30lb common tops nine fish haul

PROLIFIC carp angler Tom Maker has been hauling again, landing nine carp in a short seven-hour day session on London’s Walthamstow 1 Reservoir.

The hectic session featured two twenties and was topped by this 30lb 15oz common.

The Kent-based Fox International-backed rod said: “It was my first session of 2013 having arrived back from France on New Year’s Eve. As well as the big common I also had fish of 20lb 10oz and 21lb 2oz.

“It was a day session because you’re only allowed to fish between 8am and 5pm, but by the time I’d set up I probably didn’t actually start fishing until about 10am.

“I caught most of the fish in a bit of a mad burst between 11.30am and 3pm, and I got through two and a half buckets of bait, so it was more than 10kg in total.

“When I had the take from the big common I already had a twenty in the net and was also playing another fish - so it was basically a triple take!”

He added: “It’s a great start to the new year as there aren’t many thirties in there.”

The Fox and Mainline consultant’s rig incorporated a size four SSBP Arma Point hook tied to a prototype Fox hooklink. The hookbait was a Mainline Cell boilie tipped with a piece of plastic corn, accompanied by a tiny PVA bag of Hinders Little Gemz pellets. This was cast, in conjunction with a 4oz lead, tight to an island at 90 yards range over a bed of pellets, hemp and boilies.