Lee Valley giant caught for first time in 29 months

The “best common in the Lee Valley” has been caught for the first time in nearly two and a half years.

Tango, which resides in Jerry Hammond’s Carthagena Fishery in Hertfordshire, had evaded capture since 2012 before it slipped up to Mark Smith at 45lb 6oz.

“Tango has been on the missing list for 29 months since I last caught it,” said Jerry, “It’s the king of the lake and on everyone’s wish list. It’s got to be the best common in the Lee Valley.”

Captor Mark said: “This was only my third session on Carthagena. I already knew it was a hard water when I joined so didn’t for one minute think this could be my lucky day!

“The lads on the lake all came to give a hand and regular fish catcher Tony Moulder did some nice shots on his camera big thanks to him a gent well

“I arrived for my session on Tuesday and jumped in a swim call Third Beach, which I had been baiting fairly heavy with krill boilies and pellet with no action. One of the bailiffs popped over and told me to put one over to the far bank. Later that evening I gave it a go, fishing tight into a little hole on a chod rig did the trick.”

Mark, from Southend in Essex, ended the trip with two other fish weighing 21lb 6oz and 31lb 8oz. He fished a homemade corkball krill pop-up tied to a chod rig made with a size 6 Korda Chod hook, 25lb Korda Mouth Trap, Fox Submerge Lead-Free leader and ESP Synchro mainline.

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