Brace of 40lb commons

A brace of 40lb commons topped an incredible session that also featured four thirties for Darren Gleave.

The Manchester rod visited St John’s on the Richworth Linear complex in Oxfordshire last week and came away 72 hours later with a huge tally of specimens.

Among the haul was the Box Common at 42lb 7oz and, just three hours later, the Big Common at 44lb 12oz.

Providing back up were four thirties to 33lb, 11 twenties and 11 doubles.
The 39-year-old Trafford Angling Supplies employee said: “It was my best-ever session, without a doubt.

“I’ve had some good sessions in France but this has beaten the lot of them.”

Four of the fish fell to zig rigs while the other 24 carp, including the monster commons, tripped up on bottom-bait combi rigs and Nash Manchester Specials boilies.

“I got the peg I wanted to get on and there were quite a lot of fish showing, but they seemed to be the smaller ones,” said Darren.

“I put a bed of boilies out at about 100 yards and then topped it up with a couple of spods after every fish. In all I used about 6kg of boilies.”

Both commons fell on Monday afternoon and beat Darren’s previous personal best of 35lb 12oz.“

Both of the fish weeded me up and I had to put the rod down for 15 to 20 minutes, and like most of the fish they didn’t really fight until they were in the margins.

“I certainly didn’t realise how big the biggest one was until I got it on the mat.”