About Tony Welch

I’ve grown up and lived in Cornwall all my life. I’ve been angling since 1988 where I fished for the usual Roach, Rudd, and Perch etc. I have also spent many nights out Bass fishing the Cornish surf beaches, something which I still love to do. My Carp angling began in the late 80’s where one evening I saw a 19lb common being returned on College reservoir, and been totally engrossed in carp angling ever since.

In 1989 I caught my first carp from College in the shape of a 20lb plus mirror. I ‘cut my teeth’ on College for a number of years and learned loads from the likes of Ken Townley and Gary Thomas.

1996 saw me on the Salamander lake, a small public water in the middle of a town, but out of pure luck held 27 stunning carp with the best being 30lb plus. These carp were cute as you like and very hard to catch. The 30 was my target and 12 months to the day later in December 1997 I caught the carp at 33.06lb, my first 30 and well worth the gruelling winter nights. I caught all but one of the carp from this water on the original Grange and never blanked in the winter of 97, which speaks for itself.

I’ve used Mainline products from very early on in my carp angling, the best of 20 years ago! My current bait is the Cell which I have used for several years now and had many repeat captures and multiple hits using it. I tend to make up my own ‘special’ hook baits from the Polaris and high leakage base mixes along with the massive flavour and additive range Mainline provide. The combinations are endless so get an edge!