PAGE 49 Mark Huizinga JRC Team Netherlands Mark Huizinga Team Netherlands Theo Pustjens JRC Team Belgium Theo Pustjens Team Belgium Mark Huizinga is mainly known as a Judo Coach, and over 20 years, has won titles at every major championship, topped by a Gold Medal at the 2000 Olympics. From childhood, he has spent his time by the water side, and started coarse fishing, but soon got the taste for carp fishing, having his first at the age of 12. This was the fish that mattered, and after retiring from Judo competition, was able to spend more time chasing big carp, with his mate Mark Van Der Heim. They spend time on long bivvy sessions, surface fishing and float fishing, and as long as there are carp to catch, anything will do! Hi, I'm Theo Pustjens, born in 1958, I live in Maasmechelen in Belgium, and have been happily married since 1981, and am a father of 4 children. I started work at the Ford factory in Genk in 1976, and am now Team Leader in the production sector. I first started fishing for all species, but around 1976, I began carp fishing, so you could say that I am old school style! I live in a very good location for carp fishing, and started carping by free- lining with potatoes and pasta, but started using boilies as soon as they started to appear on the scene in the 80s. I do most of my fishing on gravel pits, employing boats and echo sounders to thoroughly search the water for the best spots to place my freebies and hook baits. I also run a few syndicate lakes, which takes up a lot of my time, but is really worthwhile as I get to see the fish grow over the years, and provide such pleasure for those lucky anglers that catch them. My best advice is to never get jealous of other people's success, stick at it, and those fish will come to you in the end ! Just enjoy your time out there ! I am proud to say that I was appointed as a consultant for JRC in 2008, and work closely with the rest of the carp team. www. jrc- fishing. co. uk

PAGE 50 HOW TO PROTECT FISH Once you have landed your prize, fish protection becomes of paramount importance, but there are a couple of steps in preparation for landing your fish. Firstly, ensure that you have an adequate un- hooking mat to protect your fish, and that it is positioned as close to the water as possible, to ensure that the transfer from the water to the mat is kept to a minimum distance. Secondly, ensure that you keep your sling and scales close to hand ready for action. Always try to ensure that the weigh sling is thoroughly wetted prior to use, and have a bucket or container of water to hand to keep the fish wet at all times while on the bank. Once a fish has been landed, ensure that you transfer it very carefully, taking extra care to keep the fins tucked in so as they do not catch on the mat or weigh sling. Always ensure that you always remain in close control of the fish, and fully support it during lifting for weighing or photography. Last but not least, always treat any sores or cuts with a fish antiseptic before carefully returning to the water. CARP CARE