It goes without saying that angling is a primarily male dominated sport and yet, often it is the females anglers that end up catching the biggest fish, for example, the UK salmon record has been unchanged since 1922, caught by Georgina Ballantine.
There are even rumours in the angling community about females having special pheromones that are impossible for fish to resist, but one thing is for sure, despite their participation not being as high as men, our female anglers certainly know how to catch fish.
So it should come as no surprise that, on a recent trip to France, Naomi Collett and Darryll Slater saw Naomi not only catch plenty of fish but also land the biggest of the trip, a monster 75lb 8oz mirror carp. Remarkably, it is believed the fish is 12oz short of becoming the biggest carp ever landed by a female angler in France, making for a truly memorable trip for the duo.
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"With an invite from a good friend, Naomi and I headed off to Periwinkle Lake, just outside Domfront, and amazingly, we had exclusive use of the lake," Darryll told us.
"Naomi had joined me on a few fishing sessions in the UK, so she knew what she was letting herself in for, but up until then, she'd only caught carp up to around 15lbs. I assured her there was a good chance of beating that," he added.
"Arriving on Sunday at 5pm gave us plenty of time for a BBQ, some wine, and a walk around the lake. After a good night’s sleep and some coffee, a short 12-minute drive took us to the local supermarket for supplies the next day."
The pair didn’t get the rods out until the following afternoon, as the trip wasn’t just about fishing, with exclusive use of on-site accommodation, they were enjoying a much-needed holiday, with some angling thrown in. Fortunately, they did get the rods out, as the session would turn out to be unforgettable.
"The first rod burst into action at 8pm (34.04lbs and new PB), followed by a much bigger fish at 10pm (48lb and another PB) this was the last rod to reel in. Both takes were on Naomi’s rods," he said.
"I’m in a privileged position as a sponsored angler with Wychwood, and they had kindly gifted Naomi a set of the new 10ft Riot Recoils and Riot 6000 FS reels. I don’t want to say I regretted that decision in the days that followed," Darryll joked.
"Over the next few days, Naomi and I landed 10 carp between us. My biggest was 45lb, while Naomi landed another impressive 48lb common."
"Around midnight, a big fish picked up the Madbaits hookbait Naomi had placed against the reeds. With a little weed in the lake, it turned into a great battle, one she’ll remember for more than one reason."
Both Darryll and their friend Mike were on hand to help net the fish, and as soon as it surfaced, they instantly knew it was far bigger than any carp she had caught before. Despite having little experience playing big fish, Naomi remained calm and managed to steer it into the waiting net.
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"When Mike peered into the net, he confirmed it was the biggest fish in the lake, and we let out a huge cheer, we were all elated," Darryll recalled.
"After some research, we believe Naomi had inadvertently landed the second-biggest carp ever caught by a woman in France, just 12oz short of the record!"
"We both went on to finish the trip with 14 carp each, but nothing could top that special capture. So, when you're wishing for your other half to join you on a fishing trip, be careful, she might just out-fish you and catch the biggest carp in the lake," Darryll concluded.
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