Leading lady

What do you when your much anticipated carp adventure is cancelled? Easy, immerse yourself in someone else’s!

And that is where I found myself last Sunday, watching Tunnel Vision, ESP’s latest mini movie featuring Terry Hearn and some beautiful carp.

Much like carp, carp movies come in all shapes and sizes; long or short; loud brash, quiet meditative – something for every angler.

In this case Terry wonderfully diarises a year on a lake that has many challenges, few carp but loads of lovely carpy vistas makes for beautifully evocative shots.

Don’t worry I won’t get all Barry Norman on you, that’s as far as the visuals go.

The first third gives an insight into his fishing; where, when and how.

Where – it is all about the carp, and one in particular, a chocolate mirror – giving us an understanding of what makes Terry tick, and gets him out of bed on a cold morning.

When – walking the venue from February but not fishing in earnest until April – building his knowledge of the lake and the carp as they both awaken from their winter slumber.

How – starting with the tried and tested – then evolving rigs and bait as the carp effectively teach Terry about their favoured haunts and habits.

All this is accompanied by great footage of the lake and Terry, seated as he spins a ripping yarn.

As carp are caught he becomes every move animated – his hands telling the stories of baiting and battling carp.

It is infectious viewing but not just for the prized capture.

Why?

• No gratuitous product shots.
• No banging urban bass.
• No three-way bromance.

This is carp fishing at its purest – with a good few take-aways for me to squirrel away – match the hatch (to a degree with natural particles and sparsely), look and learn, and tench are not so bad after all.

I was going to call this blog “The Pelican Brief”, but you will have to watch the film to reason why.

Enjoy, it is great viewing when you are not fishing.

Tightlines and storylines.