There are a few things that can turn an ordinary session into a truly memorable one, whether it’s your first time on a new water, banking an unexpected fish, or catching on an unusual method, any one of these can make for a day you’ll never forget.
So imagine the shock when Dan Bouskila combined all three into one quick session. On his first-ever visit to a large gravel pit, using his trusty feeder rod and maggots intended for bream, Dan hooked and landed a his biggest-ever carp. Even more impressively, he did it using a tiny size 18 hook and 6lb line.
IF YOU LOVE CATCHING BIG CARP, HERE ARE SOME EXCELLENT WATERS TO TRY YOUR LUCK!
"I had some maggots left over, so I decided to head to a new venue, a large gravel pit I’d been meaning to visit for ages as this was the perfect excuse," Dan told us.
"After catching a load of big bream, on my trusty 1.25lb feeder rod, the session was nearing its end as my three pints of maggots started to run out," he added.
"My friend Keith, owner of Premier Fisheries, had stopped by the swim, and we got chatting about the carp. He told me there weren’t many mirrors in the lake and that the carp anglers had been struggling lately."
Just then, Dan’s tip flew round again, but this time, the hooked fish powered off into the lake with no sign of stopping. Realising he was fishing with such light gear, he assumed his setup wouldn’t hold, but after applying steady pressure, Dan gradually started to gain control of the fish.
"I honestly couldn’t believe it hadn’t broken me after that initial run, I was holding on for dear life, just waiting for the inevitable to happen," he said.
"After about 20 minutes, I turned to Keith and said, ‘I might just land this,’ and with that, the fish surfaced, it was a really big mirror carp."
"After a few more subdued runs, the fish was finally within netting range. Taking no chances, Keith waded into the lake and netted it for me. We were both cheering and shouting like kids in disbelief that we’d actually landed it!"
"Keith told me the beautiful two-tone mirror in my net his one of the rare ones in the lake. I’m not usually blown away by carp, but this one was definitely an exception," Dan explained.
"On the scales, she went exactly 31lb, which also made it biggest carp I’ve ever landed. That added to the way I caught it makes it one of the most memorable ones in the album for sure."
THE BEST FEEDER REELS HAVE THE POWER TO LAND ANY SIZE FISH YOU MIGHT HOOK.
