We’re very pleased to receive dispatches from Southampton angler David Meek who’s been concentrating on Cemex Angling’s Roach Pit at Ringwood recently. Be prepared to feast your eyes on surely one of England’s most stunning, beautiful carp; a carp known as the Little Fully (little??!!) a rarely caught fish which fell to David’s careful approach. A carp like this is truly a sight to behold and a fish of a lifetime for anybody fortunate enough to catch her. Brilliant angling David! Read on…
After an eventful winter aiming to catch a 2lb Roach from the rivers, I was all charged up for some spring time carp fishing.
A highlight of the spring was catching a lovely mirror from Yateley South Lake. A fish called Tango, a lovely male with small scars from his life in the lake and a rich brown colour that blends into a bright orange under his belly. He was part of a three fish catch which included a 22lb 14oz mirror and a 13lb cricket bat common. The two fish fell to floater fishing, using a 5g controller and 8lb double strength hooklinks. After a busy day on the surface in the early evening I got the bottom rods ready for the night. Tango found a cork ball pop up on a choddy quite appetizing in the early evening light. He weighed 31lbs.
With a nice one like that I was looking forward to starting on the Roach. Roach Pit is a beautiful water, and has a wonderful stock of carp to keep any carp angler happy. I was hoping to do a lot more boilie fishing this year and with the added confidence in my rigs I was hopeful to get amongst some of the stock.
After the first week I managed a fish called the Snub Nose Ghosty from a shallow spot in a channel. The take was a rod bending in the rests affair, and after a spirited battle, the fish was chilling in the net. On the bank he felt rough and quite angry, definitely a male, he went 25lb 4oz and after a quick couple of stills the fish was returned to the warming waters of the Roach Pit. Three tench also fell foul of a pop up fished choddy style. One was even on the drop whilst sinking the line. I had the rod in my right hand and was feeling the line sink down with my left. It was whilst doing this that I felt a hard pluck, followed by another. I closed the bail arm and lifted in to a greedy tench.
On the Saturday morning, lying in the net in the cool waters of the early morning was a carp that would make me feel very fortunate. She succumbed to a faithful chod rig fished with a super sharp size 5 ESP Stiff Rigger, this was cast to a lovely silty area in around 8-9 ft of water.
She had a small but perfectly formed head with pointy barbs. Black and dark blues went from her nose all the way down to the last ray of her tail. Blacks and browns framed with the most prestigious gold, while creamy pink hues highlighted the scales around her belly. As I lay her gently on the unhooking mat, I gazed at her through eyes of awe. Truly a special carp, one that I will never forget. I will cherish the moments that I was able to touch and hold her. Her weight was 35lb 1oz, it really isn’t important. She measured 32 inches from her nose to the fork in her tail. Roach Pit contains some special carp, but in my eyes not one as wonderful as her.
I cannot wait to make my next trip, hopefully there will be something to learn or I may even be lucky enough to catch another of the jewels that inhabit the lake. But one thing is for sure, and that is I won’t forget my moment with the Little Fully.