01/07/2025 - New Challenge By Mark Sarul

The fishery

A New Challenge.

Although I have fished many beautiful rivers in my time my favourite has always been the river Soar, that flows through Leicestershire, a river I have fished since the age of five when my father first took me fishing some fifty six years ago. But this season I needed a new challenge and with a clear head I joined a local syndicate pool, just five miles from my house. I’d heard there were some nice tench in the pool, so my original plan, was to fish for the tench, after fishing the pool three or four times, all I was catching were carp. I had never saw anyone else catch anything other than carp. The tench plan was down the drain so to speak I thought I might as well go out and out and fish for the carp, something I had not fished for at least 10 years. I’d heard there were at least three twenty pounders in the pool, I set out to catch one of them.

Tackle and Bait.

I had been fishing for the tench with an Avon rod matched to a reel with 6lb line but now needed to step things up a bit if I were to stand any chance of landing those big carp. Two new 11ft 2lb test curve rods were ordered and two bigger reels now fitted with 12lb line. I also had to purchase a bigger landing net and a bigger unhooking mat amongst a few other bits and pieces. Armed with all my new shiny toys, I planned my campaign which was to fish every Friday. Bait was simple, bread, luncheon meat, sweetcorn and later big raw prawns. My enthusiasm with fishing had been rekindled, I had that feeling again that I use to have all those years ago as a boy, not being able to think about anything else.

The Fridays.

Every Friday I was set up and fishing for 8am, at 8:30am on the dot Simon the bailiff came by with his dog, the only dog permitted at the pool, Simon was normally the only person I saw most days. We chatted most Friday mornings for 20 minutes, I was always asking many questions as I could think of about the pool and the big carp. I knew from the first time I met Simon he was not an angler, he could only pass on information that other anglers had told him. The first Friday I caught four low double figure carp, the same again on the next two trip. That was three trips and twelve low double figure carp. I started to think of ways of catching a bigger double figure carp, the only solution I could think of was to increase the size of my luncheon meat, which I did. The carp then started to get bigger and the following Fridays produced a 16lb common, followed by 16lb 1oz common, a 16lb 2oz common, a 16lb 3oz common finally a 16lb 12 oz common. I photographed them all, they were all different fish.

The last bite of the day.

Last Friday I had five double figure carp. I’d already had four double figure carp, I was beginning to think that four was my lucky number but at 6:30pm I had my fifth run of the day, I’d broken the four fish spell. I could see the line shooting from the reel, as I picked up the rod then closed the bail arm, striking, I immediately realised I’d hooked a fish bigger than I previously caught from this water. The clutch was making a nice sound we all like to hear. As the fish moved fast to my left heading straight for the island also a willow tree that had come down in a previous storm. Thankfully with extra pressure I managed to slow the fish in its run for the snags. It then changed direction heading towards me, after several minutes, I got my first glimpse of my adversary, a big mirror carp. Most of the carp in this pool are commons, I was looking forward to landing my first mirror carp. Eventually I got the better of him, as I guided the fish over the net I could see immediately it was bigger than the 16 pounders I’d caught, taking out the barbless hook, I let my prize rest in the net while, I set up my camera, then made sure the weigh sling had a good dunking in the water also unhooking mat etc. I don’t like to keep fish out of the water, any longer than necessary with this routine, my fish is only on the bank for a couple of minutes at the most, if they are not calm and relaxed. They go straight back in the water without a picture or weighing, especially in the summer. This fish was quite settled, the scale needle stopped at 17lb 6oz, I was really pleased with myself and watched him slip away back to his ladies.

I never recast, I’d had my fill for the day, so put the kettle on fresh cup of tea, far better than a flask, I sat relaxed as I watched the kites circling above me. As I slowly packed my gear away, “I thought would I catch one of those twenty pounders next week”

Mark’s common carp

Mark’s mirror carp

Back to the News List