Personal best smashed with 50lb 4oz mirror

Dave Payne doubled his personal best with his first fish from the notoriously tricky St Ives complex.

Targeting Shallow Pit on the sprawling Cambridgeshire venue, Dave turned up for an overnight session and caught the lake’s biggest resident, Colin, at 50lb 4oz.

Dave told Angling Times: “The lake was at its busiest and there was only one swim spare. I tried to remain positive and convinced myself that the time saved choosing a swim would be better spent talking to some friends.  The chat proved worthwhile as they informed me that a better swim was to become free, and true to their word it did.”

Having moved swims, an early indication on his left-hand rod gave Dave confidence as he settled in for the night. He added: “I was woken with a flurry of beeps that merged into a screaming run and the rod doubled over. I kept thinking how I had lost my first fish from here earlier in the season, but this time I pulled the fish over the net cord and it was safely in the net. I was buzzing – my second bite had produced my  first fish.

“I gave the angler next door a shout and the carp was identified as Colin – wow, my first fish from St Ives and at 50lb 4oz it was the complex’s biggest, beating my pb by 25lb!” 

Dave fished Mad Baits’ Whicked Whites boilies on naked chod rigs.

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