GARDNER TACKLE’S Lewis Read had a hard weekend manning their stand at the busy Carp Society Winter Show but made the effort to do overnighters afterwards and had this 54 lb 4 oz mirror.
Carp Society show regular Lewis has matted an astonishing ten carp over 48 lb since January 1 this year, but was particularly pleased with the PB from Berkshire wonder water Wellington Country Park.
The 45-year-old from Kingston, South West London, explained how he scored straight after the annual event at Surrey’s Sandown Racecourse.
“Some people get more intelligent than others – others go fishing on nights during shows even if it means packing up ridiculously early to attend said events. Now and again the madness is fruitful!
“ I did Saturday night in a snaggy corner swim called Animal Farm, as the forecast was that it would be the best night of the week so felt utterly compelled, and it was pretty pointless – but a nice way to chill out between show days.”
Manic day at Carp Society show
“After a manic day manning the Gardner stand at the Carp Society show on Sunday I got away after pack up and decided I’d sneak in yet another night,” continued Lewis.
“After a couple of scant recent sightings over the last couple of weeks – and working on a ‘where hasn’t been fished recently’ basis I decided to do my first ever night in a quiet corner on the back of the easterly in The Stump Swim.
“ I knew about where I wanted the hookbaits to land so after priming 3 Ronnie Rigs with size 4 Covert Dark Mugga Hooks, 25 lb Silt Ultra Skin, 2 oz Gardner Bolt Bombs and 3 ft CamFlex Leadfree leaders with a 12mm Carp Company Caviar and Cranberry washed out pink pop-up.
“Each had a two bait ‘bit stringer’ attached and each rod hit the spots I wanted first cast… lovely! And that is vital in my opinion.
“I started getting the odd single bleep on one of the rods, a great tell tale that they are about when using fluorocarbon main line.
Twitchy winter bite
“It wasn’t long when the RHR bobbin pulled up an inch then lifted again tight to the clip, a typical twitchy winter bite.
“ I picked the rod up and a big fish erupted just to the right of the spot and started steadily peeling off line as I clumsily tried to get in the chesties.
“The fish then did a series of long and short surging runs all over the place down that end of the lake – that I countered with gentle pressure.
“In truth at least one of these runs would have been avoidable had I remembered to set the net up which was at the back of the swim on the barrow. What a dope! But it went in easily enough,” he concluded.
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