"Go big or go home," that was the approach David Gaskin took on a recent session at Wasing's Cranwells Lake - a tactic that rewarded him with a special 47lb 1oz mirror known as 'Bi-polar'.
Arriving on a Saturday after work, David spent a lot of time locating a clear area in amongst the weed, eventually settling on a spot just a metre in size. With plenty of small fish active in the lake, it was here he decided to bait up heavy with 4kg of 20mm Sticky Krill boilies, hoping the tench and smaller common carp would leave his 16mm Signature Squid wafter alone.
The heavy baiting tactic worked a treat, as at 5am he received a single beep on the alarm and the rod tip bent round...
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"After a lengthy tug of war through the weed, I didn't really feel the weight of the fish until it was under the rod tip," he told us.
"The fish looked even bigger than I thought when I got it in the net and knowing that I had one fish left on my hit-list, I checked both flanks and it was her.
"She's a beautifully scaled carp one side and plain on the opposite flank, hence the name."
David tamed the impressive carp on SBX braided mainline down to a size 5 Curve Point hook and 25lb Tricklink hook link with a 45lb Olive Camo leader.
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