Ben Tipney had a right result last week from a demanding gravel pit which does not give up its prizes too easily. Well done Ben!
An intense battle resulted in this lovely old common for Ben
‘One of the waters I’ve been fishing on and off for the last 8-9 years is a tricky low stock pit – gin clear with about 40 original fish in its 20 acres.
It’s never easy, but for some reason has been particularly tough going the last 2 years with very little coming out, so I was over the moon with this cracking character – 30.09 of gnarly old common!
I got down for a short overnight session and dropped into a swim that I’ve been trickling bait into for the last couple of weeks. I had 2 rods on the baited area at 50 yards but also knew a spot at longer range (9-95 yards) that I’ve had fish off in the past, so put one on that with a light scattering of bait.
At around 10pm the long rod belted off at a rate of knots and I knew it was a decent fish straight away. Once I’d stopped the first run the fish came in fairly steadily, hugging the bottom. It got weeded a couple of times but steady pressure kept it on the move.
Then about 30 yards out it did exactly what I was afraid it might and kited hard to the left towards a set of marginal snags. I couldn’t see how far out it was so just kept pumping and hoping it didn’t make the snags, until I felt the dreaded grating coming through the rings and then it locked solid.
Straight away I stripped off and jumped in (waist deep margins), wading across to the snag tree. Luckily, once I could get the rod in front of the fish it popped out of the snag and then proceeded to lead me a merry dance under the rod tip as I stood in the waist deep water, heart in mouth, playing it rather gingerly and praying the hook didn’t pull.
Eventually the fish rolled on the surface, beaten and I felt a massive sense of relief as it slid over the net cord, as it’s my first one in over a year from the venue and it doesn’t give its prizes up easily. As I got the fish on the mat I saw the size 5 stiff rigger absolutely nailed in the bottom lip and thought “That was never coming off!”
It’s only my 3rd night on there so far this year, so hopefully a sign of things to come!
The fish was caught using 12lb ESP Syncro Loaded mono, with 20lb fluoro shockleader, hinged stiff rig utilising a size 5 stiff rigger, 20lb Bristle Filament and ESP Leadcore Leader. Bait was a 15mm Pure Pellet ‘Morning Glory’ pop-up (white blackcurrent/n-butryic) over a scattering of 15mm/18mm ‘Blaze’ boilies, a new bait on test from the Pure Pellet stable’.