BIG CARP APRIL 2026 RICHARD - Flipbook - Page 212
ASH
JOHNGEDEN
KRIS
TERRY
BINGHAM
THORNLEY
DEMPSEY
Anyway, I got a take at o n e o’ cl o c k i n t h e m o rn i n g . I wa s o u t
i n the lake up to my chest , p lay i ng t h i s f i s h a s i t wa s we e d i n g
m e up down to the right . I t ho ugh t i t wa s o n ly a s m a l l f i s h , a n d
I heaved it into the net . I t h o u gh t i t mi gh t h ave be e n a te n c h ,
b u t when I got it in the ne t , I lo o ke d an d I c o u l d s e e i t wa s a
c o mmon, so I thought , love ly. T h e re wa s a l o ad o f we e d i n t h e
n e t , so I hoisted it onto th e b a n k, a n d wh en I g o t my to rc h o n
i t , I recognised it straight away as th e Wo o d ca r v i ng Co m m o n ,
t h e biggest carp in the lake . I wa s b u zz i n g n ow, wad i n g i n t h e
d a rk into the lake. It went 4 1 a n d a h al f , an d i t wa s a b o u t 3 f t
l o ng this thing. I put that b a c k, a nd I wa s b uz z i n g fo r t h e re s t
o f the day walking about . A ll I c o u ld th i n k a b o u t wa s g e t t i n g
t h e Big Fully, as I knew thi n g s we re ha p p e n i n g fo r me n ow I
was in the groove.
Anyway, at half one in the m o rn i n g f ro m ro d o u t i n t h e m i d d l e
o f the lake, fishing over a b i g b u c ke t o f c h o p p e d bo i l i e a n d
h e mp. I go t an absolutely m el t i n g t ake , j u st a o n e-n o te r. I h a d
a n other big fight , and in t h e mo o n li gh t I c o u l d s e e t h i s f i s h
c o ming around with a big t ai l . I n e tte d i t , a n d yo u k n ow, wh e n
yo ur luck’s in… I just kne w eve n b e fo re I l oo ke d i n th a t n e t
t h at it was going to be tha t f i s h – yo u k n ow, d o n’ t ya ? I l o o ke d
i n the net , and that was it – t he B i g Fu lly, s o I h a d t h e t h re e
b i g targets and Clover and a co u p l e o f o th e r f i s h to b o o t i n a
h a ndful of nights’ fishing . W h at to d o ? D o yo u g o ba c k a f te r
t h at , or do you say, let’s n eve r g o b ac k aga i n a n d m ove o n ? I
h ave the best memories of t he e i gh t n i gh ts I d i d t he re – s u c h
a beautiful lake, a stunni n g, n a t ura l p la c e, an d t h e f i s h a re
a b solutely amazing to be h o n e s t .
I packed up there on th e S u n day m o r n i n g e a rly a n d we n t
s t raight down for the draw a t Savay, wh i c h wa s b e i ng a g ru e l l e r
FREELINE 90
