50lb-plus common caught off the surface

ONE of the biggest carp ever caught off the surface has been landed by Jason Connolly who banked the sought after Snake Pit common at its biggest ever weight of 51lb 4oz.

Incredibly, he landed the impressive specimen on his first ever session on the Colchester Angling Preservation Society water.

Arriving for a short overnighter he had a quick look round and settled on a swim where he’d seen a few fish moving about and started catapulting out a few mixers.

“The fish weren’t showing much interest so I spent the next hour plumbing about and baiting a spot with 2kg of Tails Up Pro Fish boilies,” he said. “I kept the mixers going in but the fish were being really cagey and only taking the odd biscuit.”

By the time he’d had a bite to eat, however, the fish were starting to grow in confidence and were readily taking his free offerings. Quickly casting out a trimmed-down Enterprise Imitation Mixer on a size 12 Korda Mix hook alongside a Kruiser controller float he hooked in to and landed a 21lb common almost straight away.

“I couldn’t believe I’d caught one on my first night as in my mind I was fully expecting a long wait before any of the notoriously tricky Snake Pit carp ended in my net.”

The best was still to come though, and shortly after casting out a fresh rig he was connected with another fish.

“I managed to keep the fish away from a weedbed to my right and pumped it slowly back towards the bank. It felt much heavier than the previous fish and when its shoulders broke the surface at 15yds range my mate simply stated, ‘it’s a lump’.

“After three more lunges she went in the net and when I peeled back the mesh I was blown away by what was laying at the bottom of it. Colossal didn’t come close to describing how big she looked.

“To catch on my first trip down to Snake Pit was enough for me, but to land one of the most sought-after commons in England at a new lake record weight on a mixer was surreal.”