CARP maestro Simon Kenny topped his biggest haul from a Berkshire venue with a new PB of 56 lb 14 oz.
Wellington Country Park carp have been a big draw for the Norfolk-based welder, and this time he really got stuck in.
On top of the 56-pounder, Simon added a 44 lb mirror called Lumpy plus others of 27 lb 8 oz, 26 lb 4 oz and 24 lb.
He offered 14 mm Sticky Baits Signature Squid pop-ups over 12 mm Manilla boilies, and used five kilo of freebies during his trip.
Simon, from Diss, told Angler’s Mail how his Wellington Country Park carp trip unfolded.
“With no signs to go on for the first night of my trip, I decided to drop into a swim in the corner of Bramble Bay,” he said.
“I’d seen carp the week before, so it seemed as good a starting place as any.
“But after a very quiet night, I knew that I was in the wrong place, so I packed all my kit up at first light and had a walk about.
“Heavy rain was due at midday so I wanted to get settled in somewhere before then.
“Luckily, on my second lap I saw what I’d been looking for – a very subtle roll in the Snags.
“Fishing here is not for the faint-hearted; 40 yards out and locked-up solid, you have to be on the rod straight away and walk back.
“I’d fished the swim a bit in the summer, so I knew how close I could fish to the snags and still land carp.
“The rods went out lovely, and just as I was setting up my bivvy I saw another fish roll, confirming that they were still about.
“The day passed without any other sighting, and as it came into evening I was wondering what had happened, as the Snags is usually a daytime area, and I’d never had a night bite out of there.”
Wellington Country Park carp after dark
Simon eventually got his first Wellington Country Park carp of the session. And more followed…
He said: “Just before dusk, the middle rod pulled the clip, and after an explosive battle an upper-20 mirror was in the net.
“Self-takes were done quickly, so I just had time to ping the rod back out. Unbelievably, three more times during the hours of darkness I had fish.
“The fourth bite was a different animal altogether. As I lifted the rod, it was surging for the snags so hard that I couldn’t gain any line, and I had to just hold on and hope everything held strong.
“Luckily it did, and the fish kited away from the snag. Once it was in open water it just plodded about, and once I had her in the net I was looking down on the unmistakable form of the Big Common, and she looked massive.
“On the scales she went 56 lb 14 oz, a new PB. And although she’s a repeat capture, who couldn’t be pleased with an upper-50 lb common?
“The swim seemed dead after it had got light, so around midday I decided to have a lap of the lake. After spending a day sitting on top of my rods, I needed to stretch my legs.
“I suppose it was a couple of hours later that I flicked the rigs back out, and ten minutes later I was doing battle with another powerful fish. This one turned out to be an old ‘Welly’ character called Lumpy.
“My final night passed quietly, but I was more than happy with five fish, my best hit so far.”
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