Blown away by oxlease common carp

Ian Russell felt his ‘whole world rolling around in the margins’ as he brought the biggest day-ticket carp at Linear Fisheries to the net.
The much-coveted Oxlease Lake common weighed in at 48lb 8oz to give the Avid-backed carp tutor a new personal-best common.
“To say I was blown away would be an understatement,” said Ian.
“This is obviously a carp that is constantly on your mind when fishing Oxlease. These moments mean so much to those of us who truly still appreciate our hobby.”
The fish, which had topped the 50lb mark for the first time earlier this year, was caught after Ian cast at showing fish during a coaching session at the Oxfordshire water.
Having seen four carp show at dusk, Ian fired a fake-corn rig out to the area and received the bite just before dawn.
Ian said: “At first I said to my client Nigel it was a small fish, but as the 40-yard mark was reached we could see differently.”
Having realised it was a large common – and there is only one in Oxlease – the battle become a nervy one for Ian.
“It signalled every panic button in my world to get pushed. Just five yards out my whole world was rolling around in the margins before Nigel scooped him up.
“Only a fellow angler will understand the relief, and much hugging followed. This was huge, and most definitely a personal best common for me.”
Ian presented two piece of Korum corn on a size 8 LSK hook over a small PVA bag of 2mm Sonubaits S Pellets to take the landmark common.

Full-moon perch hit

Shane Close believes that studying the moon phases helped him bank this 4lb 6oz perch.
The Marlborough, Wilts angler headed to a pit near Reading during a full moon, having landed big predators in identical conditions.
With only a short time frame to get among the fish before he had to go to work, he had a take shortly after the session got underway as the perch attacked his Fish Arrow Flash lure.
“It’s my biggest-ever UK perch and it just goes to show that it can pay to work out your catch patterns on certain moon phases,” said Shane.

Promising start for pike on Lake District venue

The predator season got off to a flying start at Esthwaite Water with Paul Varcoe’s 21lb 8oz pike.
The predator specialist moored in a likely looking spot and it wasn’t long before his lure was hit aggressively.
Several other 20lb-plus fish have also been netted this week, with venue bosses expecting the first thirty very soon now.
Professional guiding and coaching is available on Esthwaite Water throughout the winter.
Find out more by calling 01539 436541.

Get Hooked on Fishing pleads for donations following tackle thefts

Bosses of the nation’s biggest coaching scheme are urging Angling Times readers to help them raise thousands of pounds to replace tackle stolen during a devastating raid.
Get Hooked on Fishing is responsible for boosting junior participation numbers every year, but the charity’s efforts were hampered when crooks made off with a huge stash of tackle that was vital to one of its centres.
Police are currently investigating the robbery at the regional headquarters, Bradshaw Fisheries in Bolton, Lancs, but the chaos the thieves caused has left officials unsure as to whether the large scale coaching operation will be able to continue this winter.
Sarah Collins is the organisation’s Chief Executive and has now asked anglers for help so that the charity can continue the progress that has been made over the years.
“The Bolton part of the project coaches just under 1,000 juniors every year but this episode has put all that in jeopardy,” said Sarah.
“Unless we can raise over £1,000 to replace the stolen tackle, our carp and pike fishing plans for the coming months will have to be shelved, with the general coarse fishing for beginners being severely restricted.
“Angling is a sport that has a long history of showing its generosity, and we would be incredibly grateful if anyone can step forward and help fund the equipment we so desperately need,” she added.
Salford Friendly Anglers were the first to step in and aid the fundraising efforts, and secretary Mike Duddy said: “We don’t have a junior section of our own so we felt this was a great way of supporting that area of the sport.
“The donations have already started flooding in and we also intend to hold a raffle and hand over some new tackle to help them get back on their feet,” he added.
Anyone wishing to donate to the cause can do so by PayPal, making all payments to the admin@salfordfriendlyanglers account.
For details on other ways to donate call Sarah on 07525 255572.

32 barbel in week on River Wye

The Wye upheld its reputation as the UK’s best autum barbel venue with a 200lb-plus catch by Andy Waters.
Wetting a line well away from his Lowestoft, Suffolk, home, he made the draining 260-mile journey to the prolific river for a week’s holiday.
Using a tried-and-tested pellet and groundbait feeder approach, he put a bend in the rod numerous times, finishing his stay with 32 barbel to just shy of 9lb.
All the fish were caught on a rig that incorporated a 15lb Drennan Gravel Braid hooklength to a size 10 Korum Xpert Power hook.

Two scoops for 51lb 10oz carp after net fails first time

When Ryan Gibson slipped his net under one of the biggest carp in the lake he thought his night-time battle was over – but it was just the start.
Thinking he had just secured the known 50-pounder, the tackle shop manager watched in horror as his landing net came apart and the fish charged off 40 yards back into lake.
“She powered away in the opposite direction and pulled the head of my net from the end of the pole,” recalled the 28-year-old, who was fishing Cambridgeshire’s Rosemere syndicate.
“Never before had I ever had this happen to me with this style of net and I don’t suppose I shall ever have it happen again but, at that moment in time, I was absolutely gobsmacked at what had just happened.”
Ryan, from nearby March, was still in contact with the fish but far from sure about the outcome of the renewed battle.
“I was an absolute wreck, holding on to the rod for dear life, knowing full well what I was attached to and at the same time trying in earnest to put my net back together,” he said.
Having scrambled to get his head torch, which he had left under his brolly as he rushed to hit the 1am bite, the fish was subdued once more after a 15-minute tussle.
“Upon lifting the net around her for the second time I dropped the rod and grabbed hold of the spreader as quickly as possible, but this time around she was properly beaten.
“As I secured the net she lay there in the margins looking rather large!” he added.
At 50lb 10oz the fish gave Ryan, who fished Sticky Krill boilies on Withy Pool rigs made with Fox components, a new pb by more than 10lb.
The following morning, to round off a memorable session, he banked a 31lb 13oz mirror.
“It was a trip I will never forget and a capture that will forever be remembered as my first UK fifty,” said Ryan.

Records fall as massive barbel feed

Venue records and personal bests fell left, right and centre on rivers across this country this week as barbel sport went into overdrive.
Mild temperatures and rising water levels switched the species on to the feed on numerous iconic waterways, and those factors helped Jerry Brown bank a 16lb 2oz fish that smashed a long-standing record for the River Lea in Hertfordshire.
The Essex-based angler had been minutes away from packing up during a day on the Kings Weir stretch when the biggest barbel ever landed from the fishery fell to his tandoori flavoured meat hookbait.
Jerry told Angling Times: “The fishery manager suggested I reposition my rigs slightly while fishing close to an overhanging tree and once I did, I had no signs of an offer for almost three hours.
“With the rain pouring down I was on the verge of going home, but then the alarms went off and once the barbel was in the net it was clear that I had easily beaten my previous best by almost 5lb.
Meanwhile, over on the River Trent, big-fish specialist Tony Smith got a lot more than he bargained for when a 16lb 9oz barbel fell for his barrel-shaped boilie.
Tony had kick-started his session just before darkness, but he was unable to land any of the venue’s heavyweights during the night.
However, that all changed when at first light he found himself attached to something very substantial.
“The fish made a violent run to start with, and then headed 30 yards back upstream until it was in front of me,” he said.
“I could feel it was a big fish but I didn’t appreciate quite what a giant it was until it rolled on the surface.
“This catch once again confirms what a fantastic big-fish river the Trent really is,” he added.
Derbyshire Derwent enthusiast Julian Barnes experienced a week that many can only dream of when he took six double-figure barbel to 13lb 6oz.
Using MAD Baits boilies on the in-form river, the St Neots-based angler kept the bites coming during a manic few days on the bank.
His campaign ended with no fewer than four 11lb plus fish and a 12lb 7oz specimen before the biggest of the lot came to the net.
“It was a remarkable few days and although I fancied the conditions, I never expected to land this many double-figure barbel,” explained Julian, who also took several chub to over 6lb to put the icing firmly on the cake.
Ian Timms pitched up in a swim that many would have discounted on his latest trip to the Hampshire Avon, but his decision paid off to the tune of a mammoth pair weighing 14lb 5oz and a pb 15lb 11oz.
The Worthing-based angler set his stall out in a peg that was less than three feet deep and introduced a mixture of hemp and crushed boilies just a rodlength out.
Just after midday his centrepin reel screamed into life, and after a short battle the smaller of the two barbel was beaten.
Several hours of inactivity then passed before the action kicked off again. Later Ian said: “I have been barbel fishing for 35 years and this is the most incredible session of them all.”
Last but not least, Mark Smith took one of his biggest River Nene barbel of the season when a 12lb 11oz fish fell to a boilie wrapped in paste.
Heading to an overgrown swim that was rarely fished by anglers, it took the Peterborough angler less than half-an-hour in the spot to tempt the all-important bite.

New 'Super Freaks' strain of carp capable of breaking record, says creator

A new breed of carp that could break the UK record could be coming to a fishery near you.
‘Super Freaks’ are the creation of fish farming specialist Rob Hales, who has spent years adopting special techniques in order to produce the super-fast-growing fish.
The strain is being made available to the public through Rob’s firm, RH Fisheries, whose team of experts has already successfully bred carp to over 50lb at The Monument, in Shropshire.
Rob believes the mirrors and commons could reach record sizes within a decade, and he said: “Our current Super Freaks are only 18 months old, but already they average 3lb – that is double the size of other carp at that age.
“They all have the potential and genetics to grow beyond 40lb and will achieve more than 6lb weight gain per year if fed correctly in good water quality. That’s 50 per cent faster than anything we have bred before” he said.
Several carp fisheries have already been in touch to try and secure their order but Rob warned that mass production will not be easily achieved. He added: “We grade the fry from our fisheries and only choose the ones that are much bigger and stand out among thousands.
“These are put into our fish farm and fed six times a day on automatic feeders, with oxygen machines working on timers to ensure they are healthy and feed heavily” he said.
l Interested in buying some of Rob’s new stock? Call 01952 463141 or visit www.rhfisheries.com

£25,000 Parkdean Masters title for Andy Geldart

Andy Geldart followed up his success in last year’s Fish O’ Mania final with another major title to add to his belt – that of the Parkdean Masters at White Acres.

Leeds-based Andy demolished a high class field on Jenny’s Lake to lift the trophy and £25,000 cheque with a net of carp and F1s weighing 84lb 2oz. It was more than 34lb clear of the rest and was extra sweet for the Matrix and Dynamite Baits man, who missed out by just 3lb in the same match last year. That close shave came from peg 4, the adjacent swim to that of his draw in Saturday’s showdown, peg 3. This time, however, he made no mistakes to take some decent fish on Method feeder tactics towards the island point and out in open water.

“It’s just an amazing feeling! I really am over the moon to win this after coming so close in 2014, I think it just made me want it more! I can’t believe it only took me a year to put that result right as I thought it would be ages before I got in another final here, never mind get another peg with a chance in one. It’s hard enough just to get into the Parkdean final as there are so many top anglers competing for a place to qualify!” he said.

The 24 finalists had qualified by finishing highest in the 180-angler field from the Preston Innovations festival in the five previous days. On show were anglers the calibre of Steve Ringer, Alan Scotthorne, Lee Kerry, Callum Dicks, Steve Cooke, Andy Power and festival winner Matt Godfrey. It also saw three of the youngest finalists ever in Joe Kent, Tom Edwards and Sam Collett, none of whom were over the age of 17!

Sport was tough for most on a cold and windy Jennys Lake and after a few hours it was anybody’s for the taking. Steve Ringer on the unfancied end peg 23 had netted three decent early carp while competitors at the other end were taking small carassio F1 carp on small pellet and method feeders.

Andy Power was the pre-match favourite after pulling out peg 16 in the wide bay, a peg that has won multiple previous finals. However the big carp in this area were conspicuous by their absence which left Andy, and several nearby anglers, scratching their heads as to what to try next.

Watching crowds soon realised the battle for the big cash prize was quickly turning into a head-to-head between Andy on peg 3 and Callum Dicks next to him on 4, with Paul Holland also chipping-in with odd fish on peg 2.

“In the first few hours I caught 14 carassios and a few skimmers from the open water Method swim, for about 20lb,” said Andy.

“I didn’t actually fancy my peg at the start as I didn’t think I was far enough up the lake and not much was moving in front of me. Then my swim went quiet and I caught a small carp. Another half-hour went by and I got another. By this time Paul and Callum had also caught two or three each so I thought to myself that there must be a few in the area. I decided to change tactics by switching from a 4mm pellet on the hook to an 8mm. I also started casting into the shallow water near the overhanging bush on the island point where I’d be catapulting an occasional pellet,” he said.

That proved the point which changed his match and effectively won him the title as his first six casts resulted in six decent carp being landed, the biggest into double figures. There was no coming back for anyone else, despite Callum also panning a big fish of his own on the pole. Andy took a few more fish before a quiet spell and a late burst of three more in the final 15 minutes to put the result beyond doubt.

“I caught best by putting neat micropellets around my small 30g Method and I fished a 4ins hooklength. I started on 0.16mm Matrix Power Micro to a size 18 Carp Rigger hook but once I started hooking a few carp I upped this to 0.20mm and a size 16. I did have a couple of looks on the pole but I didn’t catch anything so I quickly binned it. It’s going to take a long while for this win to sink in, but I got married last year and had my first child this year so I’m sure my Mrs will think of plenty of things to spend the money on!” he laughed. 

Result: 1 A Geldart, Matrix/Dynamite Baits, 84-2-0; 2 C Dicks, Maver, 50-1-0; 3 S Ringer, Daiwa/Guru, 42-12-0; 4 R Wootton, Shimano/Dynamite Baits, 39-10-0; 5 P Holland, Guru, 39-6-0; 6 J Whincup, Frenzee/Bait-Tech, 36-10-0; 7 L Thornton, Middy/Bag ‘Em Baits, 34-6-0; 8 M Godfrey, Pole Fishing Magazine, 34-5-0; 9 S Cooke, Garbolino, 33-12-0; 10 A Power, Preston Innovations, 32-13-0; 11 A Hulme, Matrix Stapeley, 32-0-0;

12 J Dent, MAP/Sensas, 28-9-0; 13 T Edwards, Dynamite Baits, 28-6-0; 14 J Kent, Matrix Tameside, 27-14-0; 15 L Kerry, Preston Innovations, 26-1-0; 16 J Harness, Daiwa/Ringer Baits, 25-10-0; 17 S Collett, Dynamite Baits, 24-7-0; 18 S Barraclough, Doncaster, 22-3-0; 19 A Scotthorne, Drennan/Sensas, 22-1-0; 20 P Carnwell, Garbolino/Bait-Tech, 15-2-0; 21 J Arthur, Drennan, 15-0-0; 22 P Burton, Hilton Hotels, 12-7-0; jt23 B Fisk, Middy and A Higginbottom, Matrix Dynamite Baits Trentmen, both DNW.

51lb Linear carp thanks to wife’s generosity

When Steve Palmer netted this Linear Fisheries 51lb carp he knew it was due in large part to the generosity of his wife, who renewed his season ticket at the 11th hour.

The Gaunts Lake specimen, known as the Uncle Albert Fish, generally only gets caught twice a year, in April and October. “During my time on there I’ve managed to be on the lake three times out of the four captures in the last two years,” said Steve. “Little did I know that this October I would be on the other side of the camera at long last.”

The capture very nearly didn’t happen, as Steve’s ticket ran out on September 30 and he was due to move on to another water. However, his wife, who knew how much he wanted to catch this particular fish, offered to pay the renewal fee and the pair were back at the lake the following weekend.

Settling in a swim called the Beach, Steve had a quiet first night before getting a bite the next morning.

“After a heavy, slow battle my prize was resting over the spreader block and sank to the bottom of the net. I looked at my wife, who was snapping away with her camera, and said ‘got him!’

“A quick shout to my mate and we soon realised it was not just a dream. I was totally blown away!” he said.

Steve fished Nash TG Active and Coconut Crème boilies as a snowman set-up.

Norfolk Broads stocks bouncing back

Fish stocks on the Norfolk Broads are at an all-time high – despite the impact of a devastating incident that threatened the future of angling in the area.
Visiting anglers have reported bountiful catches as the hotspot recovers from April’s disaster, when thousands of fish were wiped out by an oxygen-depleting algal bloom.
The dramatic recovery is thought to have been sparked by an explosion of silverfish on the rivers Thurne, Bure and Ant, and Tony Gibbons believes the region’s visitors have enjoyed the best fishing in more than a decade.
The Norwich & District AA chairman said: “Roach and skimmer numbers are incredibly high at the moment on all the Broads rivers.
“We have had numerous 70-plus peg matches on the Thurne recently which have seen an average of 20lb per angler.
“Pleasure fishermen have been getting even bigger catches,” he added.
No restockings have taken place since the worrying incident – which ended with Environment Agency officers rescuing and relocating more than half-a-million fish – but Tony believes the rivers are sustainable enough to recover naturally.
“Many of the Broads rivers have replenished themselves very quickly, especially as we have had a couple of good years of spawning.
“No-one has put any fish into these venues so it shows how good Norfolk rivers are at recovering naturally. It bodes really well for the future,” said Tony.
Matrix-backed match angler Warren Martin is a regular on the Broads, and is urging anglers to sample the prolific sport on offer.
He told Angling Times: “The fishing has been great on the Thurne and Bure for the past few years, and this summer it has stepped up another level.
“I have enjoyed some superb sport on the rivers this year, and I am looking forward to returning in the coming weeks,” he said.

4lb 9oz perch finally ends 15-year quest

A 15-year campaign to break his perch personal best came to a stunning climax for Mike Lyddon with this fin-perfect 4lb 9oz fish from a Thames tributary.
The Gardner-backed angler had lost a giant predator last year from the same waterway, so he returned for a short session to settle the score.
Having located a deep hole close to an overhanging bush, he cast a float-paternostered gudgeon livebait within inches of the snag.
Several jack pike were the first to come, but he was given his ultimate reward just as the light was starting to fade. Mike told Angling Times: “This is definitely the same fish I lost just under a year ago, and I am delighted to have finally banked such an incredible perch.
“The moment I struck I just had a feeling it was going to be something special, and as soon as it broke the surface there was no doubt in my mind it was the target fish I had been chasing for so long.
“My previous best of 4lb 1oz from the River Kennet was taken a decade and a half ago, and it’s great to better it in such style,” he added.
With the predator season just getting underway, very few pike and perch are at their optimum size, but Mike is confident the fish could cross a very special barrrier in the coming months. He added: “This is a fish with a big frame to grow into, and if it is landed in the early stages of next year there is every chance it would weigh in at more than 5lb.”
The giant stripey was beaten on a rig made up of 6lb Gardner Hydroflo mainline and a 5.5lb Mirage fluorocarbon hooklength to a size 4 Wide Gape Talon Tip hook.

3lb 5oz perch best

Richard Griffiths’ decision to leave his carp tackle at home and go drop shotting paid off in style – with six 2lb-plus perch topped by a 3lb 5oz specimen.
The Shimano-backed carper visited an East Midlands gravel pit with colleague Simon Bates, where the pair netted more than 40 predators using Rapala Storm soft baits on light lure rods.
Simon banked four fish over 2lb, including the biggest fish of the day which weighed in at 3lb 7oz.

46lb 4oz Acton Burnell common carp tops the list

Duncan Arrandale capitalised on a week’s holiday by banking four carp averaging more than 40lb at Acton Burnell.
The Wychwood and Richworth consultant caught mirrors of 46lb 4oz, 41lb and 39lb 2oz, plus a common of 37lb 8oz during his seven-night session at the Shropshire big-fish water.
The 41-year-old got off the mark almost immediately and never looked back. He said: “I was fortunate to find a group of fish feeding when I arrived, and fishing single hookbaits to bubblers for the first four hours resulted in a 41lb mirror.
“The fish then drifted off, but on Tuesday morning I saw a fish show to my right. An S-Core pop-up cast to the area resulted in a 39lb 2oz mirror.
“The lake then seemed to switch off but I had seen a fish top in a bay to my right on Wednesday, right on dark. I baited the area on the Thursday and Friday mornings with a couple of handfuls of S-Core and on Friday lunchtime a fish topped on the spot.
“I cast a darker-coloured KG-1 hookbait over the brighter S-Core freebies and got a bite an hour later. After an epic 25-minute battle I netted a new personal best of 46lb 4oz.
“The week was then rounded off on Sunday morning with a common of 37lb 8oz, caught fishing to an area where I had seen a couple of shows the morning before.
“I primed the area with 45 baits on the Saturday afternoon, fished a hookbait to the area from dusk and had a bite just after first light on Sunday.”
The Worcestershire angler used hinged stiff rigs made from size 6 E-S-P Stiff Riggers, Kryston Incognito and Korda Mouthtrap.

Roach and dace seal Trent glory

Pole and maggot for winning silvers net

Frank Barlow Memorial (Weds)
River Trent, Burton upon Trent (62 pegs)

Sixty-two anglers lined the banks of the Trent to pay homage to the legendary Frank Barlow and other dearly departed anglers as the 19th memorial event moved to a new home in the Coors AC stretch of river at Burton upon Trent.
Winner was Andy Taft, who drew a swim with a shallow glide below a footbridge and targeting the slack water with pole and maggot over groundbait immediately below one of the bridge stanchions. He was rewarded with a great run of dace and roach.
As bites tailed off he then continued to plunder more fish to 10oz by running a light pole rig further down his swim, ending up with approximately 135 fish for an impressive 20-2-0.
Dave Jones was just behind with 19-0-0. After being faced with a really weedy swim, he elected to loosefeed hemp and maggot and fished a lightly shotted insert waggler over the top. By the halfway stage he had already amassed well over double figures, but a pike slowed sport down in the last two hours and scuppered his chance of lifting the trophy.
The donation of peg fees and raffle prizes helped to raise £643 for the cancer ward at Nottingham City Hospital.
Result: 1 A Taft, Nathan’s of Derby, 20-2-0; 2 D Jones, Coors AC, 19-0-0; 3 S Baker, 17-6-0; 4 K Rutter, Ferry Bridge AC, 16-4-0; 5 P McEvoy, Nottingham, 15-15-0.

Hope wins Ure festival on weight

Local knowledge proves the key to victory

Ripon Piscatorials Three Day Festival (Tues – Thurs)
River Ure, Streams (36 pegs)

Martin Hope ran out overall winner in this popular three-day River Ure festival with a superior weight of 22-2-0, against  Steve Newns’ 13-8-0, after the pair tied on three points.
Cold nights, clear water and bright sun made this a bit of a test for most and local knowledge was always going to be an advantage because,  after Day 1, the chub didn’t show in numbers.
Top weight on Day 1 went to Brian Sowerby on noted peg 7, where he banked 10 quality chub for 45-8-0.
The Day 2 honours went to the in-form Rob Pickles, who had won the Ure Champs the previous Sunday and drew the same peg on Wednesday to record 18-12-0 of chub.
Going into the final day Martin Hope and Steve Newns were tied at the top on two points.
RSPS river maestro Jim Taylor recorded the best barbel match weight of the season from the river to win Day 3 with 29-3-0.
Overall: 1 M Hope, Northern Angling Ripon, 3pts (22-2-0); 2 S Newns, KL Tackle, 3 (13-8-0); 3 N Proctor, Northern Angling Ripon, 4 (24-4-0); 4 K Weighell, DH Angling, 4 (10-6-0); 5 B Sowerby, Darlington, 6.

Quiet day shattered as sardine tempts 20lb pike

A quiet day on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal perked up when Gordon Cash netted this 20lb 8oz pike.
The Wigan angler had set his sights on the venue’s stocks of predators and used a slice of sardine to try to lure them in during the day on a local stretch of the water.
Early signs suggested that he was in for a day to forget, but those fears were soon allayed when the fish mouthed the bait.
A short battle ensued, before Gordon slipped the net under his prize.

250lb Thai arapaima

Predator fishing fanatic John Neafcy switched his local waters for a trip to Thailand and was rewarded with this giant 250lb arapaima.
The Wigan angler jetted off to the popular Gillhams Resort and fooled the specimen after it fell for a big pellet hookbait.
John was also involved in several other memorable battles, taking Mekong catfish and Siamese carp to 95lb during the holiday.

A soaking... a winning bet... and a 46lb carp best

The highs and lows of carp fishing were summed up in an extraordinary session for Dan Johannessen.
During an eventful stay at Eric’s Willows Lake in Yorkshire, the Hull rod caught one of the water’s biggest fish, only for it to escape from the net before it could be weighed or photographed.
Amazingly, he dusted himself off to land a 40lb common, followed by a £1,400 betting win and then a 46lb leather.  
Dan, who fished peg 19, banked a 37lb leather and a stockie on his first night, then a 3.30am take and subsequent boat battle on day three kicked off the drama.
“I started to row back to my swim, knowing I had one of the big commons. I got the sling into the water and collapsed the landing net, but there was weed at the end of it. It pulled the net into the water and the fish escaped. I tried to grab the fish and went head-first into the water, feeling the huge common slip through my fingers.”
Dan’s next bite at 8.15am resulted in a common of exactly 40lb. Next, on his girlfriend’s advice, he put a bet on the football and won £1,400 and finally, at 7.30am, he caught the Steve Turner Fish at 46lb to set a new personal best and cap a remarkable few days.

Bread tempts 2lb roach

Iain McDonald demonstrated that traditional tactics still have their place in an angler’s armoury when he slipped the net under this 2lb roach.
The Kent angler tempted the prime specimen from his local stretch of river using a tactic known as stret pegging, which involves setting your rig well overdepth with a heavy shot close to the hook so that the float lays on the surface.
Iain introduced no loosefeed, relying on a breadflake hookbait to draw in the redfin.