As If It Were the Last Time...

Fishing has always been a part of my life. It's like a thread that ties together the path of my existence. Time puts us in front of countless changes... we all change our opinions, our jobs, our hobbies. We meet new people and lose touch with others who no longer walk the same path as us, for one reason or another.

I love facing new challenges, opening new doors, discovering new places. But through all of this, it's essential to have something constant, something that makes you feel at home wherever you are, something that reconnects you with who you truly are. For me, without a doubt, that something is fishing.

The respect I have for this passion is immeasurable, just like what it has given back to me. I practice many techniques, but there's no denying that for a long time now, carp fishing has been the one that truly obsesses me. So much so that it has become a lifestyle: it's my work and my holidays, my joys and my struggles. There isn't a moment in my day when my mind doesn't drift there at least once... behind those bite alarms.

My position allows me to interact with many anglers of all levels: some with far more experience than me, others just starting their journey. Learning from others is one of the most valuable ways to grow, and that's why I'm always happy to share advice with those who ask for it.

What concerns me, though, is that many beginners seem to receive "unhealthy" inputs. Most questions revolve around spots, bait, rigs, where and how to place the rods... as if the water in front of us were a static picture, and as if there were a strategy that works in every condition and every time of year.

Fortunately, that's not the case.

While I have no problem sharing what I know, I always try to make it clear that this information should be taken as general guidance, a starting point, not an instruction manual. In fact, sometimes doing the opposite of what others have done can lead to the best results.

So what advice would I REALLY give in these situations? What is, in my opinion, the true key the common denominator among all successful anglers?

Fish every session as if it were your last. As if there were no second chance. As if it were now or never.

The lake, the quarry, the canal, the river in front of us is not a frozen image. It's a puzzle to solve, piece by piece, every single time. The clues it gives us can be subtle and hard to read, or obvious and undeniable but to catch as many of them as possible, your level of focus must always be at its peak.

It wasn't hours of plumbing, feature finding, or heavy baiting that gave me my greatest results. It was waking up before dawn in any weather condition, leaving my phone in the bivvy, and simply observing the water.

It was stripping my gear down to the essentials, leaving comfort behind, and moving in the middle of the night to follow a small sign from the lake: a jump, bubbles rising from the bottom, an unusual ripple on the surface.

Developing watecraft, training your eyes, and learning to truly listen to the ecosystem around you are fundamental skills for any angler. Everything else matters, of course: technique, baiting, presentation... but if you remove the first and most important piece of the puzzle, it can all become almost useless. Like having the best brushes in front of a blank canvas... but no colors to paint with.

"I chose that spot because there was a nice drop-off."
"I cast just past that weed bed it was perfect."
"I found a hard spot in the soft."
"I cast at 25 wraps because a friend smashed them there."

These are the classic phrases of the average carp angler. Very few think like hunters and give the only explanation that truly makes sense:

"I chose that spot because I found the carp."

Very often, this mindset focused only on the final result, trying to shortcut the process by looking for universal instructions that simply don't exist comes from rushing into a new world without taking the time to truly understand it.
Besides carpfishing, I've practiced and still practice many different types of fishing for a variety of freshwater species. Knowing the waters and their inhabitants deeply helps me enormously in my search for big carp. It allows me to connect with the ecosystem and has taught me how to read the water and fish behavior.
Carpfishing is also a discipline made of long waits and a slow learning curve. Still doubt bait color is crucial for success? Try catching carp on the feeder... then we'll talk!
Fishing with techniques that have shorter waiting times also teaches you to react faster to signals, instead of staying static and waiting for something to happen.
I don't like camping, I like fishing and doing it in the most effective way possible

And here we reach a fundamental point: the number one enemy of a carp angler is laziness.

You're on the bank, this is your moment. Your biggest dreams are swimming right in front of you. Focus. Commit. Make mistakes and adjust. Moments like these are a gift feel the surge of passion running through you and let enthusiasm drive you.

Whenever I set a goal, a target fish, I hear the words of Adam Penning echoing in my mind, the most motivating words I've ever heard from an angler:

"If I want to catch that carp, there are only three possible outcomes... the carp dies, I die, or I catch that fish."

For me, it's a mantra. A foundation of my fishing.

I'm not someone who settles. I always try to push beyond my limits. I'm not looking to catch carp, I'm looking to catch THAT carp.

Far be it from me to judge those who enjoy relaxing in nature, setting up a bivvy, cooking something good, and spending quality time outdoors. But it's important to be aware of what you're doing.

If your goal is high, if you demand a lot from yourself, if you want to perform at the highest level and get the most out of every session then what truly matters is fishing every single moment you have available.

Just having your rods in the water doesn't mean anything. You've made your move but the lake is about to make its own, and you may need to change everything to stay in the game.

So what's the best advice I can give you?

Fish as if it were your last time...

...but always with the enthusiasm of your first.