The Boss out at 52lb 12oz, joined by latest Fryerning 40lb carp

What better way to end a lake’s two-week fishless streak than with a 97lb brace?
That’s what Dave Cope did on the Main Lake at Essex’s Fryerning Fisheries where, as on many of the country’s carp waters in recent weeks, bites had been very hard to come by.
The 52-year-old quality engineer snared the Boss at 52lb 12oz, followed a few hours later by a new forty for the venue at 44lb 4oz.
“It was a catch of a lifetime, a fantastic fish from a fantastic fishery,” said the Milton Keynes angler who is on his first season at Fryerning.
Having found a slight shelf at 50 yards, Dave put out a “fair amount” of spod mix and presented Enterprise plastic hookbaits in small PVA bags.
He said: “My first carp came just into dark on the second evening. It was a decent take and the fish went on a few mad runs, rolling on the line a couple of times, but it didn’t manage to lose the barbless hook.
“Bailiff Carl Carlucci netted the fish and as we peered inside the net we both knew which fish it was – the Boss. After the fish was weighed and photographed, I just couldn’t fish.
“It was an amazing, fantastic, special fish – I was quite happy to sit there, drink tea and chill all night.”
After some encouragement from Carl, Dave sorted his rig and bait and cast out again. “For that I owe him,” said Dave, “as six hours later, around midnight, the same rod on the same spot went again.
“After another steady fight with the fish trying to venture round an island I managed to slip the net under the second fish at 44lb 4oz. It looks like it is a new forty for the lake and has not been out since August 2014.”