Bluebell ‘50’ mirrors Terry Hearn’s Mary
Nineteen years to the day after Terry Hearn’s capture of Mary, Kev Hewitt slipped the net under his own 55-pounder.
At just an ounce under the weight of Terry’s record-breaking Wraysbury carp from 1996, Kev’s capture of Dave from Swan Lake on the Bluebell complex in Northamptonshire had a remarkable symmetry about it.
Kev, who first saw the iconic photographs of Mary on television show Tight Lines as a 12-year-old, was even using ESP’s Terry Hearn- named rods.
“I was only 12 years old but I remember seeing Terry and the iconic photo,” said the Swindon angler. “Fast forward 19 years to the day and I find myself holding a new personal best of 55lb 12oz. Dreams can come true!”
The 31-year-old added: “The lake had been fishing slow and there had not been a fish out in three weeks.However, the weather looked bang on. Strong winds and moody skies is big-fish weather, especially at this time of year. It could just be the catalyst needed to switch it on, so when I saw the forecast it was a last-minute decision to go down to Swan Lake for a 48-hour session.
“I had my first bite from a 23lb common off a baited area at around 90 yards and then had another fish of 37lb 6oz on a mini ESP PVA bag with a single grain of ESP artificial corn balanced as a hookbait.
“On the second morning the same rod was away again and this time a slow, steady big-fish battle resulted in the new pb slipping into my net.
“Three fish in 48 hours is a great result, topped with the big one that means this was a session I will
never forget.”
The Hinders manager, who caught Dave last autumn at 53lb 4oz, used a new CC Moore PVA bag mix inside mini solid bags and tied a 3ins ESP Sinklink hooklink to a size 6 hook.