Thomas Rigby won’t be forgetting his latest session in a hurry as he landed a trio of big carp for a combined weight of 123lb, including an 88lb 4oz brace – all on a single rod!
The 29-year-old spotted a few fish showing in a swim on his Welsh syndicate water while loading up his barrow so wasted no time getting a bait on the spot.
“The night passed with fish still showing over my spot, yet no action,” he told Angling Times.
“I let the usual bite time pass and went out to investigate the area. It has been polished clean and my rig had been moved - I’d been done! I reset the trap lowering a 5oz gripper lead with scattering of crumbed Perfected Particle A Force boilies.”
Two hours later he received a drop back bite which resulted in a repeat capture of a fish known as ‘2 Down’ at 35lb 4oz. With the trap reset, the next night passed without event despite fish regularly showing over the spot.
LOOKING FOR SOME TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR OWN CARP FISHING? CHECK OUT THIS GREAT ARTICLE.
“Bite time came and went but I rather than redoing my rig, I left it in place as had a feeling that something might happen,” he said.
His instincts were spot on as an eruption over the spot was followed by another drop back bite.
“I held onto my spool to slow the fish down and to stop it going around the island. It felt huge! After a nervous 15 minute battle I managed to slip my new PB mirror, a fish called Rose, into the net at 45lb 4oz.
“After I came round from such a surreal feeling I decided to set a trap where I had seen fish show in themorning. This time I used a Ronnie rig with a 3oz lead as the drop wasn’t as firm.
“36 hours went by and I was due to go home later that day. I was stood on the bank wondering if I had made the right decision sticking to that spot when my bobbin slammed up. Fortunately, I was over my rod, the lead dumped and the fish was moving water in the upper layers like Moses!
“I couldn’t stop it! I grabbed my net and sling and ran down the bank with it to the next peg where I could get a better angle on it. Fishery rules state you have to land the fish in the water so I was down to my boxers and in the water as my waders were in my original peg. The fish then decided to head back to where I hooked it so I followed it back to my peg and managed to get my waders on.
“It felt like the fish was smashing into the contour of the lakebed trying to rid the hook by pinging off every rock possible. Thankfully after a hectic 20 minute fight I managed to land my target fish for the year- The Christmas Common - at 43lb.”
This page is a free example of the amazing content Angling Times Members get every single week. Becoming an Angling Times Member gives you access to award-winning magazine content, member rewards, our back issue archives, bonus content and more! Join our fishing community and find out more today!