Single hookbait scores for 30lb common

Rory Paddle’s ‘delicate and cautious’ approach paid off once more as he banked his third thirty in a fortnight from his local syndicate venue.

The 28-year-old aviation broker managed a 20lb 3oz mirror and this pristine 30lb common on a session in which he had the water to himself.

He explained: “I arrived early for a day session and because the lake had been frozen most of the week I was fortunate enough to have the whole place to myself.

“After watching three swims in particular I spotted a huge circle of fizzers popping up right opposite the swim I had parked my barrow in.

“I quickly stripped down my gear and got a rod set up with a single Mainline Cell hookbait. I did not want to give the fish free-offerings if they were already feeding, especially as nobody had been down all week, so I plopped my rig in the centre of the channel where I had seen the fish, about eight yards out.

“I left the line slack and didn’t even bother setting up alarms or having a second rod — I just wanted the fish to be completely undisturbed.

“About an hour and a half later after many a heavy rain shower my Baitrunner started to turn with a slow, short take.

“I lifted the rod into the fish and thankfully it hadn’t reached the sanctuary of the dense reed beds on the far margin. After kitting to the right the fish soon tired and I managed to slip her into the net.

“It was a real dinner plate of a specimen common without a mark on her, which pulled round the scales to exactly 30lb.”

Two hours later the 20lb mirror rounded off a top bit of daytime winter action.

“It was another fantastic day during which my delicate and cautious approach seemed to pay off,” said Rory.

The winning rig featured a 1.5oz semi-fixed lead with six inches of Sufix Camfusion and a size-12 Korda Kurve Shank B hook.