Blair Warner and Matt May had a great session at Jennetts reservoir, Bideford, part of the South West Lakes Trust portfolio. The pair managed 5 commons with the biggest three being 23.01, 22.06 and 21lbs for Matt with Blair having a 16lb common. Blair also lost two fish in the same day. The day ticket water is prolific as a ‘runs water’ with average size of fish near 20lbs.
(Above) Blair 16lb common carp
(Above) Matt May 23lb 1oz common
Steve Pinn landed this stunning mirror of 20lb 15oz from Stafford Moors Lodge Lake the best of ten he banked during his latest session.
Dave Hadland caught 25 fish up to 29lb 2oz using C C Moore live system boilies from the inlet swim on Beattie’s lake. ( Below)
(Below)Thirteen year old Chelsea Babb with her first catch a 20lb 5oz mirror caught with Sticky Baits Krill boilies from beach swim up on lodge lake, Chelsea was here with her dad Damien Babb who is also a regular sea angler.
http://www.staffordmoor.co.uk
Richard Ball landed a stunning common carp of 20lb 7oz from South West Lakes Trust’s Lower Slade Reservoir (Above)
Chris Hudson had a mixed session at day ticket venue Lower Tamar lake, part of the South West Lakes Trust venues. Chris had two carp with the largest being 15lb but also had 5 bream with the largest going 10lb 4oz. This is the latest in a long line of bream over 10lbs in size to have been caught from the venue. All of the fish were caught on a Live-system single hook bait with a handful of scattered boilies. (Below)
Andrew Van Koutrik sent me this stunning image of his daughter Roundelay aged ten cradling a superb common carp that weighed an impressive 18lb. She also landed a common carp of 8lb.
Steve Pinn continues to land some superb carp from Stafford Moor and also manages to capture some stunning images of these fish!
All the latest catches from Anglers Paradise as reported by Zenia Gregorek . Don’t forget there are plenty of day ticket opportunities in addition to the famous holiday complex.
Michael Molloy who has been visiting Anglers Paradise for 20 years and caught his Personal Best 11lb 12oz Koi from the Koi Lake on Dog Biscuits!
Michael has been trying for many years to catch an 8lb Koi so when he landed this Beauty – he was more than happy
Michael Said –
“I have been coming to Anglers Paradise for 20 years now with my Wife and Family as the fishing is fantastic as well as everyone that runs it.
I always like to have a go at the Koi Lake and have tried many years to catch an 8lb+ Koi, but haven’t had any success. My nephew Luke wanted to come with me who had travelled all the way from Ireland to join us for our 2nd week of our annual AP Holiday.
We caught several Koi up to 7lbs+ on floating dog biscuits, just as we were about to pack up, a Koi came up and sucked in a biscuit!! After a good fight, I landed it and knew it was over the magical 8lb with the scales going to 11lb 12oz!!
Gavin’s Story –
“I decided to go for an easier day and fish (read go for a sleep) on the picturesque Main Lake on the Tuesday as the previous day I’d had a non stop day catching Carp to 11lb on a waggler rod. I believe it was all down to buying a magical Anglers Paradise hat, Ziggy did tell us on the Sunday night that the fish would recognise you if you brought an AP hat or hoody! What a load of rubbish I hear you say, well, my Dad was on the next peg and only caught two all day, now there’s some proof, I even asked him to make sure he actually had a hook on at one point! That’ll teach him for being tight!
The Main Lake is a magical lake full of amazing fish, I had previously caught a PB Carp there last year after going to one of Jo’s Rig Clinics. I looked for some signs of fish but none were showing so I settled for the famous Nev’s Point and had a cast around with a lead to find any features. At 6.5 rod lengths out I found what felt like a gravelly area and set my line clip with my measuring sticks so I would reach the same spot every time along with lining up to a far bank tree.
On my first cast, with a small PVA bag of pellets attached I had an indication within about 30 seconds (see the lucky hat was working again) and caught a small Carp. Another two followed over the next couple of hours, so knowing some fish were out there I put a few freebie boilies out in the same area. After about 4 hours of fishing I had a great bite, better even than the Carp, I struck but this fish felt different. As I played it towards the net I saw this huge orange flank and thought WOW! I put the net under it and couldn’t believe what I was seeing, the most enormous Golden Orfe I had ever seen, what an amazing fish! It weighed in at 6lb 12oz, I had to check what the British Record was as I was sure it couldn’t be a lot more. I was right, the current record is 8lb 5oz, this fish was just 1lb 9oz off of the British record!
What a great fish and what a great memory for a trip that was a present from my wife Kerry for my 40th Birthday. I am sure there is a British record to be had in that lake for someone. Get yourself to Anglers Paradise, buy yourself one of Zyggy’s magic hats or hoodies and get yourself in those record books! I’m ‘Orfe’ there again soon myself to try and catch a bigger one!”
James Snell fished up on lodge lake Dam wall and landed 3 fish up to 18lb 6oz caught on Mainline Essential Cell boilies & C R Baits.
Brinn Jones fished Lodge lake to land 6 fish up to 20lb 6oz fishing with fruit pop ups over Nash Boilies.
John Townsend with one of his 6 catches a stunning 26lb mirror ! Caught on shell fish B5 boiled from the swim at the entrance to the spit up on Lodge lake.
Blair Warner had this cracking 28.06 common from Jennetts last week. Blair tempted the fish with a 16mm homemade boilie with a handful of free offerings from the point swim. Congratulations Blair on a stunning fish.
Steve Pinn spends many hours fishing for carp mostly at Stafford Moor and he combines his fishing with his love of photography. I asked Steve if he would put a few words together and share some of his stunning images. These illustrate the real joy of fishing and carp fishing in particular where the angler is within the environment letting the seasons and days roll by observing each changing mood as the world revolves.
Through the lens by the Steve Pinn the BIvvy Tramp!
When “bivvy’d up” for several nights in the heart of the beautiful Devon countryside, I’ve always said that catching a fish is a bonus. Carp fishing is a waiting game, one that can keep you awake all hours but one that allows you to see and hear things that not everyone is privileged enough to witness. Magenta sunrises, sunsets, cloud formations, changing seasons and all manner of natural splendor never fail to delight and, for me, capturing those moments is just as important as the ‘trophy carp shot’. You really don’t need the best camera in the world, I use my iPhone just as much as my Canon SLR, but to not record more than just your latest catch when you are surrounded by such a visual feast would, to me, be a tragedy. Get snapping, you won’t regret it.
1ST EVER LADY ANGLER TO CATCH A 40 FROM ANGLERS PARADISE
Sharon aka ‘Frogs’ Fowler, 55 from Bedfordshire, made Anglers Paradise History by catching her 1st ever 40 from the Kracking Carp lake, Frogs caught the legend that is ‘Silverback’ at 48lbs 14oz. Frogs has made the Anglers Paradise Record Books by making angling history becoming the 1st Ever Lady Angler to land a 40lb Carp here!!! What an achievement!
Frog’s Story – “Having rested the lake for a while and kept the lines out of the water for a bit as we were conscious of the fact that most of the fish were at our end of the lake! (Or after having returned from the pub after lunch lol) Both statements are true!
A Denham baits 15mm Element bottom bait was cast approx. 3 ft off the island in front of me using 12lb Tiger Line fluoro-line fished slack-line, where I had seen movement during the morning, and caught an 11lb carp earlier that morning, within an hour or so a hesitant take which turned into a positive rod wrencher resulted in playing what was obviously a very heavy and angry fish.
Calls for assistance from the other 3 people present were a waste of time as they were enjoying a post lunch snooze so the fish was played and netted solo before a phone call could raise the dead to help with photos. Ironically this is probably a good thing as the entire capture is a solo effort and no husbands or friends helped in any way! I would however like to thank Ian for tying the rig, and Jeff for lending his scales (as Ian’s gave up the ghost at the weekend!) I came this year with same target as I have had for several years now – namely to catch a 40lb carp – the fish at 48lb 14oz smashed that- what a fish, what a wonderful holiday, in our 30th Anniversary year, I could not have asked for more (especially as Ian then also caught a 40lber!!). “
Superb Angling, and an inspiration to all us lady anglers! (Even more so the Male Anglers!). Frogs also Won our Fish Of The Week Competition.
(Above)Frog’s husband Ian Fowler didn’t want to be left out and went onto catching his biggest ever carp – The Famous Gorilla at 47lbs 10oz from the Kracking Carp Lake making one Mr Fowler a Very Happy Man!! Ian, 55, from Bedfordshire, beat his previous PB of 42lb 14oz which was also from the Kracking Carp Lake. Ian caught the Mirror on a running rig, 2oz flat lead with a Denham Baits Element 16mm bottom bait.
(Above)Frogs and Ian also had a double take of 20’s from the Specimen Carp Lake, Ian with a 24lb 8oz Mirror and Frogs with a 26lb 4oz Mirror which they fought and caught at the same time!! Both on Denham Baits ‘Element’. Great to see couples enjoying the sport together!
(Above)Jeff Rowland from Keighley caught this Stunning 26lb 12oz Common from the Specimen Carp Lake! Jeff caught the Common on a 20mm Vortex Boilie on a Basic Bottom Rig with 5 Freebies.
(Above)5C’s Member, Maggot Whitfeld aka Mike came down with his Son Jordan to have a session on the Main Carp Lake and landed a new Personal Best 18lb Grassy! Maggot didn’t use Maggots though! He caught the Grass Carp on Paradise Baits Beez Kneez on a German Rig.
(Above)5C’s Member Tristan landed his New PB Carp, a lovely Mirror of 22lbs 6oz from Eldorado’s Bottom Cat and Carp Lake 2 on a Crab Boilie.
(Above)Andrew White caught a low 20lb Mirror from the Kracking Carp Lake on Peg 4 caught on essential baits B5 on a snowman rig.