Monster Carp and Tench, Linear

I never forget my camera when I go fishing. Sod's law states that the only time I do it was going to be a red letter session with a pb thrown in. I am leaving it at home every week now!

Me, my mate Cockney Steve and his mad dog Rebel headed down to Linear for an overnight session late Friday.  We arrived at 7.30pm and by 8.00pm I was fishing, Steve finally cast in his rods at 10.00pm, I have never seen anyone take so long to set everything up, probably had something to do with all the lager he was chugging. 

It turned into one of those evenings when with good company you just talk and talk and before we knew it it was 2am and too much lager had been consumed. We turned in for the night. 

I had three rods out, two on worm and boilies on the other and at 2.20am one of the worm ones had a screaming take. 10 minutes later and I landed a 17lb 4oz Mirror. I returned to my bivvy and managed to get some fitful sleep. 

At 6.00am the far too chirpy Cockney woke me with a cheery 'come on geezer lets do some fishing'. I staggered from my sleeping bag and rebaited and cast out. Still in a bleary dozy state at 7.20am one of the worm rods signalled a slow take. I struck and it was fish on. The fight was very plodding and heavy, I thought it was carrying a load of weed but then about thirty yards out a big tail slapped the surface. I knew instantly this fish was a personal best shaker. I kept the fact to myself so as not to jinx anything. About ten yards further in it rolled on the surface and my southern gillie, waiting with the net told me it was a mother, that did not help my already nervous disposition. I prayed the size 12 hook held and the 8lb line did not break. They both did their job and as we peered into the net we both knew I had smashed my previous 22lb best.

A 32lb 8oz Mirror was the prize and I was one jammy happy angler. My biggest ever English freshwater fish.

Steve with my mobile took some pretty good photos, otherwise the forgetting the camera scenario could have been a lot worse.

That was not the end of the fishing though, we had a full day of Tenching ahead of us and I landed 10 fish to a biggest of 9lb exactly, Steve chipped in with a couple of Tench too.

A proper red letter day, over 120lb of fish and a new pb, itching to get out there again!