After a tough trip to the lake in November 2014, I was really looking forward to getting back onto its famous banks at the beginning of May 2015. On this occasion I was accompanied by my old mate Derek Fell, and the two of us were in Peg 5, an area known to be one of the big commons haunts. We’d already decided that I was going to fish on the left with Derek taking the right. The left was known to be a bit trickier to fish with numerous obstacles like snags, bays, bars and islands dotted all over. It was like a maze when I went out on the boat to take a look on the Saturday afternoon. I couldn’t have covered all the good spots with a dozen rods it was that feature-packed! I ended up concentrating on a channel down to my left which ran down to swim six where Rainbow regular Paul Hudson was fishing with Lee Morris. I’d already drained Paul of all his info about Eric’s a couple of hours earlier. He’d caught the fish a few years ago from the same swim and told me to cover both sides of the channel with big beds of bait. I’d already made my mind up I was going to do that before arriving but it certainly helped boost my confidence knowing that Paul was recommending the same tactic.
Sharing a drop of champagne with Rainbow owner, Pascal, and Derek Fell
As for my other two rods I positioned one close to some snags known as the McDonald’s Tree and the other near a gap running into the water of swim 21 known as the Hell Hole. All were baited with 3kg of the new Nash particles and 2kg of The Key boilies which have done me so well since I started using them. Surprisingly we didn’t have to wait long for a bit of action with two takes coming our way on the first night. I landed a lovely 38lb common just on first light and Derek lost what was a really good fish in front of the net. The weather was really hot over the next two days, with temperatures reaching low-thirties. It wasn’t the best spring time weather so it was of no surprise the fishing was slow. On the Monday I had a 42lb mirror and then on the Tuesday morning I had an absolute ripper of a take on my left-hander!
A stunning 49lber on The key
What happened next was a comedy of errors. I slipped down a drop-off and ended up getting a soaking just as I grabbed the rod. Then, as I tried to launch the boat, I somehow tangled the line from my next rod around the reel in my hands. It took what seemed like an eternity to sort before I set the engine to full power and headed off in the direction of the fish. I was using a bottle on my rig to keep the line upright in the water and I could see it was stationary right next to a tree. I was cursing myself but once close to the bottle I gave the line a tug from above. All was solid. I did it again but it was still solid. I had a pole with a hook on in the boat to feel down and see how deep the water was. It was well over depth so I had no option other than to see if I could shift the snag.
I heaved it up in the water with all my strength to see if I could shift the fish and it worked! The tip was pulled round as the fish darted from the snag and back out towards the open water of the channel. I tightened up on the fish and it pulled the boat and me with it! It was heading for the far margin and after a colossal ten minute fight amongst the marginal features I caught my first glimpse of what I thought was a decent mirror.
The smile says it all: Eric’s common at 86lb 8oz (39kg)
I knew it was a good fish, certainly over sixty so I had to get the upper hand or risk losing it in one of the many sunken trees Rainbow is littered with. I could feel the line pinging off all sorts of stuff below which I really didn’t like. I then decided to give it my all and really wound down and put the rod into its curve. It worked a treat and never in a million years would I have guessed what was about to come up from the depths. A huge common hit the surface and immediately I saw its identifiable tail. I knew straight away which fish it was and flicked the engine into reverse to aid with the netting. I had to do a bit of shaking with the net to get the full length of the fish in because it was that big. It could only be one fish and as I peered over the side to take a closer look there in front of me was the mighty Eric’s Common!
It was in terrific condition for such an old warrior. I was buzzing and so were Derek and Lee who helped with the weighing and photos. At 86lb 8oz it was a new personal best and a terrific carp to be at the top of my list. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. What a fish and from such a special lake! My thanks to Pascal for inviting me to his special water as well as Rob Hales for sorting it out. Thanks also to Derek and Lee for the photos.
