52lb carp taken on feeder rod

A roach, a bream and then a 52lb mirror carp! That was the incredible catch taken by Phil Spinks while fishing for tench on Lenwade Charity Lake in Norfolk.

Amazingly, the local Korum consultant managed to successfully land the county’s biggest carp using a light 1.75lb test curve rod and an 11lb Xpert mainline attached to a short 10lb braided hooklink with a size 12 Xpert Specialist hook.

“I’d heard that some of the carp anglers on the lake had been catching some good tench so I decided to have a go for them,” Phil told Angling Times. “I set up in a swim which allowed me to cast towards an island where I often see tench rolling.”

After putting out a bed of casters, pellets and maggots he landed a 5lb bream and a small roach before receiving a stuttering drop-back bite. “As soon as I lifted in to the fish and the rod hooped over I knew I was attached to one of the lake’s two biggest carp. After a nerve-wracking 20 minute fight I steered it over the net and recognised it as Babyface – the Norfolk record carp.

“I had four more carp to 19lb the next morning but no tench so the session wasn’t very successful in that respect – I couldn’t really complain, though, with a 52lb mirror to my name!”