Huge haul from Bluebell Lakes

An angler who sold all his gear in the recession scored a 47lb 12oz common after getting back into the sport.

Manchester carper Nigel Ramsbottom struck gold at Swan Lake on the Bluebell complex in Northamptonshire with a four-fish catch that also included a 32lb common and a 35lb mirror.

The 35-year-old told Angling Times: “I sold all my tackle when the recession hit so I’m just getting back into fishing – that session has done me a bit of justice!”

Nigel was fishing with friend Paul Talbot, who went on to catch the sought-after Z Fish at exactly 50lb from the same venue a week later.

“Paul’s been fishing there a lot so I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon,” said Nigel. “I’d been fishing the ‘Noddy’ waters near me and thought it was time to go for some bigger fish.”
Fishing with maggots at about 80 yards, Nigel caught the big common right at the end of the 48-hour session. He said: “The first fish was a 35lb mirror, then an 18lb mirror and a 32lb common, and then the 47lb 12oz common.

“It was like clockwork as we knew late afternoon would be bite time, so we stayed right till the end of our ticket. I knew it was something decent but it wasn’t until it was just off my rod tip that I saw it, and that’s when the shakes kicked in!”

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