Heavy baiting produces St Ives' Colin

A CONCENTRATED baiting campaign paid dividends for Mark Johnson when he slipped his net under this 47lb 5oz mirror from the Shallow Pit on the famous St Ives complex in Cambridgeshire.

The huge specimen, known as Colin, is the sixth fish which the local 29-year-old has caught from tricky low-stock venue this season and beat his previous pb of 43lb.

Focusing his efforts on an area close to a gravel bar at around 40 yards range he kept the spot topped up with Mainline Baits Cell boilies.

“I’d put a couple of kilos out at the start of each session and then put more in at the end of the trip,” he told Angling Times. “The spot I was fishing was in the shallower area of the lake and I knew that the fish would use the bar as a patrol route.”

The first two days of his latest outing passed without event but sport then picked up on the final night.

“I’d caught a 24lb mirror and then an hour later by bobbin just slowly pulled up to my rod. I got out of bed and on feeling that the line had tightened up, lifted in to it. The fish then went mad and after initially weeding me up, went on to flat rod me on several occasions. I knew that I was more than likely attached to Colin as I heard plenty of stories about it always fought really hard. Sure enough, 10 minutes later I slipped the unmistakeable bulk of Colin in to the net.”

Mark beat his prize with a hinged-stiff rig comprising Korda Mouthtrap and a size 5 ESP Stiff Rigger hook.

**For more information about fishing the St Ives complex visit: www.stiveslakes.com or call Gordon Howes on: 07803 065993**