A few years ago we spent a season or so fishing alongside Darren on White Swan, our regular chats carried out typing questions and answers into our phones, or via basic hand signals and drawing diagrams in the dirt were always welcome and enjoyed – Darren’s big smiles and positivity always bringing a quiet calm to the bustle of the park. If you don’t know Darren, he is profoundly deaf, and has been about on the big carp scene for many years now, catching some of the best in the land. We caught up to see how it changes the experience for him, and what carp fishing means to him. Enjoy.
Hi mate! Thanks for talking to us, I really appreciate it. I wanted to find out how your experience of carp angling is affected by being deaf, and how important carp fishing is to you, and your life. What term would you prefer me to use – are you happy for me to use the term deaf as a description of your hearing impairment?
Well, I don’t mind if you refer to me as deaf, audibly impaired, severely or profoundly deaf. I just see myself as an ordinary deaf lad who is passionate about carp fishing. I actually think being deaf or having hearing are equal when you are fishing. I accept who I am as a deaf person, but it can be hard at times. A general lack of deaf awareness makes communication difficult and there are many barriers for deaf people. I am sure you know that Beethoven was deaf, but it didn’t stop him from composing music and it doesn’t stop me carp fishing!
Have you been deaf since birth?
Yes, mate. I was born profoundly deaf. We don’t really know what was the cause. My mum thinks my dad’s mother suffered with hearing and tinnitus, and some of his family had hearing problems, so maybe it was from his side of the family genes, although I am only deaf person on both sides of my family. The other possibility is that my mum got rubella when she was six months pregnant with me. I am using BSL (British Sign Language) and I am also good with lip reading – well, sometimes!
How did you get into fishing originally? Did you have friends or parents who encouraged you?
Yes, my father. My parents divorced when I was a very young boy, but my dad took me and my older brother fishing sometimes on the River Trent, and lakes, when he had free time to spend with us at the weekends. He was very patient, calm and encouraged me, so I learned to be patient from him and learned the way of the ‘fishing life’, usually watching and learning from him. God bless him.
How was it in the early days for you? Things have changed a lot in carp fishing technology over the last few years, but how did you manage before good sounder boxes and vibration?
That is a good question. Yes, things have changed hugely over years. I didn’t enjoy carp fishing in the early days without technology, and before sounder boxes and vibration, I just had to watch a Gardner monkey climber with an isotope inside it though the nights. Oh jeez, it used to kill me to keep my eyes awake and on it. One time, I fell asleep for few hours then woke up to find all three monkey climbers at the top, spools low and the lines all tangled. I was pissed off, so frustrated and it didn’t feel fair for me being deaf, carp fishing through the nights with no way to hear a sounder. I began to think that there was no point to carp fishing through the nights and I was thinking about giving up, but somehow I got a copy of Anglers Mail magazine for the first time and saw Derek Rance in it, holding the awesome and mighty Bazil from the North Lake. Derek was a deaf angler and used a vibration pad under his pillow, made by Rob Maylin, so a big thanks to him for creating a bite alarm that was so great for deaf people, including me. I bought one from Yateley Angling Centre. God, it was so heavy and big with long wires which were a nightmare, but it was definitely helpful. A few years later, the early ATTX V1 receiver and plugs arrived and were wireless. I am very pleased with it, and I am still using an ATTX V1 now. For me, it is better than V2 and V3 because the V1 has a very powerful vibration!
iPhones must have also been a great tool for you, as well
Oh yes, of course! They are an important tool for deaf people, including me, and are a great help for communication with accessibility, notepad, words and writing etc. Accessibility is brilliant with mobiles. It’s a lot of help for me when communicating with a person with hearing because it can use voice activation and translates to word, so it is easier for them to communicate with me – or sometimes, we just draw on the dirty floor! (laughing)
I remember many of those conversations mate – typing stuff out, or drawing diagrams in the dirt! How important was carp fishing to you growing up, and why?
I dunno! Umm, I have always lived a very independent life and was an outdoor lad growing up. The important thing for me was enjoying it and relaxing, but of course, sometimes it all gets a bit frustrating! I loved to spend time at the lakes, with ‘smells of carp sense’ and also just to spend time in beautiful environments.
You’ve caught some great carp – from the Road Lake, Pingewood, Dinton, St Ives …. Which has been your favourite lake to fish, and why?
Oh jeez– that’s a hard question. I had an enjoyable time fishing and chasing targets on all those waters, but my favourite fish and the most important to me was Orange Spot from Longfield Road lake, no question. I was fortunate to capture two of the originals – the Pretty One and a very special capture of Three Scales - my dear friend, Derek Rance, (RIP) had also caught this very old carp so this capture meant everything to me. Orange Spot was a very elusive fish – for 11 years! It was my longest-ever quest to catch an obsession. I wasn’t leaving without Orange Spot; she was in my heart and my head for too long. I think most of the other Road Lake anglers would have given up and moved on, but I just couldn’t. In the end, I bagged her one cold March day, with winter colours to her skin – an old warrior carp. Happy days!!
'In the end, I bagged her one cold March day, with winter colours to her skin – an old warrior carp'
Amazing mate, some commitment that! Do you still roll the corkballs for Trent? How long have you been working there?
Yeah, I am still rolling corkballs for Trent Baits. Originally, I was rolling my own corkballs for a few years, and I used to pop over to Trent units for a special liquid for my corkball jars. Dan took over as boss in 2014, and at the same time, he was looking for someone to roll their corkballs for them. I showed him my own corkballs, he was very impressed with my hand-rolling and the rest is history. I don’t ‘work’ for Trent though, we just help each other out and have a good working relationship and friendship. I roll the corkballs at home in my kitchen which is nice and chilled, gives me time to think about the carp life and smells lovely haha. I am still enjoying doing it, and keeping customers happy!
You love a nice straightforward approach to tactics I think; big hookbaits, D rigs and big boilies. You also catch plenty of big carp. Do you think that approach helps, or do you just enjoy fishing that way?
Oh, 100%, yes. Definitely, I am huge fan of a ‘boilie only’ approach, with a big hookbait – usually 20mm. A 20mm White Shrimp critically balanced on the old faithful, Amnesia clear boom ‘D’ rig has worked very well for my carp fishing on very hard waters – I ain’t a fan of particles! (laughing) I still remember Derek Rance showing me his favourite ‘D’ rig at the Car Park lake, I was very impressed with them and was grateful to him for teaching me how he used them. I was a huge fan of hinge rigs for a long time, they never let me down, but I felt they were too blatant for the senses of wary carp. One time, I was fishing at Dinton with some hinged pop-up rigs out there. I saw loads of shows and bubbles on the spot all day, but being frustrated at having not got a bite it got me thinking about the rigs. I changed from a hinge to a ‘D’ rig and within an hour after casting, had one. The rest is history! The 20mm hookbait and ‘D’ rig are very important to me and my fishing now. It doesn’t matter if there is heavy weed, I just find small clean spots, if I am lucky!
Laney’s, or Son of Triple Row? Two of the best! Which is your favourite?
Ooh bloody hell! Well, Laneys was my main target after Colin was killed by the bloody otters – I was so gutted. I’d worked very hard and concentrated on St Ives Shallow in the summer after Dinton shut down for spawning, and I had Laneys in September last year. Son of Triple Row (SOTR) was out of the blue when I had her very early one morning on the last day of a 72-hour trip. Everyone knows that SOTR is a very elusive fish and everyone would love to have her in their photos albums, so I was fortunate to have had her – such a beautiful carp, as you can see, even with no words. For me, it is SOTR, of course! (J)
'SOTR is a very elusive fish and everyone would love to have her in their photos albums, so I was fortunate to have had her – such a beautiful carp, as you can see, even with no words'
Sound and hearing is something that most of us take for granted whilst fishing. What is most important to you when you are fishing, and why?
Wow! Yes, for me being deaf with no sounds is extremely hard. Anglers with hearing are very lucky really because they can hear carp show, and shouts from when someone has caught a big ‘un. I am always just using my eyes, which 100% are so important to me for watching all the time during day and night. During the night, it is harder, and also more frustrating and emotional. The bubbles and shows are really important to me for following and finding the carp, and any information from other anglers by text, if they tell me what they have seen or heard. I always get up at first light – well, maybe sometimes – I am too lazy! I am trying to enjoy it and catch them as well, if I can.
We fished together at Dinton for a while. I always really enjoyed stopping in for a tea and catch up, using our phones and signs to make conversation. Is carp fishing important to you socially, as well as the enjoyment of the challenge?
Yeah, I always enjoyed a cup of tea with you. I like the way you had patience, and took the time to make conversation with me. Socially? Umm.. hard to say. I try to be involved and make conversation with the guys with the beers and barbecues, but I am a shy and quiet lad really. Sometimes, I don’t always feel like I fit in the group socials. I do try to get involved and talk with everyone, but it’s not easy for me. Communication is always difficult with others in a group. When I was fishing at Tol Pits, there was a young 16-year-old boy, James Turner, who was fishing there as well. He asked me what the sign for ‘good luck’ was, so I taught him. Every time from then on when he was going back to his swim, or to go home, he would always sign ‘good luck’ to me. That always made me smile! When someone is visiting me, they always shake my brolly, or wave their hands to show that they see me, sweet of them! I am deaf, but it doesn’t stop me from fishing and enjoying my challenges wherever I go.
'When I was fishing at Tol Pits, there was a young 16-year-old boy, James Turner, who was fishing there as well. He asked me what the sign for ‘good luck’ was, so I taught him. Every time from then on when he was going back to his swim, or to go home, he would always sign ‘good luck’ to me'
I noticed a few posts on your Instagram of Derek Rance. Some people might know of Derek as also being deaf and being a very successful carp angler who caught some of the UK’s best carp. Was his angling and success an inspiration to you? Did you ever meet him?
I am so glad that you asked me about Derek. Yes, I met and fished with him at the Car Park lake and Wraysbury, sometimes meeting up at Yateley Angling Centre. Ruth, (the owner of YAC) was important to Derek because she always helped with the phone, writing and communication with others for him. He was very successful at the Car Park, Vinnetrow and Wraysbury – he had some of the best under his belt! He was a huge inspiration to me, and was also a ‘father’ role model in carp fishing for me in a way. I do sorely miss him, but hey, I am sure he and my dad are together watching down from heaven wherever I go, or catching big ‘uns!
I noticed you scanning old negatives on your Instagram? Are they your old collection of captures on film?
Yeah, yeah man! I have loads and loads of mixed negatives from my younger years spent fishing. I have been scanning thousands and thousands of old negatives into a hard drive – not easy though, and definitely hard work! It all still needs sorting out and organising properly, and it’s not yet finished! There are lots of good memories of my time as young boy into my twenties, and all my old collection of captures. Some are special ones from those old times, before new digital cameras with memory cards made it all so much easier!
Do you know of any other deaf carp anglers? Is there a community?
Yes, there are. I don’t know how many deaf carp anglers there are in the UK actually, but there is the BDCA (British Deaf Carp Angling) organisation which has about 40 members, so far. I am on the committee with five of us involved in organising events like the Deaf Carp match at Sandhurst and Linear Fisheries etc. It brings our deaf community together, which is very important for us in the future.
How important is carp fishing to you now?
How important? Of course, it is important big time to me, and I’m very excited about carp fishing. For me, it is an obsession with chasing target carp in history lakes, which I love and am very passionate about. The other aspects of natur,e like the animals, wildlife and the forest, are good for me as well – spending time out in the nice fresh air, and peace. I am quite a quiet lad, I do feel alone sometimes, but that has given me more focus to carp fishing as a way of my life. I just love fishing. Every time I see pictures of carp and old characters from history lakes, I’ll research where they are from and ask my mates to see if they know, and see what information I can find. That’s what I still love doing. I love very challenging fishing, on very hard waters because I’m still buzzing, as always!
Thanks Darren, can’t imagine a better way to finish things! Here’s to keeping that buzz alive