Target acheived with 39lb 10oz common

A TWO night session on a local 100-acre gravel pit produced a new personal best for Sam Willis in the form of this cracking 39lb 10oz common.

The impressive specimen was part of a four fish haul taken by the Milton Keynes-based delivery driver which also included carp of 24lb 2oz, 10lb and 8lb.

“I’ve fished the lake on and off for the past few years but have really made a concentrated effort on there since Christmas,” said the 22-year-old.

“I started off fishing all over the pit but once I started catching a few I settled on one area where I have kept the bait going in.”

Since the start of the year Sam has taken eight carp to mid-twenties, and his latest fish all came from a 4ft deep spot at short range in open water and fell to the new 18mm S-Core boilies from Richworth Baits.

“I baited each rod with around half a kilo of whole and crushed baits and a bit of hemp. All of the bites came between 8am and 9am in the morning so this was definitely the bite time.

“I actually thought the 39lb’er was a bream at first because the only indication I received was a small drop back and then it came in really easily. I was shocked when I saw what was obviously a 30lb-plus fish in the margins.

“On the bank I recognised it as one of the lake’s bigg’uns and one of my three target fish.”
Sam mounted his hookbaits on combi-rigs tied with a fluorocarbon and 15lb braid hooklink attached to a size 6 hook.