SONIK World Team
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In a competitive market, the challenge of producing world beating fishing tackle requires the very best feedback and testing during development. The SONIK Fly Team and SONIK Carp Team are a carefully selected group of highly experienced and knowledgeable anglers who use and abuse our gear from Iceland to New Zealand and all points in between. Extreme testing to ensure when you buy any item of SONIK tackle that it is fit for purpose and will not let you down.
| Pálmi Gunnarsson, Iceland & Greenland | Nick Helleur, United Kingdom | ||
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| Pálmi is known for his expertise in fly fishing based on extensive experience in Iceland´s numerous trout and salmon rivers. Pálmi has made popular fly fishing programmes for the Icelandic State Television as well as writing several articles on the subject for fishing magazines. Pálmi's website — www.tiffs.is | Nick has a huge carp pedigree background and is widely respected and regarded as a tactical innovator within the world of carp fishing. Nick was raised in Harefield in the heart of the Colne valley which is considered to be the “carp capital” of the south of England. Growing up around the angling legends of the time gave Nick a great grounding in the sport and at the age of 12 he turned to fishing solely for carp after several years serving his apprenticeship fishing for other species. Nicks obsession with carp fishing has taken him all over the world and, as a self taught writer, he has written for every major carp fishing title in the last twenty years. Read Nick's Blog | ||
| Roger Dowsett, United Kingdom | Jake Langley-Hobbs, United Kingdom | ||
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| Extensively fished for trout and salmon from the chalk streams and small stillwaters of southern England to the Tweed, Dee and Spey in Scotland, and the trout lochs of Caithness and Sutherland. Abroad he has fished in Argentina, the USA, Sweden and Ireland. Roger is a professionally qualified fly fishing instructor and guide holding the STANIC Certificate for trout fishing and the GAIC Certificate for salmon fishing. He is also a member of S&TA, GAIA. Roger's website — www.troutquest.com | Jake gave up fishing for fifteen years, but has quite literally exploded back onto the scene. Known for his exploits across Europe with his two Dobermans, Jake has amassed a breathtaking array of big carp, caught from some of the most challenging lakes and rivers. Jake’s patience and dedication to catching his quarry, and the way he happily lives on the bank through some truly gruelling conditions, for months at a time, has given him an inspirational reputation as one of the best in his field. You can learn a great deal from this man and he also writes his own blog which follows his every step throughout his incredible journey around Europe. Read Jake’s Blog | ||
| Rok Luštrik, Slovenia | Martin Ford , United Kingdom | ||
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| Rok Luštrik a professional guide in Slovenia and in other parts of Europe. Enthusiastic fly fisherman and fly tier for over 15 years. He feels truly privileged to be born and live in Slovenia, a country that can offer so wide a variety of fishing options, from gin clear alpine streams to mysterious chalk streams. Rok loves them all: from morning hatch; to nymphing during the day; to anticipating the evening hatch. Rok's website — www.lustrik.com/ | Martin brings a wealth of talent to the ‘Sonik Carp Team’ in terms of his journalistic skills and his ability to catch carp from waters all over the world. The last 15 years has seen him carve out a distinguished career in angling journalism, leading Advanced Carp Fishing magazine to record sales as its former editor, and more recently having held the post of editor of Carpworld magazine. His own carp fishing has taken him all over the world where he regularly competes on the international carp fishing scene, and in particular, the fast growing American carp match circuit. He has written several books on all disciplines of angling and continues to write for a host of carp fishing magazines as a freelance journalist. | ||
| Eric Hope, United Kingdom | Patrick Giddings, United Kingdom | ||
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| Eric has been a professional casting instructor since 1993. He is a member of REFFIS and holder of the Salmon and Trout Association National Instructors Certificate. Eric has extensive experience fishing the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers in Colorado, the Ponoi in Russia, and waters in Ireland and Scotland. Eric is a correspondent for 'Trout and Salmon' magazine and Global TV and Sky. Eric's website — www.hemmingwaysfish.co.uk | Associated with Dream Lakes in France and Waveney Valley/Camelot in the UK.
Pat's successes include several 30lb+ UK (including Peach and The Italian) and my French PB is 53lb+ with many
fish over 40lb. The strength of his carp angling is based on his meticulous attention to rig design and out and out casting ability.
In terms of understanding a rods characteristics testing a rod to it's limits, he is definitely a great tester for SONIK rods! |
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| Roger Baker, Ireland | Adrian Priest, United Kingdom | ||
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Roger has been fishing for more than 50 years and writing about it
since 1971. He was founding editor of Irish Angler magazine, and
still writes as a contributor. He has been guiding for fifteen years.
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Adrian's first introduction to carp came at the age 15. Over the next 10 years Adrian started fishing bigger lakes and his pb continued to get bigger. These fish included a large number of 20lb mirrors and commons fishing a local stocked pond. He has been fishing the Northants syndicate for the last 7 years and has caught over 25 30lbs and 1 40lb common. |
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| Andy Hutson, United Kingdom | John Wrench, United Kingdom | ||
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| Andy is experienced in most aspects of fly fishing including rivers, reservoirs, salmon and sea trout. With over 21 years fly fishing experience and many of those in the tackle trade, Andy has a wealth of knowledge that he is happy to share with anglers of all abilities. Andy is a member of one of the UK's most successful competitive fly teams and has had 3 england youth caps achieving world team silver and bronze team medals and a home international team siver medal. | John Wrench holds an impressive resume and personal best, Armadillo(fully scaled) at 49.8 from a friends water called Mar-Peche (photo above). John is currently fishing a group of waters in the Chichester area using the SONIK sk4 Carp rods with fish to low 50's. So far he has managed fish to 38.12 from this venue. John has also spent lots of sessions on Kevin Maddocks lake. John's talents and experience are a perfect match for SONIK product testing. | ||
| Rob Waddington, United Kingdom | Bob & Vera Carlson, United Kingdom | ||
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| Rob Waddington is a professional guide who offers high quality, friendly and personal guiding, coaching and activity days for individuals, groups and corporate events. Based at his Fishing Lodge right on the North Shore of Rutland Water, Rob fishes this huge water virtually every day with SONIK rods. Qualified in trout and salmon coaching, Rob also fishes for salmon in Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Russia. Rob's website — www.rutlandwaterflyfishing.co.uk | Bob & Vera are based in Kendal at the southern edge of the English Lake District. They are very experienced anglers and have caught well over 160 different species ranging from Both hold the Game Angling Instructors Certificate (GAIC –Trout) and are members of the Game Angling Instructors Association. They specialise in teaching beginners and improvers |
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| Chappie Chapman, New Zealand | Dean "Deano" Harrison , New Zealand | ||
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| As one of New Zealand 's best known fly fishing guides Chappie has been guiding anglers for over twenty years. SONIK is glad have Chappie onboard! In addition to fly fishing guiding, Chappie runs twenty five, two day fly-fishing schools at introductory to mid level, and about five or six three day advanced level. Chappie's website — www.chappie.co.nz | I have been all over the world fishing, and still think New Zealand is an amazing place to fish. It's different, exciting, and fresh. It's very social too, especially for us as we have the homestay option to my tours. The South Island is my speciality, and I take trips for a day, to several weeks, from individuals to groups. We can camp, hut, stay on my boat 'The Goddess' or even chance a hotel or two! The best of Kiwi hospitality, comfort, and fun, probably with a beer and a cook up at camp. Deano ’s website – www.flyfishingadventures.co.nz |
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| Moreno Borriero, Italy | Robert “Bob” Milne, United Kingdom | ||
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| Moreno Borriero was born in South Africa in 1961 and has been a fly fisherman since 1982. In 2002 he became a professional guide and in the past years has become a Bamboo rodmaker and part of the Italian Bamboo rodmakers association. Moreno is also President of a fly fishing club in Lucca (Tuscany). Moreno's website — www.mbrods.it |
Bob hails from the North East of England and is a GAIA Instructor and Guide and holds the STANIC Certificate in trout fishing. He is a member of the Salmon and Trout Association, Angling Trust, Wild Trout Trust and Grayling Society as well as many other angling related associations and clubs. He enjoys introducing newcomers into the wonderful world of fly fishing through his angling coaching services and although having fished in many locations throughout the UK and around the world his true love is fishing Northumbrian rivers and small streams for wild brown trout and grayling. Bob’s website – http://www.bobtrout.supanet.com |
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| Ammala Louangketh, United States | |||
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| I was born in Laos, but grew up in the Northwest region of the United States in Boise, Idaho since I was one years old. My passion for fishing started at an early age when my mother took me to the Boise River where she taught me the basic understanding of fishing and the love for the outdoors. As time progressed I learned the true meaning of fishing which to me became more then just tossing a line and hook into the water. Since then I’ve always been interested in the outdoors, conservation, as well as the basic understanding of wildlife and nature and how it influences our lives. |
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