David Meek got his Roach Pit campaign off to a very nice start last week with the capture of this fine looking common carp. Here the Ringwoodshire specialist recounts the tale:
“It’s always nice to have that first bite of the year. They feel like they are just carp again. This is the first year that the pit has been open in the close season. You would have thought that it would be ‘silly season’ but due to the long depressing Winter we have had perhaps it hasn’t been as productive as it could have. In fact as I write this the fish are finally waking up and being caught.
I was keen to get into a swim at the very least near to where a couple had been caught. As is the way with fishing circuit waters it often is more of a game with the anglers than with the fish themselves. I ‘pitched up’ in a swim that I know pretty well, with the intention of dropping in the swim next door the following morning. A late arrival saw me sling out two single pop ups from Specialized Hook Baits. To be fair I didn’t feel as if I was fishing and was just waiting to get into the ‘hot’ zone. Well the following morning saw me up watching about 12 shows in a small amount of time. Not really in ‘my’ water but not a million miles away.
A quick trip to the shop and a regroup saw me leading about to find a spot closer to where the fish were showing. After a number of casts I found what I was looking for. A hard spot in around 8 foot of water. A light scattering of boilies of both rods and the traps were set.
The following morning I was sat with a friend in the next swim up having some tea when my little receiver started beckoning me. A dash to the rods saw the bobbin on the right hand rod flush to the blank and the line out of the clip. I lifted into it and there was a nice bend in the carbon and something pulling on the end. After a slightly drawn out battle a nice golden common was drawn over the cord.
The weight was 23.1. A nice way to start the new season. And a donation to the confidence tank.
A combi link of 18lb ESP Soft Ghost and ESP 25lb Sink link tied to a size 4 Curve shank. With the usual ESP leadcore set up. I used a piece of pop up corn to set the trap, with a Specialized Hook Baits stick mix to finish off the attraction”.
For more information on the fantastic ESP Soft Ghost fluorocarbon, click here.