47lb 2oz common carp’s annual arrival

This giant common carp known as the Colonel is making a habit of arriving at the same time of year with almost military precision.
Lee Walters caught the 47lb 2oz fish, along with two twenties, during a weekend session on Roman Lake at Stanwick Lakes Fishery in Northamptonshire.
The 56-year-old knew the fish was due a visit to the bank. He said: “For the last three years it has come out over the August bank holiday weekend. Two years ago I had it at 40lb from the same spot in the same swim on the bank holiday, but this time around it was a week later – the lads said they’d forgive it being a week overdue!”
Lee, who fished from Friday until Sunday, added: “I chose a swim in the middle of the lake with plenty of open water to go at. I baited lightly with 20 or 30 baits and small PVA bags over the top.
“I had a 27lb 8oz common on the Friday and a 27lb mirror on the Saturday before the common arrived on Sunday morning. It was a real one-toner, and from the way it just plodded I knew it was big. When I saw the width of it I knew which fish it was.”
The Northampton angler used double 18mm KCF hardened hookbaits from Xcel Baits mounted on longshank blowback rigs made with Fox hooks and Thinking Anglers Tungskin hooklinks.