When most anglers begin carp fishing, they set their sights on landing a 20lb fish. As they progress, their dreams often shift to catching a UK 50—a feat many never achieve due to its difficulty. Stu Saunders was one such angler, but instead of merely achieving his dream of a 50lb carp, he surpassed it by landing a colossal 64lb 5oz mirror carp.
This remarkable session took place at Grenville Lake, Cambridgeshire—a renowned big-fish venue. Stu's incredible catch included the lake’s largest resident, Green 365, and its smallest, an 18lb carp. The session got off to a promising start, with two fish landed within an hour of setting up, including a 35lb fish. However, the action slowed, and it wasn’t until the final few hours that the drama unfolded.
"This capture started a few months ago when I was fishing with Martin Nichols aka Weeman, who accompanied me on a guest session at Grenville, where he landed two fish for 99lb all while battling cancer," Stu explained to us.
"During that session I was speaking to another angler on the venue, Scottish Gav, who said that I would catch the biggest fish in the lake as a reward for making Weeman's dream come true and when the time came, I would deserved it," he added.
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Stu planned a session around the full moon. While he used to take no notice of the lunar cycle, his dad who lives out in the USA, proved to him how important it can be in regards to catch rates and big fish.
"I got off to an incredible start, landing two fish within a few hours of arriving. I had a lovely 35lb 4oz mirror within 30 minutes."
"As it got dark I had another take and in the madness of setting everything up, I couldn't find my head torch."
"When I hooked the fish, it felt huge, head shakes, dull thumps on the rod and the weight on the line was incredible. I thought it was enormous, and after a long battle I couldn't believe it when a huge ball of weed surfaced with the smallest fish in the lake at 18lb," he recalled.
"I couldn't believe it, I actually chuckled to myself as I have never heard of a fish that small being caught in the lake, and after the beating it gave me, it was ironic to say the least."
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Stu was fishing for 72 hours, with the session on the final day, coinciding with the full moon. Despite a strong start, the action came to a halt, with not even a liner disturbing his rods. While a few fish were being caught around the lake, Stu remained committed to his chosen spots, steadily applying bait in hopes of reigniting the action.
"I initially put 22kg of Halo Baits The Nuts boilies out onto the spot. It might sound like a lot but people put a lot more out and with the amount of big fish in Grenville, they can clear that amount up in minutes," he told us.
"Despite no bites, I added another 15kg of boilies into the swim as I thought there may have been no bait left, however I woke the next day without a bite."
“I knew the full moon was coming, and after fishing with my dad, I’ve learned to trust its influence. Confidence is key in any type of fishing, and the lunar cycle is something I’m fully invested in,” he added.
For the final night, Stu decided against adding any more bait to the swim. With little activity, he assumed there was still bait left and instead cast three single hookbaits using his trusty multi-combi rigs.
"That night I had a word with my grandad, Bob Roskilly, who has recently passed away about hopefully catching a carp to break my PB of 45lb 8oz."
““I woke up on the last day to find someone had reserved the swim I was in, finding out it was Darrell Peck, I said to myself I’m staying till mid day, if it happens it happens if it doesn’t I know there’s always next time” Stu recounted.
“Despite fish being caught in the two nearby swims, I still hadn’t had a bite.” That quickly changed.
“Thankfully, not long after, the left hand rod tore off, and I landed a lovely, scaly 43lb mirror. After sorting pictures and another coffee, my middle rod ripped away.”
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“I can’t describe what I lifted into—I’ve never experienced anything like it. The fish was in full control, and it felt as though everything was moving in slow motion.”
“Steve from the swim next door came over to give me a hand. When the fish finally surfaced, I’ll never forget him saying, ‘It is absolutely massive,’ which only made my knees knock even more erratically,” Stu added.
"In what seems like a blur, the fish was safely netted and Steve told me if it wasn't a 50, to beat my previous PB of 45lb 8oz he would eat his hat."
After realising the true size of the fish, Stu followed the lake’s courtesy protocol and rang Paul, the owner, who takes pride in every single fish at Grenville. As they lifted the fish up the bank in its sling, Stu noted the sling bending and creaking under the weight—a testament to the sheer size of the carp he had landed.
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“As per Grenville rules, we always photograph the fish first and then weigh them. It adds to the buzz and ensures anglers stay calm while getting their catch shots," Stu explained
When it came time to weigh the fish, the scales swung around to an astonishing 64lb 5oz, officially making it the biggest fish in the lake.
“I can’t describe the elation I felt when those numbers were read out,” Stu said.
“I’d like to thank Paul, the owner, for creating this incredible fishery. It’s a place that gives anglers like me the chance to catch the fish that some can only dream about. As the Grenville sign says, “cast away your problems and net your dreams”
"I’ll be back soon for my 50lb fish!”
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