in becoming ‘known’ or popular and I think that we would not be where we are now if our focus was to become famous or similar.

I’ve seen in the past that you have done some work with Anglers Mail. Were you approached? Spotted? How did this opportunity come about? 

Tim Knight, the editor, got in touch after watching some of the videos on our channel. We owe a huge thanks to Tim for having the confidence in us and for supporting us through all the contributions we have given to the magazine.

Fishing interview with anglers Carl and Alex

Carl and Alex holding a 43lb wels catfish

I’ve seen in one of your recent videos that you visited the Nash HQ and took a look behind the scenes of the iconic tackle manufacturers day to day running. In your words how much of an experience was that?

That was an exciting day, I finished work and received an email from Alan Blair asking if we wanted to come and see the new products, so I took the train over to Essex. Sadly Alex was not able to come because he was at school but I really enjoyed my time. Kevin is a lovely guy and said some very kind words about our work so I left feeling rather chuffed. All the Nash guys are lovely and their workplace sure is interesting!

Who has been your biggest inspiration in your angling?

At first Bob Nudd, but more recently Martin Bowler and Chris Yates.

Is angling just a favourite past time or do you see yourselves earning a living from it?

I currently work as a cameraman and video editor for Online Fishing TV so it could be said that I do earn a living from the angling trade. I never planned or even wanted to work in the fishing industry but my GCSE results were poor. I gave up on college, so my fishing knowledge and videos were my greatest assets. Alex likes making music, so who knows, one day he might make music for fishing films. You never know!

Watching your videos I’ve noticed you always use a selection of different baits and tactics in your angling. What’s your all time favourite bait and tactic?

We both love surface fishing for carp, pole fishing for crucians and lure fishing for pike but we both enjoy trotting for roach and dace more than anything else!

Interview with anglers carl and alex

More predator angling, this time Alex holding a pike

If angling were to stop tomorrow what would be your thoughts and would there be another sport that you would have just as much passion for?

I think I would cry for a long, long time! And then take up golf, but only after overdosing on Fish Frenzy whiskey liquid attractor!!!

There we go, a really enjoyable interview with some superb photography and interesting answers.

Carl and Alex, thank you both once again, enjoy your angling and here’s hoping for plenty of rod bending action, tight lines and wet nets.

If you haven’t seen any of Carl and Alex’s angling adventures yet, believe me you are missing out on some superb footage and well edited material! Here’s their YouTube channel, Get subscribing now!

Matthew Fleet, Carp Marathon Blog
@MAF79

Comments

2 thoughts on “Questions and Answers with Carl and Alex

  1. Jacob says:

    Hi it is jacob I have got an amazing pond ner me and it has got a 35 pound comon carp and a 29 pound liner carp and I was wondering if you would like to come down I can show you the lake it is 5 pounds pere person 2 roads only a lowed meat bread pleats sweet corn and ground bait and also cheese and also robin red pelts you can use past and different flavors of liquids.

  2. Jacob says:

    My phone number ia 07943446616 and the time he shut the gat is 7pm or 8 pm

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