Parrot out at 43lb 1oz from Anglers Paradise

Ricky Thomas continued his good form at Anglers Paradise with this 43lb 1oz mirror.

The Somerset rod has been targeting the Kracking Carp Lake at the Devon holiday complex and is working his way through the sparse stock.

Having already caught all of the lake’s 12 mirrors he is now targeting the big commons, but was happy to reacquaint himself with this fish, known as The Parrot, at a much heavier weight.

The Gardner-backed angler said: “I previously caught this fish at 37lb two years ago, so I was delighted to see it weigh in at 43lb 1oz. I was over the moon considering the weather and that the lake was frozen just a week ago. I have now caught the lake’s three biggest fish at all over 40lb.”

The fish came during Ricky’s first 48-hour session of the year. He said: “The plan was to target the commons by using Hinders hemp mixed with corn and crushed and chopped Mainline Cell boilies. Having already caught all the mirrors using a pure boilie approach I was confident the more natural approach would potentially single out the commons.

“It was blowing a big southerly wind so I decided to get right in the face of it with the hope the fish had moved with the wind. I fished in peg four and positioned my rods along the far left margin amid bits of dead weed.

“As darkness fell on night one I hadn't had seen even a glimpse of life in the water let alone a carp. While fast asleep at 12.30am the right-hand rod was steadily away and before long I was into a powerful carp in the cold February rain.”

Ricky fished a whittled-down 15mm Mainline Essential IB wafter on a rig tied with a size 6 Gardner Mugga hook tied to Trickster braid and Tricklink fluorocarbon.

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