Book 4 in the Fennel's Journal series.

The first book dedicated to wild carp, that inspired the formation of The Wild Carp Trust and their annual journals that followed. Maybe it's a classic in the making?

Fishing for wild carp is about adventure, history, atmosphere, mystery and emotion: searching for and discovering secret waters and forgotten strains of ancient fish. Wild Carp captures this aplenty, describing my 20-year quest to find the oldest strains of carp in the UK. It’s also about nature connection and a desire to uncover the seemingly impossible – a place where we can discover and live out our dreams, to completely indulge the mantra of ‘Stop – Unplug – Escape – Enjoy’.

Chapters

• Foreword – to the 2020 extended edition.
• Introduction – The importance of wild carp.
• A Gift from the Romans? – The origins of 'wild' carp in the UK.
• Golden Dreams – The traditional anglers' Holy Grail.
• Old Maps and Ancient Waters – In search of the perfect wildie pool.
• The Moated Manor – Fennel fishes a 17th Century moat.
• A Haunted Pool – The atmosphere of classic carp waters.
• The Monastery Pond – What do we really seek when angling? 
• A Trip to the Shops – How far would you cycle to fish on opening night?
• Amongst the Secret Carp – Jade Lake, fishing with the Golden Scale Club.
• Chasing Mollies – The magic of fishing for wild carp.
• Double Vision – The legends of the lake make an appearance.
• A Flick of the Tail – The fragility of angling atmosphere.
• On Hallowed Ground – Fishing in the footsteps of BB.
• A Clacking of Knobs – Induction into a rather eccentric angling organisation.
• The Freeminers' Brethren – The guardians of a secret lake.
• The Embowered – An atmospheric place to fish for wildies.
• Beyond Midnight – A bedtime story for anglers.
• The Lake at the Edge of the World – Fennel travels 'beyond the map'
• The Sleeping Giant – Discovering a pool that's lain fallow for decades.
• Steady as She Goes – Managing a wild carp lake.
• The Monster of the Deep – An unexpected giant emerges from the depths.
• Across the Moors – Fennel discovers a very old strain of carp.
• The Sanctuary – Fennel fishes the perfect wild carp pool. Read sample chapter.
• Ginger Beer and All Things Holy – What's important in life.
• Freedom and Forgiveness – The search for wildies comes to an end.
• Return to the Folly – Experience wild carp fishing in real time.
• The Mist of Believing – Having faith in the quest.
• Return to the Folly– Fennel makes a special return.
• The Wild Carp of The Danube – Interview with Pavol Timko.
• The Wild Carp of Wales – A celebration of the best wild carp fishing.
• Wild Carp Identification – A useful reference guide.
• Further Reading – Research papers and books about wild carp.
• Wild Carp Conservation – A plea to protect our oldest strains of carp.

Publication details

• Published by Fennel’s Priory.
• First shared as handwritten letters in 2009
• Limited edition collectors' magazine published in 2012
• Abridged eBook published in 2013
• Extended version in hardback and eBook published in 2020

Book specification

• 216 x 140 x 22 mm, 338 pages, 74 B&W photos.
• Language: English
• Copyright © Fennel Hudson 2009, 2020
• Hardback ISBN 978-1-909947-14-6

Favourite Quote from Wild Carp

"Some will say that searching for your dreams is like looking for unicorns in an emerald forest. They will say that following a golden thread will lead only to a king, dethroned and living in the gutter. This may be so. But the king was made, not born. The crown was never his to wear....If ever the adventure proves tiring, or you lose sight of your dream, look to the west at sunset. There, on days when the skies are clear, you might see upon the horizon a thin layer of golden mist. When it appears, you will know its purpose: it is the mist of believing."

Reader Testimonials

"Writing of the highest order." Classic Angling magazine, July 2020.

“Such inspiring writing. His words ‘Somewhere in the undergrowth of the impossible’ had me staring out from the page in amazement. Fennel’s writing is pure poetry.”

“Fennel’s writing flows un-hurried without overly romanticising each point, and the research is thorough; from the first sentence I was thinking, ‘this lad can write!’ It’s informative and very refreshing.”

“A magnificent adventure and call to arms for us to pursue our passions and protect that which matters most. This book is destined to be an angling classic.”