Despite undergoing chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer, Martin Nichols hasn’t let that stop him from enjoying his angling, and it seems the carp gods are shining brightly on him, as he has recently experienced an incredible run of big carp captures.
Fishing at Grenville Lake in Cambridgeshire, Martin had what can only be described as the session of a lifetime for UK carp anglers. He landed a brace of carp totaling 99lb, with the biggest fish tipping the scales at an unbelievable 58lb 5oz. This fish were just part of an incredible haul, which also included two more 40lb fish and a 30lb carp that found their way into Martin’s net over the course of his session.
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"After being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer earlier this year, my target was to catch a new UK PB, with my previous best standing at 39lb 15oz," Martin explained.
"I was recently invited to fish at the mighty Grenville by a good friend, and I jumped at the chance. The lake holds some enormous fish, and it’s simply stunning."
"However, I wasn't expecting the session to unfold the way it did—I can only describe it as a dream session," he added.
Upon arriving at the lake, Martin was full of enthusiasm and quickly positioned his rigs in a promising zone after spotting a few fish. This excellent bit of watercraft led to his first fish on the bank after just an hour, which, incidentally, broke his PB at 47lb 12oz—a better start than he could have imagined.
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"I couldn't believe I had smashed my six-year-old PB within an hour of arriving. I caught another 31lb fish later that night," he said.
"The swim went quiet after that fish, but I kept the bait going in and remained patient, hoping for another arrival of carp in the area."
"Around lunchtime, after getting a bite, I was in the process of landing an immaculate 40lb 12oz linear when my middle rod tore off."
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"This fish just felt different, and after a long, slow, plodding battle, a true giant rolled over the net cord. It was absolutely massive—I couldn't believe what I was looking at," Martin recalled.
"This fish dwarfed the 40lb one I had in the net, and when we lifted her onto the scales, I was utterly shocked as the needle swung round to 58lb 5oz."
Martin's dreams certainly came true during this session with a brace of carp totaling 99lb, which would leave any UK carp angler envious. His run of form shows no signs of deteriorating either, as the following session at Redlands Fishery saw him bank a new PB common at 40lb 8oz.
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"It's certainly been a hell of a few months for me after the diagnosis, but fishing has kept me motivated and happy."
"With trips to Dreamlakes, Euro Aqua, and a couple of other UK big fish waters, I can only hope those sessions are half as good as the ones I've had so far this year."
"I'd also like to give a massive thanks to Paul at Grenville for all the help and advice," Martin concluded.
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