Two forties from St Ives

Anglers fishing on the tough St Ives complex in Cambridgeshire have been making the most of the autumn feed-up, with two of the fishery’s most sought residents visiting the bank over the last week.

Mark Johnson landed Longreach’s Friendly Common at a weight of 41lb 5oz – the first time it has been caught over the 40lb-barrier.

The local 30-year-old targeted a spot in between two gravel bars at 40yds range which he baited with several kilos of Mainline Baits Cell boilies.

The all-important take came on the third morning of his trip and following an uneventful fight he netted his prize.

“I spent ages raking the swim to get my line-lay right prior to the session,” he said. “I knew at this time of year the fish would be up for a feed so I decided to bait up quite heavily.”

Mark’s winning presentation consisted of a Mainline Cell pop-up on a chod rig tied with 25lb ACE Riga-Mortis and a size 5 ESP Stiff Rigger hook.

Ian Couchman also got in on the action and banked his first ever forty in the form of this stunning 41lb mirror from the Shallow Pit known as Flat Head.

The venue regular set up in a swim known as Lazy Boys and received a blistering take at 9am.

He said: “The fish weeded me up initially, but I eventually got it moving again. After a few more powerful runs through several weedbeds it was expertly netted by the fishery manager Gordon Howes.”

Ian offered a Mainline Baits Cell boilie on a size 8 Fox Arma Point SSC hook over a bed of hemp and chopped boilies.

**For more information about fishing the St Ives complex visit: www.stiveslakes.com or call Gordon Howes on: 07803 065993**