Fishing for the Biggest Carp in the World - Fish With Carl

@CARPTALK
Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:51:53 +0000

Fishing for the Biggest Carp in the World...

Carl from Fish With Carl just released a massive feature-length video, “Fishing for the Biggest Carp in the World…”, and it is much more than just a fishing trip. Filmed at the legendary Gigantica lake in France, it’s a mix of high-stakes angling and a personal reflection on his “insane” 2026.

Here’s the breakdown of this epic session:

The Quest at Gigantica

The Target: Carl was after the legendary common carp that has been caught at 105 lbs. If it’s grown even slightly, it’s a potential world record [00:17]. Carl set himself a personal target of a 70 lb fish for the trip [03:01].

The Strategy: Carl initially struggled with weed and spot selection [04:20]. After several days of frustration and almost blanking, he switched from pop-ups to sinking hook baits (wafters) following advice from Tom Maker [24:53].

The Result: After six nights of silence and even losing a fish [27:59], Carl finally landed a beautiful “scaly” carp right at the end of the trip to save the session! [33:19].

Reflecting on 2026: The Highs and Lows

Carl used the downtime in his swim to share some major behind-the-scenes updates:

The PB Smash: Earlier in April, he caught his dream fish, the Starburst Linear, at over 50 lbs [10:14].

The Hard Drive Disaster: Shortly after that catch, an electrical surge at his house caused £15,000 in damage and fried his hard drives. He lost 10 years of footage, including his 50 lb carp film [19:58].

The Recovery: In a massive relief, a data recovery lab in Newcastle managed to save the footage after four months of uncertainty [30:14].

FWC Tackle: Carl has been working tirelessly on his own brand, FWC Tackle, developing high-quality, affordable gear. He teased that reels, float rods, and specialist rods are coming soon [11:41].

What’s Coming Next?

International Trips: Carl is heading back to India for “redemption” on the Golden Mahseer [34:50] and will be hosting Yoshi from Japan in England to help him catch his first European carp [34:30].

Big Films: He promised that 2026 will be filled with “big special projects” that he has been pouring his heart into [35:13].

It’s a 36-minute journey through the world of professional angling and the personal resilience it takes to run a channel.