New personal-best common moments before end of session

A seldom-caught 40 provided Ash Bradbury with a new personal-best common.
The Tails Up director banked the ‘Big Grey Common’ from an Essex syndicate at 45lb 10oz just moments before his session was set to come to an end.

The 32-year-old explained: “I had decided not to fish in August with various family and work commitments, but my grandfather had fallen ill and sadly passed away on the Wednesday morning, so after spending the day with the family I got home feeling emotionally drained and tired.

“There was only one thing to do – take a couple of days off and go fishing.”

Having found spots in the weed, Ash lost a fish and banked a couple of tench on the final morning of his overnighter, before his target fish picked up his middle rod seconds before he was about to reel it in.

“I had to pick my chin up off the floor she looked that big,” said Ash. “If it was a parting gift from my granddad it was definitely the best I could have asked for.”

Ash fed 3kg of mixed pellets and tigers over whole and crushed Tails Up OCM boilies. His hookbait was a buoyant 14mm OCM bait tipped with fake corn.