Shimano Sign Up Ian Poole

Ian Poole has been officially signed up by the Evesham based tackle company Shimano (UK) Ltd. After a superb season the Hanley Swan angler banked 106 20’s, sixteen 30’s, and the culmination being the capture of Linch Hill’s largest carp ‘Petals’ at 46lb 14oz. Amazingly he amassed this tally in a 70 x 24 hr time frame fished over 2-3 night sessions.

The 30 year old started fishing at the age of four (mainly tench and rudd), but in his early teens he embarked on a short match fishing career that saw him notch up several second placings against adult competition on local pools.

However, it was his first 9lb common carp that flattened his rod out at school leaving age that converted him over to the sole pursuit of the species, now having shaken off the ‘nearly man’ tag to become one of the most prolific public carp water anglers of his generation.

His regular haunts have included Linch Hill, Horshoe and many local smaller waters but currently he is targeting some of Shimano Linear’s biggest residents down in Oxfordshire.

It was on that complex that Shimano senior consultant Jan Porter witnessed Ian’s potential first hand, “I was on St Johns, on the roadside bank, doing a night session with Wigan carp angler Neil Smith last spring when I heard Ian was fishing the point.

“I’d been following his articles and was intrigued with his appearance more than anything. There is no question that he is a one-off, dare I say slightly eccentric like myself. It was Ian’s first visit to the lake and he banked three thirties including two new lake records in the form of a 31lb 6oz common and a 32lb 6oz mirror. One of the most significant hauls of the year, day-ticket wise.

“I decided to catch up with Ian down Oxfordshire some weeks later. He came across as a quiet and unassuming angler who was his own man, he’d caught a fish about 6 feet from the bank the night previous because he saw it swimming in the margins and it was evident he was armed with exceptional watercraft.

“Since that first meeting I got the chance to do a couple of outings with him and nothing changed my initial opinion. Nick Helleur our top carper has also fished alongside Ian several times and they gelled really well.”

It was nearly a year later that Shimano approached Ian. He is a tremendous inspiration for anglers of all abilities who can’t afford to fish full time or invest in expensive syndicate waters and an ambassador for Shimano tackle.

So what attracted Ian to Shimano?

Ian takes up the story. “I think that being associated with a company that enjoys the stature of Shimano is something most anglers would relish. The retainer helps but it’s not the primary motivation.

“I want to grow within the company and it’s a fact that most anglers who have worked hard with Shimano made excellent progress. Hopefully this will be a long term relationship with what I consider to be one of the top companies in the business that are also putting something back into carp angling.”

He continued “I have used Shimano reels since the 3500 Triton Sea Spin and over the years have had a succession of Shimano carp rods including Twin Power, Power Loop and Stradic and caught plenty of carp on them all.

“It’s the latest generation of rods that I have found really impressive, they are in a different league to any of the previous Shimano rods I’ve used, blank-wise and in the cosmetic finish.

“I’m actually currently using the Diaflash Specimen Specialist and the Antares 2.75FA rods in conjunction with the 10000XTE Super Baitrunner and the Big Baitrunner respectively which have proven superb tools to cover all my styles.

“It’s no secret that I use PVA bags and both rods handle this technique comfortably. The Antares rod in particular is such a light blank and yet will cast massive distances.

“The Catana line that I acquired some months ago has been faultless, even on Horseshoe where, not long back, I had a stack of fish that had to be brought across a very snaggy bar.

“Nick Helleur has been using the 8lb for hooklinks to great effect and had a 31-pounder at Hardwick recently on 4” of Catana 8lb, when you consider the accurate diameter of the stuff I think that just about says it all. I really do rate it.

“Several other influential carp anglers have switched to it already to my own knowledge. And I think its popularity will grow from strength to strength!” He concluded.

As this went to press Ian opened his spring campaign with a stunning 30lb 4oz mirror from Hardwick.

Business as usual then, eh Ian?