The Turtle caught at 54lb 4oz

After losing the huge mirror known as The Turtle in April, Glenn Beardsall finally set the record straight when he banked it at a weight of 54lb 4oz from Wellington Country Park in Berkshire.

Setting up on the back of a westerly wind in a swim which he hadn’t fished for over a year, the Buckinghamshire-based RAF employee saw a few fish show and following a quick lead around decided to fish over an area of light weed at 100 yards range.

“The rods were all measured out, clipped-up and deposited out in the lake - one to the left and two to an area on the right,” he said. “There were no more shows during the rest of the day, so just before dark I baited up with about a kilo of chopped boilies went over two rods and 50 whole baits over the other.”

The night passed without event, but at 10am the next morning his left-hand-rod burst in to life resulting in a 28lb 6oz common.

Four hours later he received another take and his rod bent double as the fish tried to find sanctuary in the weed. “I managed to keep the fish moving, and except for a few anxious moments when some weed got jammed in the tip ring and I had to put the rod down to clear it, the fight went well,” said Glenn.

“I got a few of the other lads round to do the weighing as I was too nervous to look. They read out a weight of 54lb 4oz and confirmed that it was the Turtle. The capture was all the sweeter because I’d lost him in early April due to a hookpull for absolutely no reason. It also eased a few minds as he’d not been on the bank since last August when he weighed 52lb 2oz,” he added.

Glenn rounded the session off with a 35lb 10oz mirror using Mainline Baits New Grange hookbaits on size 6 Fox Arma Point SR hooks and Coretex hooklinks.