Two carp for over 72lb

ROBBIE Fielding landed two fish for more than 72lb on the famous Essex Manor syndicate – the first fish to be caught from the venue in 2013.

The Baitcraft fieldtester landed a fish known as Hank at 42lb and a 30lb mirror in a four-hour period after dark. 

Following a quiet first night of a 48-hour session, Robbie went for a walk and tracked down the carp.

He said: “As I approached one of the end swims the water looked slightly brown in colour. I jumped up a tree and could see the bottom was kicking up in clouds of clay and noticed the odd suspect appearing out of the cloud.”

After setting up in the swim, Robbie presented Baitcraft Super K pop-ups on hinged-stiff rigs and fired out 100 free offerings with a baiting stick at about 8pm.

“I thought I had spooked them, but at about 10pm the right hand rod was away and after a good fight I was photographing a winter thirty.

“I left the rod in and got my head down and at 2am the middle rod was away and after a short battle another fish hit the spreader block. After help from my mate with the weighing we decided on a weight of 42lb. The photos were done and the fish was returned to fight another day.

“I put both rods back out again and another 100 baits, and fished until the following afternoon and packed up a happy man with a winter brace including one thirty and Hank at 42lb.”