52lb carp 'Butthead' falls to zig rig

A change to zig rigs turned a blank trip into “the session of a lifetime” for Daniel Healy when he caught one of the biggest carp in the North West at 52lb.

The fish, known as Butthead, came from Pendle View in Lancashire and was Dean’s second personal best of the session, following a change of tactics halfway through.

“The first 24 hours passed without incident,” said the 25-year-old.

“Then I began to notice fish showing in the area and decided to switch all my rods on to zigs.”

The Preston angler, who was on only his third visit to the venue, added: “The result was instant – within 15 minutes of the change my left-hand rod pulled up tight, resulting in a new pb in the shape of a mirror known as The Pig at 28lb 6oz.

“Two hours later I decided to reposition my middle rod and after 30 minutes it went, resulting in a 23lb 8oz common known as Two Tone.”

The rest of the rest of the day and night proved uneventful, but just on dawn on the final morning Daniel got the bite he had been waiting for.

“Just as the night sky started to turn inky blue I had a succession of five beeps on my middle rod and seconds later it screamed off. After a 20-minute fight it came in close and rolled on the surface. My friend Luke Makinson and I looked at each other in disbelief and the fight continued for a further minute or so before Luke was finally able to slide the net underneath what could only be described as a dream come true.

“It was the session of a lifetime for me, on a great family-run fishery.”

Daniel fished yellow Fox Zig Alignas on size 10 hooks and 10lb hooklinks at 12ins in 3ft of water.