DAVID GASKIN has been hammering the giant carp at Wellington Country Park - and his latest session was a cracker.
On his latest visit, David found his usual swims full, so just put out a single bait and within an hour tempted another giant carp… an awesome ghostie of 45 lb 8 oz.
After moving the next morning, the Littlehampton, West Sussex-based carper put out a kilo of Odyssey XXX boilies at the £1,500-a year-Berkshire syndicate.
And he then really started to haul…
David explained: “I waited till just before dark to allow the commotion to settle before casting out fresh rigs.
“Shortly after I hooked into a big one and landed a new fish for me, the Small-Tailed Common going 51 lb (pictured below), that is an infrequent visitor to the bank.”
David continued: “The next day I repeated the pattern of feeding early and waiting till late to actually fish.
“At 2 am I had a sprightly 32 lb 4 oz common. Then, at first light, I hooked into something really solid and was thrilled to catch a fish that was at the very top of my wish-list, The Linear at 50 lb 6 oz (pictured, top),” he added.
All the giant carp were caught using a Ronnie rig, with a single CC Moore 12 mm Northern Special boilie. And inbetween the heavyweights, David also tempted a 24 lb sample.
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BURGHFIELD's immaculate common - landed at a mega new best weight of 62 lb 8 oz – has been voted as the No.1 most desirable carp in the UK.
Burghfield’s biggest and notoriously elusive resident mostly recently fell to Scott Lloyd (pictured above).
Scott tempted the historic fish from the tough 90 acre syndicate venue that also has mirrors to 47 lb 12 oz, bream to 13 lb 10 oz, tench to 12 lb 7 oz and pike to 36 lb.
The Burghfield Common – which has been caught just 11 times – was conclusively voted No.1 carp by Angler’s Mail fans on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
In our exclusive poll across the forms of social media, Mail followers picked from the six fish pictured below. They are all alive and famous as much for their looks as their immense weights.
The Burghfield Common (pictured below with a previous captor, Oz Holness) beat the Lee Jackson common from Kent’s Strawberry Fields; reigning official British record fish The Parrot from Berkshire’s Wasing Estate; the biggest known carp in the UK, Big Rig from Shropshire; Surrey’s Chertsey Fish and Single Scale in Rockford Lake, Hampshire.
Burghfield catch creates very special moment
The latest captor of The Burghfield Common, Scott Lloyd, tempted his personal best with a single balanced tiger nut on his own ‘noodle’ rig. The set-up had already accounted for mirrors of 42 lb 10 oz and 24 lb 14 oz.
He explained what it meant to have landed the special, highly-prized common…
Scott said: “It was an unforgettable moment with a special carp and my lifelong fishing partner, my brother Baz.
“To be able to share this moment with my partner in crime was incredible. We started out together and to have him there with me to share the moment will compare to none other in our time fishing together.
“This is what makes my fishing, anyone that knows me knows how much I love fishing and the people that surround it.
“I’m not there just for the fish, I’m there to get away from the stresses of life and do what I love to do, catch incredible carp and meet people from all walks of life, socialise, make friends and have fun along the way!
“Bring on the next challenge and what it brings with it,” added the 27-year-old overhead linesman from Crewe, Cheshire.
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CRUCIAN mecca Johnsons Lake began its two-month shutdown... but not before Richie Martin managed to catch five superb specimens to 4 lb 2 oz.
CRUCIAN CARP were the target for the Ringwood, Hampshire-based business development manager – and he got what he wanted.
Aside from the four-pounder, Richie had others of 3 lb 11 oz and two at 3 lb 10 oz as he enjoyed some last-minute crucian action at the Surrey venue.
Richie said: “My target was firstly to catch a crucian, I’d had three previous trips over the past year, and only managed one crucian of 2 lb 8 oz.
“With a rare whole day available on the Saturday I decided to pop down, albeit a 150-mile round trip, the evening before to scout out the lake.
“I fished a few hours and had two small tench but while I was there I’d picked up some great advice from an excellent angler called Nige.
“The next morning I was back at the lake bright and early and started to build up a swim, the sun was hot and just as I thought I’d missed my chance my bobbin lifted and I was into a huge crucian.
A tense few minutes and she was mine, a great angler and good mate Mike helped with the weigh in and she bounced round to 4 lb 2 oz. I felt numb, a mixture of delight and disbelief, I think the picture says it all!
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CATFISH now join carp in having some amusing names - and some daft ones too. Check this fella out...
This giant catfish is known as Big Bad Barry. It fell to Kyle Strange and is the biggest known catfish at Wintons in West Sussex, clonking the scales round to 89 lb 4 oz.
Fishing peg 41 on Heron, Kyle offered Spam with a 23 lb nylon trace and 50 lb braided main line.
Wintons Fishery is in Burgess Hill, West Sussex and is rated as a premier specimen carp and catfish venue, but also has some interesting specimens of other species too that rarely get fished for.
There are three lakes set in 33 acres of beautiful countryside with views reaching to the South Downs.
The lakes are well matured and cared for, delivering countless numbers of personal bests to its members who pay £60 then a charge to fish starting at £20 for a day.
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A DISILLUSIONED carp angler returned to lake fishing after a spell sea angling and notched an amazing trio with almost simultaneous takes.
Spencer Wright kicked off with a 49 lb 9 oz linear carp and then five minute later had a joint take from a 50 lb 8 oz mirror (pictured above) and 39 lb 7 oz leather.
Binstead, Isle of Wight-based Spencer was on his local Monks Pool syndicate.
The 43-year-old senior designer said: “To be honest I’d lost the buzz for carping since last summer after pursuing them for the best part of 30 years.
“I had thrown myself into a fresh challenge of beach angling as the local lakes were becoming more and more busy. When I did feel the urge to go, I would struggle for a spot, so was happier to go ray hunting rather than making up the numbers.
“It was only recently that I noticed that Monks wasn’t being overly pressured and could see an opportunity. I began baiting a few spots on a little and often basis, with various sizes of Sticky Baits Krill boilies.
Spencer’s big linear carp was one of three heavyweights.
“I hadn’t fished it purposely for a couple of years as I knew a friend was fishing it and was keen to stay away and leave him to it.
“I was hoping to get down and do 24 hours on Good Friday and was pleased that only myself and friend Jack were present. I managed to get into my swim and quickly get three rods on the spots, along with a handful of chopped and whole washed out freebies.
“The odd fish was seen topping out, all up my end so I was hopeful of a bite. Soon all hell broke out…”
Huge carp hat-trick within an hour
Spencer continued: “My right hand rod ripped off and after a spirited fight I netted the highly sort after Linear – a fish that avoided capture for two years and went 49 lb 9 oz, a new PB.
“Within five minutes, my middle rod which was fished, washing line style, off the far bank smashed over and once again I was in!
I wasn’t expecting the lakes other giant to be laying on my mat so shortly afterwards! The fish was Boxer at 50 lb 8 oz, a fish that was uncaught for three years.
Spencer admires his 39 lb 7 oz leather carp.
“Before we had a chance to do anything, my last rod ripped off and again a fish charged off, making huge 40 yard runs and another big fish, Lee’s Leather resting in the other net, alongside Boxer.
“Three huge fish in a little over an hour had completely blown me away and I was struggling to take the events in!” he concluded.
All three giant carp came to a 14 mm air-dried Krill bottom bait with a 12 mm Krill White One fished snowman style.
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THIS week’s print copy of Angler’s Mail magazine is out now, and includes Dave Coster explaining the very best ways of feeding... to create a frenzy!
Angler’s Mail magazine cover star Paul Kozyra reveals his top tactics to help you catch lots of his favourite species – chub. It’s just one of a host of exclusive features only found in the magazine… not online.
Also inside the must-read Angler’s Mail magazine this week:
This week’s very best catches
Rivers running dry
Match legend’s double win
Jail for vicious assault on angler
River Monsters’ Jeremy Wade exclusive
Lee Kerry chooses his own fishery rules
John Bailey target big perch and crucians
Duncan Charman helps you catch spring tench
Fish welfare inspected by Dr Ian Welch
Carp Crew’s Jamie qualifies for the Cup Final
AM fans’ latest great catches
PLUS the best Where to Fish guide – by genuine local experts you can trust.
The big value Angler’s Mail print magazine is out now and just £1.99. It’s also available digitally.
Get yourself a subscription to Angler’s Mail print magazine at a great price – click HERE to subscribe and SAVE!
THE angler blinded in one eye in the freak accident in which a float pierced his eyeball has talked about how it happened.
Guy Manton was fishing at Dorset’s Todber Manor, when his waggler sprung back and hit him right in the middle of the eye shattering his eye.
After getting out of hospital, he explained the full story, and warned other anglers to be careful in case something similar happens to them.
Yeovil, Somerset-based Guy told Angler’s Mail: “I was fishing for carp on the drop trying to hit fast bites and just before the incident the float flew out on the strike and landed in the tree behind me.
“Soon afterwards I hooked a decent specimen which took me into lily pads before shedding the hook.”
Eye horror when pulling for break
Guy continued: “I was pulling for a break when suddenly the hooklength snapped and as I was using a loaded waggler, it flew towards me like an arrow shot from a bow.
“Before I could move it smacked me right in the middle of the eye. It was such a direct bullseye that it didn’t touch the eye socket but went straight through the pupil – I haven’t even got a black eye.
“It was particularly surprising that it came back straight at me as I was pulling sideways for the break.
“Fishery owner John Candy and his wife were great and soon got me into an ambulance.
“I was taken to Salisbury Hospital but there was nothing they could do there so was soon transferred to Southampton.
“I underwent a three hour operation, but unfortunately they were unable to save the sight of the eye, just sow it up as neatly as possible.
“I am going back again this week for them to advise whether I keep the eye in place or have a glass eye fitted.”
“Worse things happen”, says Guy
Guy added: “Although it was a nasty injury a lot worse things happen to people and I hope to be back fishing a match in a couple of weeks.
“Judging short distances under three feet is more difficult with one eye but longer sight is fine, and fortunately I shouldn’t have any problem driving.
“I’m also semi-retired anyway so it hasn’t affected my work.
“Like many anglers I’ve been hit a number of times before by tackle coming back at me, but I would advise everyone in future that when pulling for a break they should turn their head away from the direction of the tackle. Then, if it does hit them, it will be the back of the head and not the face,” added the 55-year-old.
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BRITISH record carp The Parrot has come out at 62 lb 10 oz... just weeks after carp legend Terry Hearn caught her at 63 lb.
The British record carp’s capture, albeit at a weight over 5 lb less than its all-time high, saw Dave Mattock end a ten-year search.
He’d been keenly aiming for the magnificent fish at Cranwells Lake on Berkshire’s Wasing Estate.
And Dave’s eventual success came after a change to Total Baits Cream Seed boilies this season.
The 39-year-old systems analyst from Crawley, West Sussex, explained: “I planned a four night session after the bank holiday.
“And with a high pressure that had been over a lot of the UK for about three weeks, I wasn’t feeling too confident with only one fish having come out all weekend.
“I did two nights in a swim pretty near to where I saw some fish moving but the swims were taken.
“But then fish started showing in front of a swim I knew was going to become free so I packed up and moved in there,” he said.
Carp fishing legend Terry Hearn was the last captor of Parrot, when it weighed in at 63 lb.
Clear spot on gravel bar
Dave continued: “I found myself a nice clear spot on a known bar, about 80 yards out that runs between the two islands on the lake.
“Just baiting up little and often, using a throwing stick to get the baits out, I went to bed feeling a lot more confident than when I had turned up.
“The fish screamed off at about 3am and plodded around for about 20 minutes.
“It felt like a good weight and really livened up as it came in close but it wasn’t until I peered over into the net that I saw the size of it that I knew I’d finally caught the Parrot.”
Ten-year effort rewarded
“I’ve been fishing Cranwells for ten years and this was the one fish that had eluded me for the whole time,” revealed Dave.
“In a way, I was kind of happy that I hadn’t caught it sooner, as it left me a target whilst I continued to catch all the other cracking fish that swim in Cranwells,” Dave concluded.
The whopper fell to a hinged stiff rig, with a 14 mm glugged Total Baits Cream Seed pop-up around matching freebies.
British record carp The Parrot holds current official crown at its peak weight of 68 lb 1 oz when caught by Dean Fletcher in January 2016.
Dean is pictured above with the much admired fish, which only occasionally slips up.
Last autumn another mirror carp, called Big Rig, was caught twice at Shropshire’s The Avenue at 69 lb 3 oz and 71 lb 4 oz…. well clear of Parrot’s all-time high.
A TERMINALLY ill grandfather has taken his grandson on a bucket list fishing holiday to Spain where they both landed 100 lb-plus catfish.
The trip to catfish mecca, the River Ebro, was designed as a farewell bonding session between the pair to leave the boy with lasting memories of his granddad.
Former publican Bob Walton, 59, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, organised the holiday with grandson William who he describes as his best friend, through the firm Monster Catfishing.
Monster Catfishing owner Peter Irwin explained: “Bob sent a message through our website asking about fishing for wels catfish on the Ebro.
“When I spoke to him he explained the circumstances that he was terminally ill and having chemotherapy and wanted something special for his grandson.
A match for big fish – Bob’s original diagnosis was inoperable lung cancer but that has now spread.
“I met the pair at Reus Airport and drove them to Mequinenza, and the first thing the next morning we set off to the swim I selected.
“Bob had a few kittys, but then William landed a cat of 119 lb so granddad was really proud and the holiday was going really well.
“Bob, who usually loves catching barbel on the River Trent, was then delighted to land a 101 lb moggie and a 22 lb river carp.
“But ultimately this trip wasn’t about catching monster fish but quality bonding time for granddad and grandson.
“If he is strong enough to make it, granddad is now hoping for another holiday this summer,” added Peter.
Bob takes a backseat as his 18-year-old grandson displays one of their giant catfish.
Bob, 57, said: “’It was a now or never trip and we had a fantastic week’s fishing and I hope is brings great memories for our Will my best mate and grandson.”
GARY WALSH had one of his best ever perch sessions when he had three big fish topped by this 4 lb 15 oz stripy.
The Oxford-based storeman tackled a secret local lake and immediately added other perch of 4 lb 6 oz and 3 lb 1 oz.
The 58-year-old said: “I was using chop worm and maggot at 30 metres, and the biggest of 4 lb 15 oz came first. To say I was pleased is an understatement.
“I put my camera on the tripod and took some pictures and within ten minutes of casting out again I caught the 4 lb 6oz perch followed by the one of 3 lb 1 oz.
“I popped up lobworms three inches of the bottom was the winning tactic.”
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River Monsters 8 is the second to last series, as Angler’s Mail revealed last month, as Jeremy has now completely stopped filming the massively popular world-wide show.
Season 9 is being shown in America now and in the UK next year but Jeremy wanted the show to go out on a high.
As the ITV network got ready to air Series 8, Jeremy admitted to Angler’s Mail: “I never expected the show to be as big as this.
“But this kind of show has a finite list of potential stories and fish species so it will be coming to an end.
“It has been extremely popular with anglers and non-anglers alike and there is a lot of young people watching it who have then got a desire to fish.
“We didn’t want to be scraping the barrel and I’m really pleased with the last two series which UK anglers haven’t sateen yet.”
River Monsters with Jeremy Wade is set at sea for the penultimate eighth series.
Jeremy continued: “River Monsters 8 is titled Mysteries Of The Ocean. And because all episodes are filmed in the sea it means we have better water clarity so I’m getting in amongst it a lot, as well as fishing with rod and line.
“The first episode has got a really special moment in it where we get close to a real monster of the deep.
“Even people who have seen the top-end wildlife documentaries in the sea won’t have seen anything like this.
“In another episode in Australia, the editor had to get his bleeping machine out for half an hour as I badly damaged my thumb while trying to control a big fish and then the hook popped out.
“We debated whether to leave the scene in but it shows a real moment of emotion and passion, and that’s we go fishing, and every angler will be able to relate to it.
“The final episode of the new series ends on June 16 th so it is a brilliant countdown to the new coarse fishing season.
“Although we’ve now stopped filming for River Monsters, there is an endless source of fascination fishing and what is under the water so we are thinking of what project will be next,” vowed Jeremy.
Inspiration? Jeremy Wade looks at a dragon like serpent statue in North Thailand.
The first 30 minute episode of River Monsters 8 will go out on the UK’s ITV channel on Friday, May 19, at 8pm.
Full hour long versions, which we know many Angler’s Mail fans prefer, are on ITV4 on Tuesday (8pm) and also on Saturday (11.55pm).
RIVER MONSTERS 8 EPISODE GUIDE
Episode 1 – Deep Sea Demon
Jeremy Wade begins this latest series on the ITV network with an investigation into the legendary sea serpent… a mission that takes him from France to Thailand.
Episode 2 – Death Down Under
Six men died after their plane crashed in the northern seas of Australia, with only a single severed leg left behind on a beach as evidence. Jeremy looks into possible culprits… leading to bizarre and dangerous creatures!
Episode 3 – Razorhead
Find out all about barracuda as Jeremy heads to Florida where an ocean kayaker was torn open by an attacker that leapt from the water, cracking her ribs and puncturing a lung.
Episode 4 – Deadly Superstitions Special
Jeremy revisits some of his previous adventures and investigates the spiritual and mythological events behind them.
Episode 5 – Terror in Paradise
Wade travels to the Bahamas after hearing stories of swimmers and divers disappearing with no evidence ever recovered. The disappearances are said to center around blue holes. A legendary monster called the lusca is blamed… an alleged giant said to be half shark, half octopus.
Episode 6 – Devil of the Deep
With multiple reports of a deep water serial killer in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez’, he must step out of his comfort zone and into unchartered depths in search of the red devil.
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THE Welsh equivalent of the Environment Agency has been branded ‘no longer fit for purpose’ in a stinging attack by fishing and environmental groups.
Natural Resources Wales was formed in 2013, by merging the EA, Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission, and one of its main duties is to protect the health of rivers.
But figures show that of the 6,886 reports of water pollution the NRW received between 2013 and 2016, only 60 per cent were investigated. And there were just 41 prosecutions and ten civil sanctions… amounting to less than 1 per cent of incidents reported.
Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal, said: “There has been a steep decline in fish numbers in recent years in Wales.
“As an example one club in West Wales reported that only one fish had been caught in an entire season and many members have given up.
“The regulator needs to take a much tougher stance but does not have the resources to investigate properly.
“They’ve lost a lot of their frontline staff and are unable to take concerted action.
“The organisation is unwieldy, too bureaucratic and they don’t seem to have a strategy – I just think they’re failing in their duty.
“We are meeting with officials from the Welsh Assembly this week to demand action.
“There has been a national failure of Welsh Government to tackle the problem,” he concluded.
Terrible river pollutions need tackling
One to the worst recent pollutions took place on the River Teifi in Ceredigion last December where thousands of prime salmon, sea trout, trout and grayling were killed.
There’s been no prosecution despite the pollution being traced to a farm with a slurry problem.
Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith, chief executive of Afonydd Cymru, the umbrella body representing Wales’ six rivers trusts, said: “We’ve seen terrible disasters in Wales, not just spot pollutions but the general diffuse pollution and the organic content that’s going into rivers and really degrading them badly.
“The impact on fish stocks had been devastating and that had ramifications for the rural economy as well as the environment,” he added.
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Your catch or the topic you care about could get into our weekly print magazine.
LEROY SWAN became the third member of the "Wingham Super Virgins Club" when his first carp from the amazing Kent water was over 50 lb.
Leroy also set a new record for Wingham’s Main Lake by over 5 lb when he matted the 56 lb 14 oz mirror on his debut session.
Wingham fishery creator Steve Burke said: “Fishing in last week’s cold snap, Leroy saw a big fish jump but stayed where he was for the rest of the day.
“However, he then moved swims to ensure he was able to cover the spot at the same time the following morning.
“Just half an hour after casting out a single Mainline pineapple pop-up his clutch screamed and he eventually banked an elusive mirror that hadn’t been out for five years. The fish came from a lightly-weeded silty gully at 140 yards.
“This fish has a huge frame and has the potential to grow bigger still. The Main Lake fish are on average about three years younger than those in the Carp Lake, so many of us expect the little-fished Main Lake to do even better.”
Leroy, 54, from Teynham, said: “This is beyond my wildest dreams. Wingham is everything I thought it would be and more. Amazingly, I was the only one on 40 acres.”
The smaller 15 acre Carp Lake at Wingham has six carp over 50 lb topped by a 60 lb 8 oz mirror and a 59 lb 8 oz common but both of the lightly stocked rich lakes have the potential to challenge the British record in the next five to ten years.
RIVERS like the one pictured here are in danger of drying up this year - much to the anger of anglers who fish them.
A dry winter followed by only five per cent of usual rainfall in April saw many rivers already drying up and a number of other chalk streams seriously at risk. A further prolonged hot, dry spell could make the problems much worse as we head into summer.
Amongst a growing number of voices being raised, despite a brief spell of wet weather in early May, was barbel river record holder Allan Jackson.
Allan slammed the Environment Agency and water companies after his beloved River Colne virtually dried up.
The 51-year-old, from Watford, Hertfordshire, caught the venue record barbel of 18 lb in March 2016 – but he fears the good days are long gone.
Commenting on the dry river bed scene scene above, Allan said: “This was a flowing river and part of the River Colne in London Colney… not a path. And it is not even summer yet. This is a disaster.
“How much of the Colne is going to be lost this year? Over abstraction is killing it.
“The rivers are literally disappearing before our eyes and it’s been going on for some years now. It’s a completely dire situation.
Allan Jackson, seen with his 18 lb barbel, is concerned more rivers will dry up in the weeks ahead.
“The rivers are meant to be around 4ft deep but instead, they’re about 6 in.
“We are at crisis point but no one seems to be doing anything to help it – if it continues, rivers in this area will be completely devoid of life.”
Former barbel record holder and environment campaigner Ray Walton said: “Affinity Water, Thames Water and the EA are obviously not monitoring the water levels anymore.
“They don’t give two hoots if all our rivers and streams dry up as long as they sell our precious water to car washes and other nonsensical businesses.”
Will abstraction change happen?
As concerns over low river levels grows, a party group of MPs headed by former environment minister Richard Benyon, and backed by angling, farming and wildlife groups, has called for a complete overhaul of the UK’s outdated water abstraction regime.
Despite a huge increase in population, the last reservoir built in the South East was nearly 50 years ago with water companies increasingly reliant on abstraction.
Water minister Therese Coffey has written to the Angling Trust saying that abstraction reform will not be implemented until the early 2020s.
Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Trust explained: “Low river flows are highly detrimental to fish stocks as they concentrate pollution, encourage weed growth which eventually de-oxygenates, hamper migration for breeding and make the fish more vulnerable to predators.
Mark Lloyd is pushing the case against over-abstraction of river water.
“Abstraction reform has been talked about for over a decade, but successive administrations have repeatedly failed to grasp this nettle.
“Reform cannot wait until the 2020s but needs to be implemented urgently to protect the water environment and the wildlife it supports.
Richard Benyon MP added: “We need an abstraction regime that is fit for today rather than 50 years ago when it was set up. Warmer drier winters, periods of drought and other changing weather patterns mean this should be a priority for the new Government to tackle.”
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IS this the biggest haul of specimen roach ever? It's certainly one of the very best we've heard of.
Phil Spinks topped the amazing roach haul with a 3 lb 12 oz giant with back up fish of 3 lb 10 oz, 3 lb 8 oz 8 dr, 3 lb 6 oz, 3 lb 5 oz and 3 lb 2 oz.
The 36-year-old who works in the Norwich branch of Angling Direct has been pursuing the water’s shoals of large redfins for some while.
He had recently made a video for his company demonstrating his technique and capturing two 3 lb pounders for the camera topped by an 3 lb 11 oz fish.
Phil explained: “I like to watch for places where fish are moving at dawn and dusk and fish out into open water, using a groundbait open-end cage feeder on a heli-rig with 2-3 inch fluorocarbon hooklink with a 1 lb test curve rod.
“The bigger roach are always in open water and the heavy trace does deter the small roach and carper’s catch the 3 lb roach on 15 lb line.
“At this water you can’t put too much bait in and I start by putting out ten Spombs of crumpled boilies, sweetcorn and a few maggots, and sometimes top up. I find that pellets tend to attract too many bream.
“You need to be accurate with your baiting up so I use markers on the line to ensure I’m always casting to the right places.
“If bites slow up, just put out more bait,” he added.
How the roach catch ranks
Top spessy hunter Duncan Charman who once had the same roach twice in two years from Great Frensham Pond in Surrey at 3 lb 15 oz and 3 lb 13 oz, thinks Phil’s catch is historic.
Duncan said: “I’m not aware of a bigger haul than this anywhere for decades.
“Five or six years ago 3 lb-plus roach were being caught regularly at Lynch Hill Fishery in Oxfordshire and there were some impressive bags of fish but I don’t know of any that could beat this.
“The UK record for a DNA tested roach is still open at 3 lb 12 oz but this would require a scale being taken and analysed,” he added.
Watch Phil in big roach action
Below is a video Phil produced for Angling Direct, the giant fishing tackle chain. Check it out for an up close look at his style of fishing and top tips for bigger roach.
This is a short version of the full story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for exclusive columns, top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.
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A RECORD-NUDGING 4 lb 3 oz roach plus an amazing catch of SIX over 3 lb means a British best is well on the cards.
The colossal roach fell just one ounce short of the official 4 lb 4 oz record held by Keith Berry from Northern Ireland in 2006. The latest giant came from top Suffolk syndicate Homersfield Lake.
The venue produced many big roach to 3 lb 12 oz in the 1980s and now a new era of huge roach has come through.
Norwich-based Ken Fuller captured the near record breaker, having targeted the species at the fishery over the past couple of years.
Ken has caught a number of specimens in both the 2 and 3 lb class but this was an absolute fish off a lifetime.
The 57-year-old explained: “It was caught on a helicopter feeder rig with a size 10 hook with small boilies to avoid the trillions of small roach.”
Roach identification thoughts
Big roach expert Mark Wintle viewed pictures of the 4 lb 3 oz giant and commented: “You can never be 100 per cent sure without a DNA test but it looks very roachy to me.
“It’s not a long fish but very deep-bodied and clearly full of spawn.
“I’m always cautious because I well remember years ago in the early days of DNA testing all experts said strongly that a fish was potentially a record sea trout, but when a DNA test was eventually done it proved to be a salmon.
“There are apparently no rudd in the water and it certainly isn’t a bream hybrid so I would say it is likely to be a true roach and a lovely fish,” he concluded.
This is a short version of the full story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for exclusive top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.
CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the must-read print magazine.
THE UK’s record carp brace, weighing an astonishing 115 lb 10 oz, has fallen to a top carper thanks to taking a mate with him as a guest.
The record carp brace was formed of the giant mirror carp, going 58 lb 12 oz (pictured above) and 56 lb 14 oz (below).
The immense fish were landed within 15 hours of each other by Darren Belton from £2,000-a-year Wellington Country Park in Berkshire.
Darren, a train driver from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, explained how some good fortune – not to mention smart angling – brought the record carp brace.
He told Angler’s Mail: “I took my friend Rob Marsh with me and as the rules state members with guests have to fish in adjacent swims, this restricted the choice of places we could fish to only two.
“There was a cold northerly wind blowing so we chose to fish into it in Bramble Bay.
“This contains one of my favourite swims, The Snags, but I gave Rob first choice and he chose this one.
“This left me with The Daisies which in the three years I have had on the lake, I had never fished before, so didn’t know quite what to expect.
“I plumbed around for a while and found a few decent spots at only about 30 yards.
“We settled down for the night and about midnight one of the rods shot off and I was overjoyed to land my biggest ever UK carp of 58 lb 14 oz. And it was just below the 59 lb 12 oz lake record.”
Second take comes at 3pm
“I wasn’t really expecting much after that but around three the following afternoon I had another take.
“Then the fun and games really began as I soon noticed what I thought was a trailing line attached to mine, so I waded in to try to clear it.
“But then I realised that what had happened was it was tangled up with one of my other lines, and asked Ken to pick up the middle rod.
“It then became apparent that it was this rod the fish had been hooked on.
“What happened was, as I was using back leads to stop the geese catching the line, the back lead had slipped down the line and snagged solid on some submerged brambles.
“This meant the fish took the bait but couldn’t take any line…. but it had kited into my other line which had then given the bite indication!
“In fact both lines soon snapped. Luckily I had the line in my hands with the fish still connected, so I was left in the water playing the fish by hand for 20 minutes which was quite a battle.
“To say I was gob-smacked is an understatement. If I hadn’t gone with my mate I would never fished the swim, and also never landed the second fish, so I guess the carping gods were really smiling down on me.
“And it was only afterwards that I realised that this second fish was actually my 40 th UK carp over 40 lb including five 50s,” Darren concluded.
The 47-year-old used Mainline Cell and Hybrid boilies over a kilo of chopped freebies around each bait.
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