Three fish haul topped by 42lb 10oz common

MIKE Jarvis enjoyed a memorable session on his local Cambridgeshire venue, banking this pristine 42lb 10oz common as part of an impressive three-fish haul.

Tackling the Northey Park Syndicate Lake in Peterborough, the landscape gardner showed how pre-baiting can pay dividends. Prior to his session he had found a group of fish holding up in a bay and he spread three to four handfuls of 10mm boilies over the area in an attempt to get them feeding confidently.

Mike told the Angling Times: “The conditions were particularly mild for the time of year, and overcast too. Basically perfect for a bite.”

His winning presentation consisted of a hinged-stiff rig tied with a size 6 Fox Arma Point SR hook, 25lb Fox Rigidity and 15lb Fox Coretex. In addition to this, he used a 30lb Fox Illusion and a 15lb fluorocarbon mainline to conceal his setup as much as possible.

“This rig was perfectly suited to fishing on the silty lakebed, plus the stiff material the rig is constructed from gives it great anti-eject and non-tangle properties.”

Utilising his knowledge of the lake, Mike fished to the base of a gravel bar at 35 yards range, over which he spread a liberal helping of 10mm Mainline New Grange boilies and offered a 10mm Milky Toffee pop-up over the top.

The all-important bite came in the early hours of the morning and after a spirited scrap he had his prize beaten. The session was then rounded  off with mirrors of 26lb 9oz and 16lb 6oz.