Linear's biggest-ever mirror is so close to the 50lb mark

The biggest carp ever to come from Linear Fisheries was banked by Paul Girling last week.

The Essex rod caught the mirror known as Popeye from Manor Farm Lake at an all-time high of 48lb 4oz.

Forty-year-old Paul explained: “We arrived on Friday morning and, after spending time patrolling the lake, I noticed some fish showing off the point near to swim 19. I found a clear gravel spot with the marker rod at about 60 yards.”

Paul baited with 15 to 20 spods of hemp, corn, chopped boilies and particles, and about 50 Mainline New Grange boilies. Having topped up the bait on Saturday, Paul received a screaming take on Sunday morning.

“It was a slow and deliberate movement through the water, but after a fight of around 10 to 15 minutes I could see it was a lump on the surface. As it came in close, it took one more lunge and picked up one of my other lines, which caused chaos, but I managed to turn the fish again and guide it into the net. 

“I could clearly see this fish had beaten my PB of 29lb 10oz but I didn’t realise how big it was until I tried to lift it out in the sling!”

The fish was weighed on two sets of scales and confirmed as Popeye by fishery officer Chris Blunt.

Paul’s rig featured a size 6 Korda Kurv Shank hook tied to N-Trap Semi-Stiff. A New Grange wafter was attached via a blowback ring and a PVA stick of pellets and groundbait were covered in Almond Goo.