Match-style bait scores for James Mann

Adopting a match angler style baiting approach has paid off in style for James Mann on the Essex Manor with a string of recent captures topped by a 38lb mirror and a 40lb common.

The Fox-backed locksmith found the key to success has been to bait multiple spots in certain swims and keep an eye on each area during his midweek sessions.

The 36-year-old told Angling Times: “I pass the venue on the way to work on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday so I walk round and bait up, then generally fish from late on Wednesday evening until Friday.

“I put in 20kg of Mainline Hybrid boilies each week, and start each session with 3kg of the bait.

“I’ll bait a number of spots in each swim, a bit like a match fisherman has a margin line and a far-out line, and I’ll watch them during the session to see if I can see signs of feeding fish.”

In recent weeks James has banked two 30s, a 40lb 4oz common and half a dozen 20s.
He said: “The 38lb mirror and the 40lb common came from the same swim, fishing to the far margin.

“The mirror came at 4am from an area in about 6ft of water that’s become a feeding spot as I’ve regularly introduced bait to it. It’s a fish known as the Anchor and I instantly recognised it as it came in close – I’ve had it before at 43lb 8oz so it was a bit spawned out.”

The big common, known as the Bream Common, arrived during a subsequent session and was James’s last remaining target fish from the venue, having bagged all the other big commons in Manor.

He said: “That take came at about 8.30pm on my left-hand rod close to some pads and I knew instantly it was a decent fish as it just sat there and didn’t want to do anything.
“I said to my mate that I thought it was a good one and as it swam out in front of us I saw a big set of shoulders and I knew which fish it was. It was the last one I wanted to catch and really made my session.”

All James’s fish fell to naked chod setups using components from the Fox Edges range to combat the heavy weed growth. Hookbaits were Mainline Pineapple pop-ups with added n-butyric acid.