Kevin Nash witnesses his own 52lb mirror
Kevin Nash’s Copse Lake produced its biggest fish to one of the first anglers to fish it since it was opened to the public.
The 52lb mirror, known as 4x4, fell to Michael Clements during a five-night session at the Essex venue, soon to be available on a booking basis.
After taking to a boat to free the fish from weed, Michael was greeted on the bank by Kevin himself. “This made the moment even more special, and one I will never forget,” said Michael.
“Even if I had blanked I can honestly say I had a fantastic week, but the capture of this beautiful huge carp made it even better. Church Lake is stunning, with equally stunning carp swimming about in its depths.”
Towards the end of a testing week in changeable conditions, Michael switched tactics to trip up the fifty. He said: “After trying a range of tactics, a switch to a pink Key pop-up straight off the lead in the thickest weed I could find proved successful.
“The bobbin lifted two inches before dropping to the floor, indicating the lead had come off. Picking the rod up I was straight away forced to give line as a very powerful fish made the first of several long runs.”
Last-ditch UK fifty!
Just weeks before his syndicate ticket expired, Carl Sharp outwitted this 54lb 4oz mirror with a balanced homemade hookbait.
The fish, known as Harris, fell to the 32-year-old at Rosemere in Cambridgeshire to perfectly round off Carl’s time at the venue.
He said: “When the fish hit the spreader block I instantly knew from its sheer size that it was the one I wanted, the queen of the lake, and with only a few weeks left until my ticket ends as well!
“What a storybook ending to the short campaign at Rosemere, to top it off with a new personal best and my first-ever UK fifty.”
It was the first time the Angling Direct shop manager, from Willenhall in the West Midlands, had used a homemade corkball wafter, which he had created for a subtle presentation.
“I used homemade corkball wafters that I was playing with especially for this venue, as I couldn’t seem to buy a bite on blatant pop-ups, but I didn’t want them hard on the bottom. So with a bit of playing around by wrapping paste around cork balls I got the consistency right and was eager to try them.”
Carl arrived at the venue to find three anglers in situ, but his favoured swim free. Having positioned his baits near some large weedbeds, the bite came early the following morning.
He said: “Just on first light, my right-hand bobbin dropped slack.
“I made my way across to the pod to see the line ‘flicking’ in the twilight. It wasn’t the hardest of scraps, but then it can sometimes be a blessing in the weedy Rosemere water as their soft mouths can often get the better of you once they bury deep into the plantation.”
Massive mirror takes to the air
This 48lb 6oz Rockford mirror tailwalked like a pike as it tried in vain to escape Dan Pestell’s clutches.
“It was slowly plodding and shaking its head before blistering off on a 50-yard run,” said Dan. “At one point she jumped out of the water like a pike, shaking her head from side to side and trying to throw the hook. It was mental!”
The fish was caught along with a 34lb 2oz mirror known as the Rudder as Dan enjoyed a social session on the western bank of the Hampshire big-fish water.
Having found a silty area at the back of a gravel bar just over 100 yards out, Dan watched the fish give away their location.
He said: “That afternoon the fish put on an impressive display, crashing and rolling out of the lake at mega range. It looked good for a bite but most of the shows were slightly to the left of the zone. I grew quietly confident a few fish might venture a bit closer on the wind.”
Rudder came at 5am the next day, and the big mirror at 3pm.
“On the scales she weighed a mind-blowing 48lb 6oz,” said Dan. “I was elated! Her condition was pristine and she glowed orange and cream in the sun.”
The fish took CC Moore Pacific Tuna pop-ups mounted on hinged stiff rigs tied with size 5 ESP Cryogen Stiff Riggers.
Mid-Kent giant Swirly follows after big storm
A stormy night spent holding on to his brolly was made worth it for Liam Fagg as he banked this beautiful common the following morning.
The 44lb 10oz lump, known as the Swirly Common, came during Storm Katie at Mid Kent Fisheries’ Pan Lake.
Liam bagged a 28lb 1oz common on Good Friday of the Bank Holiday weekend within an hour of setting up, then packed up and returned to the lake on Easter Sunday.
He said: “My arrival coincided with Storm Katie, a big low-pressure system loaded with severe storm-force winds and rains.
“At 11pm I got a take that resulted in a 24lb 2oz common, so I wound in my middle rod and repositioned the two rods on the bite area, which was a nice silt channel.
“I then spent the rest of the night wide awake holding on to the brolly as the storm gathered and gave its all. At 10.30am the middle rod screamed off and a heavy plodding fight followed.
“When I at last got to see the fish I knew I was attatched to a common of serious proportions.
“As those proportions made their way over the spreader block it became apparent that I’d caught Swirly.
“After a rest for me and the fish, weighing and photos were done and she went 44lb 10oz!”
Liam used Key Bait Solutions boilies.
Two 50lb carp in a weekend
Wellington Country Park threw up two 50lb-plus commons to the same angler in a magical 24-hour spell.
David Gaskin broke his personal best twice with the capture of the Chestnut Common at 52lb 6oz and then the Chinese Common at 53lb 6oz. He also had a 33lb 8oz common and a single-figure carp during the weekend session.
Arriving at dawn at the Berkshire syndicate water, David set up in a swim known for its long-range action, but dropped two rods shorter to cope with impending high winds. He said: “I chose two different spots closer in, one at 80 yards and one at 50 yards, so I could bait up easily even in high winds.
“Just on dark, storm clouds were gathering when I had a slow, creeping take on the short rod. I couldn’t really see where the fish was heading. I found myself coaxing it through tree roots along the margin but luckily my tackle held firm and the fish was in the net.”
After weighing the 52lb 6oz specimen, David waited until daylight to recast the rod accurately in the strengthening winds. That afternoon, the same rod was away again.
“After what can only be described as a brutal battle, another special fish was squeezed over the net cord and I couldn’t believe my luck. I had another colossal common in the net, which hadn’t been caught in a while, so there was a lot of speculation over its potentially huge weight.
“My first outing on CC Moore Pacific Tuna boilies had resulted in two personal bests and a brace of UK 50lb-plus commons in less than 24hours. I was astonished.”
David presented his pop-up hookbaits on size 4 Gardner Mugga hooks.
Brace of 30lb linears
One 30lb linear in a session is enough for most, but Lewis Daneshi had two in a seven-fish haul.
The fish came in bursts during a 24-hour session at day-ticket water Farlows, in Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Said Lewis: “It was my first 24-hour session at Farlows in a long time and it was one to remember. The session included a triple take, a double take and a brace of 30lb-plus linears!”
The largest was the Cut Tail Linear at 35lb, and a 31lb linear. Lewis used Carp Company Ice Red boilies and rigs of size 6 Nash Fang Twisters and Missing Link.
England’s line-up for women’s international
The first-ever womens’ international carp event will take place between England and Wales.
Carp Team England has announced its squad for the match at Barston Lakes in the West Midlands between April 15 and 17.
The ‘Lionesses’, marshalled by Rob Hughes, are (from left to right, top row to bottom row) Elain Taylor, Samantha Roberts, Ellen Beedham, Samantha Hoskins, Debbie Taylor, Theresa Biggs, Beverley Clifford, Miranda Brown and Tania Williams.
Manager Miranda Brown said: “We are really looking forward to this competition. It has taken months of planning but we are proud to represent our country.”
First-time visitor’s disbelief at huge 60lb carp
Three bivvies, a personal best and a lake record were all destroyed as Storm Katie produced a day-ticket water’s first 60-pounder.
Meadows Lake at Holme Fen Fishery only opened last year but has already produced incredible catches including three fish over 50lb. Its first sixty, known as Captain Jack, weighed in at 60lb 2oz and was caught by tackle-shop owner Zack Barrett during a windy 48-hour session.
The 41-year-old, on his first visit to the Cambridgeshire day-ticket venue, told Angling Times: “You obviously go there knowing about the size of fish, but never did I expect to catch a 60-pounder in the UK.”
“It was a social session with three customers and we arrived on Easter Monday for 48 hours. It was incredibly windy and three bivvies got broken during our stay.
“I went in a swim called Beach, which I knew had recently produced fish but, with the recent cold snap and the freezing winds, I was gentle with the bait.
“The fish came from a single rod over which I put 10 spods of Holme Fen Pellets, corn and a cup of Sticky Krill boilies. I fished a CC Moore Northern Special wafter in a PVA bag.”
Zack, who runs Melton Angling in Melton Mowbray, got the take at 11am on Tuesday.
He said: “I got just one bleep and noticed the bobbin had pulled up tight, and I leant straight into it. The fish took line in its own measured fashion and it was probably on for 10 or 15 minutes before I called for help from the swim next door.”
49lb Wood Common is a tribute to lost daughter
Lee Symonds looked to the heavens for inspiration as a full moon and a prayer to his late daughter combined in the capture of one of Britain’s most coveted commons.
Having lost his 10-year-old daughter Olivia last year, the Great Yarmouth angler was overcome with emotion as he slipped his net under the Wood Common at 49lb 10oz at Norfolk’s Spitfire Pool.
The 32-year-old, whose cousin Ian Coote caught the water’s other big common at 43lb 8oz during the same trip, told Angling Times: “I lost my daughter last year and the night before I caught the common I put a little status on Facebook praying to my little woman to bring me luck.
“The next day I caught the fish and the emotions were just… I turned to [venue owner] Rich [Wilby] and I was bawling my eyes out.”
It’s the first time the venue’s two big commons have been caught in the same week and Lee is a firm believer in the importance of lunar cycles in producing such specimens.
“We timed the trip on the moon phases and there was a big full moon due. We arrived on the Sunday and on the Tuesday Ian had the Long Common and I had the Wood Common on Thursday afternoon, bang on the full moon. We’ve booked another week for September when there’s another new moon.”
Venue owner Rich Wilby said: “Lee has had a terrible year with the tragic loss of his little girl. I honestly couldn’t think of a nicer guy and someone who deserved more to catch the best-looking common carp in the UK.”
Lee, who runs an artificial-grass company, fished a spot known as the Borehole and also caught a 35lb 8oz mirror known as the Pearl.
He fished DT Baits Cold Water Mix Green Beast boilies and presented a matching washed-out pink pop-up on a stiff hinged rig created with an ESP Cryogen Stiff Rigger hook, Tungsten Loaded boom and Nash Chod Link.
He added: “To have three fish between us in a week was amazing.”
New Yateley best with a 43lb common
This eye-catching 43lb 6oz common was Martin Gardener’s third forty of the season from Yateley’s North Lake.
The company director, from Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire, said: “I’m thrilled to catch this one still in its winter colours. It’s a new pb for me as well.”
The 51-year-old added: “It’s a great way to end my first full year on the North Lake and was my third 40lb-plus fish from there this season.”
The big common was the only bite of a 48-hour session at the historic Hampshire complex. Martin fished to a gravel patch 80yds out and baited with five Midi Spombs of whole 16mm Sticky Krill boilies and presented a matching wafter over the top on a Korda Wide Gape hook tied to N-Trap Soft.
He said: “Reliable tried-and-tested rigs and baits are what I prefer, with components that won’t let you down.
“That way, I can enjoy my fishing knowing that I have full confidence in what I’m using, leaving me free to concentrate on location and spots,” Martin added.
Bream tactics account for two thirties and 23 twenties
The carp have woken up on Bluebell’s Mallard Lake, as Scott Reynolds proved with a massive haul.
The 24-year-old fished Method feeders to bank 27 carp, including two of more than 30lb and 23 over 20lb in three nights.
He said: “I had a few carp during the day, but most of the fish came at night. I had 12 fish the one night and, in the end, I never had both rods in the water at the same time. By 3am, I had to reel in because I was so tired.”
The lake, which is the largest on the Northants day-ticket complex, is known for its large head of carp, but Scott was actually after one of the handful of massive bream present.
The Dudley specimen hunter, who had seven fish over 28lb, said: “I used a flat ESP Method feeder with a ready-tied hooklink featuring a size 8 hook and 20lb stripped braid. When I fish the flat Method, I mould the groundbait all the way around the feeder to cover it and to ensure it hits the bottom as I was fishing in 19ft of water.
“I use the flat ones instead of normal fin types as, when the groundbait breaks up, the fins on the feeder are exposed, whereas with the flat Method feeder the whole feeder is covered.
“I was fishing 55 yards out with rubber corn as my hookbait. I baited up with Sonubaits Bream Feed and Sonubaits Halibut and Hemp Crush groundbait mixed with sweetcorn and maggots and 4mm Cell pellets. I made them into hard groundbait balls and Spombed them out so they got on to the deck as the wind was very strong into my face.”
Big linear back – after 13 years
This perfect zip linear was symmetrical in more ways than one for Gary Denniss at Bluebell Lakes.
The 31lb 14oz mirror was the first fish the 45-year-old ever caught from the Northamptonshire complex more than 13 years ago.
“It’s one of the real old ones in Kingfisher,” Gary said, “and it doesn’t seem to get caught very often. It was 27lb 1oz when I had it back in October 2002.”
The linear was the highlight of a bittersweet 48-hour weekend session for the Lincolnshire angler, who caught three twenties but also lost two fish including a known 40-pounder just yards from the net.
“There were fish popping their heads out all over the place and I felt lucky to be there as they were waking up and feeling the first warm sunshine of the year.
“I got into the Point swim where they were showin, but had to wait 24 hours before I had any action. At Saturday teatime I had a 23lb 14oz, then the linear just before dusk.
“The night was very quiet, but at 9.30am I had a 27lb 2oz fish that gave a fantastic fight.
“Then the recast rod went almost immediately and as I led it across the surface, and from the way it wasn’t fighting, I knew it was the Upfront Common, which I’ve had before at 42lb, but 20ft from the net it dropped off.”
The landscape gardener had one fish on a zig rig and the other three on Key Bait Solutions ASM boilies on hinged stiff rigs with 10ins booms fished to a clay patch at 70yds.
Brit’s historic 101lb carp
Warren Harrison banked this mind-blowing 101lb 7oz mirror last week to become the first angler ever to catch three different fish over 90lb.
The Manchester angler made history in September 2014 by catching a 94lb mirror, 90lb common and an 87lb mirror in the same session at Hungary’s Euro Aqua, and returned to eclipse that feat.
Speaking to Angling Times from the bank halfway through his two-week session with friend Dave Treasure, Warren said: “It’s just unbelievable. I’m the only person in the world to catch a full set of different fish from 10lb, 20lb, 30lb, up to 80lb, 90lb and 100lb. I just can’t believe it! We’ve been here for eight days and between the two of us we’ve had about 40 fish including three sixties to 63lb and the big one.”
And just as we went to press, Warren added an 81lb mirror to his haul.
Euro Aqua has produced 100-pounders before and currently holds the world record with a 105lb fish, but Warren’s big one had not reached triple figures before.
“It came out last year at 91lb, I think,” said the 54-year-old business owner, who regularly visits Euro Aqua and will be back there in June.
Having purchased half a ton of the lake’s particles, plus a supply of the venue’s boilies, Warren baited heavily with a mixture of the two, plus Mainline Cell and Hybrid boilies.
He fed an area away from his main spot for the first six days and only put a rod on it when he saw a fish roll.
“The first bite I had from that second spot was the big one,” he said. “It was about 5am and just starting to get light.”
After a 20-minute battle, Warren and Dave netted the huge fish and both realised it was something special.
“You can tell the difference between a 90-pounder and a 100-pounder,” said the man who is best placed to answer such a question. “You can’t lift them in the net, so when I got it in the sling and Dave and I grabbed an end to lift it on to the mat, that’s when you know!”
Warren fished double 20mm Cell bottom baits on barbless size 6 Ashima Anti Eject hooks and 20lb Ashima GroundHog hooklinks.
French carp Fudgy's is out at a record 86lb
Gigantica made Michael Standing wait, but eventually rewarded him with a new lake record at a mammoth 86lb 8oz.
The challenging French water, owned by Korda’s Danny Fairbrass, was in a temperamental mood before throwing up the collosal mirror, known as Fudgy’s, late in the week.
“After six nights without a fish I was woken by an epic one-toner on the middle rod,” said Michael, who had tried a variety of tactics and moved swims without success until that moment.
“Scrambling out of my sleeping bag, I lifted into the fish and as soon as I felt it I knew it was massive.
“At one point during the fight I thought it had weeded me up, but then realised it was simply the sheer weight of the fish holding in the deep water,” he said.
“After a heavy but short battle, she came up and rolled into the net first time but just I couldn’t believe the size the carp. I knew it was one of the big fish, but I didn’t know it was to be the ‘Queen of the Lake’.
“I gave the bailiff a call to come round and help with the weighing and photos, and when we opened the retention sling, he said: ‘That’s Fudgy’s!’
“On the scales she went 86lb 8oz, a top weight for her and a new lake record as well. We did the photos in the freezing morning light and slipped her back into the depths.
“I was absolutely buzzing! What a fish and what a venue, I will be back out there in September in search of the other monsters,” he added.
Michael fished at 120yds from Co’s Point and baited chopped and glugged CC Moore Equinox boilies and corn. He fished NS1+ hookbaits topped by a piece of plastic corn on short hinged rigs.
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.
Angler’s first UK forty falls from Yateley
This Yateley common of 40lb 4oz gave Russell Godfrey a personal best and a ‘night to remember’ on the historic North Lake.
The Farnborough angler arrived for a 24-hour session on a Friday morning and used his previous observation to full effect.
The 35-year-old said: “After a bit of a walk round and chatting to the others, not a lot had been seen around. Luckily I had been down earlier in the week for a walk and had seen a couple of fish show behind an island and decided, as the swim I could cast to that area from was free, to drop in to there for the first night and see if anything would show the following morning.”
Having found a gravel spot next to a clump of weed, Russell Spombed out 2kg of sweetcorn and chopped Sticky Manilla boilies before casting out at 3.30pm.
He added: “A few hours later the bobbin pulled up tight and as I lifted my rod up to make contact with the fish I felt a small kick and nothing else happened. This one got away.
“I topped up the swim with another 2kg of bait and got my rig back out on the spot. At about 8pm the bobbin pulled up to the top and I was in contact with another fish.
“After a hard 20-minute battle I finally slipped the large common into the net. On closer inspection we realised it was the elusive Black Common which only makes a few appearances on the bank per season.
“As you can imagine I was absolutely made up as it was my first UK 40-pounder and a new pb! All the regulars came round to help with the photos and to congratulate me. What a night to remember!”
56lb 12oz common carp caps successful campaign at RH Fisheries for venue regular
Luke Edwards has long been one of the top rods on the Avenue and now he’s slipped the net under the fish he really wanted.
The Wolverhampton angler has consistently caught from the RH Fisheries venue in recent years, but this 56lb 12oz common, known as Tarka, is the pinnacle of his achievement.
Typically, it was caught alongside another big fish, a 39lb mirror known as Zac, during a 24-hour session.
“I’ve been a member since the start but it’s only been in the last two seasons that I’ve put everything into catching the Avenue’s jewels,” said Luke. “This winter I’ve had over 17 fish, mainly on 24-hour sessions and this one beats my previous pb of 54lb.
“It’s an unbelievable venue, but it can be tricky. You have to try to outwit them and on this occasion I got lucky.”
Luke nearly didn’t go fishing at all, after falling ill at the lake and having to go home and return the next day.
He said: “When I felt better in the morning I set up close to a central point and, knowing the wind was a north westerly, got in a swim where it would push right into my face.”
Having baited with 2kg of Retro Baits’ B Caramel boilies, Luke caught the 39lb mirror, which he has banked twice before, just after dark.
The next morning, Luke was joined by his friend Chris. “We were chatting,” said Luke, “and I commented how I was unlucky with the big commons and had given up on them.
“Literally two minutes after saying that my rod tip bounced and my line tightened and I hit into a fish I instantly knew was big. After a short but heavy fight I had my prize!”
Luke fished B Caramel wafters on D rigs made with 16lb Fox Trans Khaki Illusion and a size 8 Kuro hook.
Three specimen carp to 112lb in crazy hour at Elphicks
“One crazy hour” on a day-ticket venue produced three fish weighing a combined 112lb for Ryan Singer.
The incredible flurry of bites on the North Lake at Elphicks Fishery in Kent came during Ryan’s first session using CC Moore’s new Pacific Tuna boilies.
“I caught these three stunning fish in one crazy hour of a 36-hour session,” said Ryan. “The biggest of my trip was a massive 42lb 1oz common, followed by a 37lb mirror, plus a 33lb mirror.
He added: “I was baiting up my swim all day with small amounts, little and often, every 45 minutes. Although I had not seen a fish show all day, I remained persistent and it wasn’t until the early hours of a frosty morning when my right-hand rod screamed off.
“By the time I was landing the fish, the other rod started bleeping. At first I was thinking it was my foot knocking my rods, so paid no attention until it screamed off!
“My third rod had been fishing another direction since I got there, but I quickly reeled in and cast to where my takes had been, put some more bait out, and 35 minutes later I was in again!”
Ryan’s rigs were baited with double 10mm Pacific Tuna boilies.
Fully-scaled mirror falls from the Kennet & Avon Canal after baiting campaign
THIS could be the finest-looking canal carp in Britain.
The 45lb 4oz fully-scaled mirror, from the famous Kennet and Avon water, is certainly one of the most striking.
It was caught by seasoned canal campaigner Bill Phillips, who has snared the distinctive fish twice before from his narrowboat Cyprinus Carpio.
The retired 67-year-old from Chippenham, Wiltshire, baited a spot three times a week and caught a 19lb common on his first night session of the year.
A week later he returned in wet and windy conditions and received a take early in the morning.
He said: “At 5.30am I had a fidgety bream-like bite that got me out in the elements. Pulling into it I cussed thinking it was a big old bream.
“It felt heavy but wasn’t doing much, so I thought there must be a polythene bag or some debris attached to the line as is often the case in the canal.
“As it came under the rod tip I realised there must be a carp involved because it took a bit of line. I heaved it up and was shocked when I could see no debris, just a big flank.
“Thinking it could be her, I took it easy as she lazily plodded around close in. After a few minutes she rolled into the net and thoughts of her being 50lb rushed through my head. She looked big and beautiful, but when weighed at 45lb 4oz I was surprised but in no way disappointed – a magnificent carp.”
Bill, who last caught the fish at 47lb 2oz in June 2014, has a canal pedigree stretching back to the 1970s when he caught a 32lb mirror from Kent’s Royal Military in 1978.
His latest encounter with the big mirror came on Mainline Cell boilies presented snowman-style surrounded by 50 freebies.
39lb 8oz mirror tops tally at busy Suffolk lake
Anticipating the disturbance caused by weekend anglers at a popular venue helped Paul Nixon cash in.
The Ipswich angler deliberately dropped his rods short of the popular zone at his Suffolk syndicate water and reaped the rewards with two doubles, commons of 24lb and 29lb 15oz, and this 39lb 8oz mirror.
The 32-year-old shipping clerk said: “Creating a gap between me and the other anglers by fishing short gave the fish a little safe zone to sit in, and as and when they got hungry I was picking them off.
“The weather was also bang-on, being really mild, which was a massive help after a super-cold snap the previous night, and I believe that kicked them into feeding.”
Paul had been due to arrive at the venue on Thursday evening but a heavy frost saw him delay the session until the following morning.
He said: “I got to the lake on Friday at about 5.45am to beat the other keen weekend anglers and turned up to find a real winter wonderland – ice everywhere, including the margins.
“As luck would have it the cold had put people off and I was able to get in one of my top two swims, which was a right result. I knew it was still going to be rammed and the going zone would be bombed from all angles, so I stealthily plopped all three rods short, knowing that the weekend anglers would soon be firing leads, Spombs and marker floats into the zone.”
Paul fished hinged stiff rigs on slack lines and baited little and often with Sticky Manilla boilies.