Winter is often a time when many carp anglers hang up their rods, waiting out the cold weather for the warmer days of spring. However, for those who continue to fish, the prizes are there for the taking and despite the cold, the quieter banks and hard-earned bites often create a new challenge pitting the angler against the carp rather than the anglers against the anglers.
Perry Alabaster is one angler who relishes fishing during the winter months and he is also no stranger to big fish, having previously landed a brace of 50lb carp. But on his most recent winter session, his efforts were rewarded when he managed to bank 11 carp including his biggest UK carp at a staggering 59lb 7oz, smashing his previous PB of 55lb.
LEARN HOW TO SAFELY KEEP YOUR BIVVY WARM THIS WINTER BY READING OUR EXPERT GUIDE.
"I love winter fishing for carp, so I generally try to fit in at least three 48-hour sessions per month between January and May, fishing from Sunday to Tuesday if possible. But this trip very nearly didn’t happen," Perry informed us.
"My dad passed away last week after a short illness, so I wasn’t really in the mood for fishing. But even in his very last moments, he insisted that all his kids and grandkids go and live their lives and be happy," he added.
"With that in mind, and coupled with the fact that the weather conditions looked bang on for a bite or two, I quickly got my fishing head on."
"My daughter needed a lift to Cambridge on Saturday afternoon, which was only about a 25-minute drive from the lake, so I couldn’t resist popping over to see how busy it was."
"There were a couple of good swims available, so I decided that after working Saturday evening, I’d grab a couple of hours’ sleep, then make the effort to get to the lake at first light the next morning."
Arriving at the lake early on Sunday morning, Perry was delighted to see one of his favourite swims still free. Heading straight over, he set up before getting his rods ready. Despite feeling confident and spotting fish in the area, his tried-and-tested tactics of solid bags and single hookbaits didn’t produce so much as a liner. Thankfully, as the light began to fade, the carp started to feed, and he was rewarded with a 27lb mirror.
A SET OF THE BEST CARP RODS WILL HAVE YOU LANDING HUGE CARP THIS SEASON.
"My ever-faithful solid bag, filled with Crayfish Minimix pellets and a DNA S7 Corker wafter, fished on a simple short braided hooklink tied to a RidgeMonkey hook, was the successful tactic," he told us.
"After recasting, the rod was away again within the hour, resulting in a nice, scaly 36lb 8oz mirror nestled in the mesh of my net."
The two quick bites were enough for Perry to change all three rods over to solid bags, which he spread along the area at range where he had the fish, in the hope that he had found a shoal of carp in a feeding mood.
"They tend to have veryspecific patrol routes in the colder months on this lake, and with careful bait placement, you can usually get plenty of action. Over the next day and night, the bites kept coming in the wet and windy conditions, and by the last afternoon of the session, I was on ten fish," he explained.
"My friend Mark, who was fishing along the bank from me, asked how things were going as he came to say goodbye on Tuesday. As I hadn't had a fish for a few hours, I jokingly replied, 'Oh, I've just realised why it's gone quiet—my scales are still hanging on my tripod.'"
IF YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE BANK, INVEST IN ONE OF THE BEST FISHING BIVVIES.
"Mark headed home, and I placed my scales back in their pouch at the back of my bivvy. I have a little superstition about always putting them away after each fish. Strangely enough, just ten minutes later, I had a drop-back on my right-hand rod."
"The guy fishing next door, Steve, came along to see if I needed any help, and we chatted about how big this fish could be as I drew it closer to the bank. I cautiously estimated it at least 25lb at first, knowing deep down that I felt it could be much larger," he recalled.
As the fish neared the bank, it began to feel bigger, but it wasn't until it turned in the cold, clear water in front of them that they saw the black spot on its flank. Instantly, they knew what fish Perry had hooked—a fish he had actually landed 12 years prior at 41lb, but which had grown far bigger since then.
"I can't repeat what I said when it dawned on me which fish I was connected to, but needless to say, the last couple of minutes of the battle were knee-trembling," he said.
"Steve helped me hoist the heavy carp onto the scales, and we carefully read the weight as 59lb 7oz when the needle settled, making it a joint lake record. It was also enough to beat my previous personal best of 55lb 12oz, which I'd managed last April."
"Prior to that, my wait for a personal best stretched back to 2007, when a 54lber—caught as part of a fifties brace from Darenth—was reported on in some depth by Angling Times. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait seventeen years this time."
"I'm not a great believer in all things supernatural and the like, but after I released the fish, I sat down on my bedchair and felt quite emotional for a minute. This moment felt like it was just meant to be this particular week, so I looked up at the sky and quietly said, 'Thanks, Dad'... just in case!"
THE BEST FISHING BEDCHAIRS WILL KEEP YOU WARM AND COMFORTABLE DURING LONGER SESSIONS.
