Since the age of 16, Roo Abbott (37) has had an obsession with chasing big carp in France, catching countless giants between 50-69lb but never a 'seventy' - until now!
Fishing the 52-acre Domaine de Bouxier with a friend through Carp Fishing Destinations this past week, Roo's quest for a seventy-pounder finally came to an end in spectacular fashion.
Recording what he believes to be his "best winter carp fishing session ever", Roo and his fishing partner Ben Whittel hit the absolute jackpot, banking two thirties, seven forties, five fifties, a 65lber and the third biggest fish in the lake at 71lb between them.
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"With just two of us on the massive water in February, it was a little bit daunting at first," Roo told us.
"Starting at the deeper end of the lake we decided to stagger the rods to really push the boundaries of our swim and work our way back."
With location being vital, Roo used a boat and echo sounder to explore the area, eventually finding exactly what he was looking for.
"I started finding holes in the bottom - classic carp feeding spots," he said.
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Rowing their baits out between 180-220 metres, the pair didn't have to wait too long to get in on the action, as just six hours in and in the hours of darkness, the bites began...
"We kicked off with a 46lb mirror and whilst we were dealing with that fish, I had a take too," Roo said.
"I knew it was a big carp as it was kiting round at a distance at first, Ben was in his waders, and I said 'this is fighting like a lump'.
"Eventually, we got it in the net and Ben said, 'it's an absolute donkey'.
"When it was in the retainer sling and I was struggling to lift it, I knew it was enormous. Now my PB king carp, it was a big moment for me."
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The session continued in the same manner for the pair, with bites starting on the right-hand rod early in the night and slowly moving left.
Maggots fished hard on the deck with long hair Blowback rigs were Roo's winning tactics. These were tied with OMC size 4 Lock hooks and Blend coated hooklinks.
Another key element of the rig was the Magic Twig, a product Roo says when dropping rigs from a boat has become an essential tool in his armoury. His giant 71lb mirror is currently the biggest king carp ever landed on the ground-breaking tackle product.
"If the Twig is allowed, I would not put a rig in the water without it," he said.
Roo used the Medium sized Twig with an 8oz lead, which was ejected on each take.
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A big fan of naturals in the colder months, Roo boosted his maggots with Mainline Essential Cell boilie dust and a healthy dose of Smart Liquid.
Over the moon with the results, Roo is already planning his next French carp fishing session.
"It's a proper adventure," he told us.
"I love going out in the boat, finding spots, drive and survive fishing - it doesn't matter what lake you go to, the expanse of water is phenomenal - get out there and try it yourself!"
THIS ISN'T THE ONLY GIANT FRENCH CARP LANDED ON THE MAGIC TWIG THIS PAST YEAR, FIND OUT MORE HERE.
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