Venue’s biggest carp falls at 34lb

Paul Abrahams made it second time lucky with the capture of his club water’s biggest resident in an action-packed session.

“Seeing her go in the net was a relief as I lost her at the net on a previous visit,” he said of the moment he secured the 34lb 9oz “fish of a lifetime”, known as Gut Bucket.

It was one of three thirties and a twenty in a seven-fish haul at a four-acre Somerset venue.

“I couldn’t believe it,” added Paul, who began his session in the teeth of a westerly wind. A 15lb 11oz common fell during the first 24 hours before the wind became northerly.

“I kept a little bait trickling in and that evening I bagged a 20lb 2oz mirror,” said Paul. “Nothing else happened that night, but the next afternoon was different. At last I had a screaming take and netted a 31lb 2oz mirror known as Trio.”

Another 24 hours passed quietly, leading Paul to search for a new spot. “I moved one of my rods closer to an island, out the way of the cold north wind, and in only 3ft 6ins of water.

“I put about half a kilo of bait around this rod, and five minutes after doing so the rod screamed off and a cracking common of 19lb 2oz was in the net.”

The same rod produced Gut Bucket at 10.30am the next day, and the action continued into the final night and the last morning, when a 33lb 2oz mirror named Spot rounded off a memorable session.

All the fish came to CC Moore Live System wafters on rigs made with 20lb ESP Tungsten Loaded and size 6 Gardner Covert Mugga hooks.