Two anglers share a rack of carp to a best of 45lb 13oz

Carp fishing sessions in February aren’t usually associated with multiple bites – but Adam Smith certainly bucked that trend when he landed no fewer than 18 fish during a stint at Christchurch Lake on the Linch Hill complex in Oxfordshire.
The Sticky consultant’s impressive haul included eight thirties to over 38lb and one of the lake’s biggest residents – a fish known as Scar – at a weight of 45lb 13oz.
“I have never experienced a session quite like it,” the fishery bailiff told Angling Times.
“To catch 20 fish in one trip is crazy. I think the lake did one bite in three months last winter, and I am sure the weather has played a big part in this year’s catch rate.”
All Adam’s carp fell to new Manilla boilies from Sticky with 12mm trimmed-down hookbaits.
These were fished on size 6 Korda Wide Gape hooks over a mixture of whole and crushed boilies, sweetcorn, bloodworm pellets and bloodworm.
He added: “The fish were obviously liking the bait, in fact they almost smelt of it on the unhooking mat!”
Another angler to capitalise on the venue’s rich vein of winter form was Cheshire’s Myles Gibson.
In two trips to the day-ticket water he landed three different commons, all of them over the 40lb barrier.
The trio included the stunning Baby Perch at 42lb 6oz, a fish which was backed up the following week with a 42lb 4oz common and a specimen called the Box at 45lb 6oz in the space of four hours.
Once again Sticky Manilla boilies produced the goods.

- Christchurch and Willow are Linch Hill’s day-ticket waters and hold exclusively English-bred carp. More info on 01865 882215.