Lindholme record smashed by deadly shallow approach

The venue record at Drennan Lindholme Lakes has been smashed out of sight with an incredible 495lb 11oz bag of F1s.

All were taken on a deadly rig that’s being used to dominate commercial fisheries – the ‘jigga’.

The record was claimed by Dynamite Baits-backed Les Marshall, who targeted the big stock of F1s in the complex’s Benny’s Lake with pellets.

In an exclusive interview with Angling, Les said: “The jigga rig is brilliant for catching big weights of F1s when they’s feeding shallow and it will work at many F1 venues across the country. It’s especially good on deep venues where the fish can move up and down in the water column because it enables you to search the peg.

“I like to slap the rig on the surface to mimic feed going in, then feed around the float with pellets. Normally there’s a fish on straight away but if not, then just slowly lower the rig down with the loosefeed and repeat until a fish is hooked – trying to get into a rhythm is key to success.

“The main reason why the jigga is a must for big weights of F1s shallow is that it’s completely tangle-free, so you can ship in and out really quickly without risking any snarl-ups. It’s also a self-hooking rig, and so there’s no striking or missing bites”

Twenty-seven-year-old Les wasn’t the only one using the method during the recent Lindholme Festival. Other anglers were quick to jump on the bandwagon, the lowest weight claimed on the lake being a remarkable 193lb.

Match fishing legend Tommy Pickering also found success on the jigga, catching a 325lb bag of F1s. He said: “The method is quicker than any other at finding the depth the fish are feeding at.

“It’s a very responsive way to fish and is easier than other shallow tactics. Some of the Lindholme regulars really have gained an exceptional understanding of it.”

Previous record at Lindholme Lake was 427lb taken last year by Andy Bennett.