pbwyecarp

MY 5TH PEAK DAY RIVER WYE COMMON THIS SEASON (2004) IT IS THE BIGGEST CARP FROM THE RIVER THIS SEASON, ALSO THE BIGGEST COMMON EVER FROM HEREFORD CONTROLLED WATERS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I'AM STILL OVER THE MOON!

I STARTED OFF IN A DIFFERENT SWIM (EVEN THOUGH I HAD SEEN A BIG COMMON ROLL IN MY USUAL SWIM THE DAY BEFORE AND HAD BOUGHT BOILIES AND GROUNDBAIT ON THE WAY IN SPECIALLY FOR THE CARP!) IT WAS A DACE A CHUCK, THE RIVER WAS CARRYING NEARLY 4FT OF FLOODWATER. I GOT FED UP WITH THE DACE AND DECIDED TO MOVE TO MY USUAL SWIM WHRER THE CARP MAY STILL BE! I LOWERED A SINGLE 18MM HALIBUT BOILIE (DYNAMITE) TIGHT TO THE BANK AT 11.00. FILLING THE BIG DRENNAN FEEDER WITH GROUNDNBAIT. ROD WAS MY 11FT MKIV, AVON ROYAL PIN WITH 20LB BRAID TO A GOOD SIZE 8 CARP HOOK I PUT NO FREEBIES IN. I WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE BOILIE THERE FOR THE WHOLE TRANSIT PERIOD IF NEED BE, HAVING SEEN THE CARP ROLL IN THE SWIM THE PREVIOUS DAY, MOON SET WAS AT 20.00 ISH

THE SECOND 10FT MKIV WAS FISHED WITH MAGGOT FEEDER SLIGHTLY UPSTREAM IN THE MAIN CURRENT. DACE, DACE AND MORE DACE, A 5.4 CHUB, MORE BITS THEN AT 15.25 OVER 4 HOURS AFTER CASTING THE BOILIE ROD SCREAMED OFF. I COULD DO NOTHING WITH IT, IT PLOUGHED 50 YARDS DOWNSTREAM AND TO MY HORROR MY LINE WAS THROUGH A PARTLY SUBMERGED WILLOW 20 YDS BELOW ME!

I TIGHTENED MY THUMB ON THE PIN AND REALLY GAVE THE FISH SOME WELLY, TRUSTING THE HOOK WOULDN'T PULL, THE FISH ROLLED ON THE SURFACE ON ABOUT 11FT OF SWIRLING WYE TORRENT, ABOUT 20FT FROM THE BANK. I PUMPED LIKE MAD AND BY A MIRACLE THE LINE PULLED FROM THE WILLOW!

AFTER WHAT SEEMED AN ETERNITY I HEAVED THE FISH PAST THE DANGER WILLOW, INTO A BETTER SITUATION, JUST SOME SHOPPING TROLLEYS AND ALL SORTS OF SNAGS NOW! THE LINE WAS TWANGING FROM THIS TO THAT, WITH MANY HEART STOPPING MOMENTS AS THE LINE TWANGED AROUND ITS FINS (WHEN YOU THINK FOR A MO THE HOOKS PULLED).

AFTER ABOUT 12MINS I PULLED THE FISH TO THE LANDING NET, WHAT A FIGHT!

LATER I TOOK AN 8LB BARBEL AND A 9.8 THEY FELT LIKE REELING IN 3LB CHUB AFTER THE CARP! THE SESSION ALSO THREW UP SOME BIG DACE TO 12oZ.