WHAT A CATCH!
MONSTER Carp has returned to ITV4 with bumper ratings for its seventh series.
Almost 250,000 viewers tuned into the second episode of the hit angling show.
Angling numbers are booming as the UK rekindles its love of fishing in the wake of the pandemic.
More than one million licences were issued last year as figures continue to rise as Brits got hooked on the sport following lockdowns.
Leading angler Neil Spooner predicts figures will rise even higher during the summer and believes the wave of interest will help the nation’s mental health.
“Numbers had been dwindling for years but angling is enjoying a resurgence and it is the younger generation that are coming into it now,” he says. “The beauty is that it is cheap to get started with a rod, reel and some basix tackle and the natural high you get from being out in nature is uplifting.”
Spooner and fellow angler Tom Dove now have their own hit prime-time TV show called Monster Carp that follows their escapades as they track across Europe in pursuit of giant carp that can weigh more than 100lbs.
The pair, both experienced carp fisherman, feature in a fun ‘Tour of the World’ battling the elements at a series of lakes to land the biggest carp.
“It’s more about the fun we have, the people we meet and how we get on than anything technical,” adds Monster Carp presenter Spooner, 40, who has been fishing since he was ten-years-old. “We want it to appeal to a broader audience than just anglers.”
His Monster Carp co- presenter Dove, 33, a former British Junior Champion, adds: “We want to show and share our passion for outdoor sports especially after how difficult it has been for everybody during COVID.
“It’s about being outside and enjoying the fresh air and hearing the birds sing rather than being glued to a screen or scrolling through social media.
“There is a lot of stress around and fishing alleviates that completely. The sport is great and addictive but you can get so much out of it by just being out in nature.”
Anglers Neil Spooner and Tom Dove are seen travelling across Europe in the brand new series as they attempt to snare giant carp, some which can weigh more than 100lbs.
“Fishing has been a big winner from the pandemic because it was one of the first sports people could do,” adds Dove. “Participation has grown massively over the last couple of years with lots of people trying it for the first time.
The series’ popularity is not surprising after angling numbers boomed in the wake of the pandemic.
Last year more than one million fishing licences were issued and Neil believes that those numbers will only increase.
Spooner, from Colchester, Essex, adds: “You can get started with a rod that costs £14.99 and a handful of maggots so it’s not that expensive. Technology is always going to be there for youngsters but the more youngsters can do outside the better, and fishing is a fun thing to do.”
Fishing licences cost from £6 per day to £82 a year depending on what type of fish you angle for.
