FROM TOP TO BOTTOM!

  • Posted: 5th June 2023
  • Author: Team DNA
We said Andy Leather had done something a bit special on the St Ives complex over the weekend – and here it is!
Andy can’t seem to put a foot wrong on the Cambridgeshire venue at the moment, achieving some great captures off the top, on zigs and now off the bottom.
After arriving on the Lagoon following work on the Friday, Andy baited up a swim and tempted two fish to 30lb 6oz on pop-ups, but it was when he switched over to a Secret 7 mini dumbbell bottom bait that something rather special occurred.
Later that night, Andy found himself cradling his second-largest UK carp, the magnificent Callum’s Common at 48lb 10oz at its biggest-ever weight.
“Well, what a weekend’s session that turned out to be,” said Andy.
“I arrived after work to find the lake not too busy and, after a walk around, settled on the windward bank in a shallow weedy area. I located a nice area with a firm drop and baited it with mulched-up Secret 7 and Bug boilies, before despatching two Fruitylicious pop-ups over the top and going to bed.
“I was up the following morning at 4 o’clock and after watching for three hours had seen very little, so jumped back in the bag for a few more hours’ sleep. Then at 8.30am, the left-hand rod was away with what turned out to be a 25lb fully.
“The second bite didn’t come until 5.30pm, which was a rather twitchy take. The fish fought on the surface all the way to the net and turned out to be a fish named Magnus at a spawned-out weight of 30lb 6oz.
“Earlier in the day, I’d been listening to Adam Penning on a podcast talking about only using bottom baits which struck a chord with me, so I baited the spot again and this time put a third rod on it but this time with a Secret 7 mini dumbbell straight out the bag.
“Then at 10.30pm, I had a blistering take on that very rod! What ensued was a ponderous, heavy battle during which my headtorch died, but I netted the fish and could see in the full moonlight it was a big old unit, so I went to sort my other light out and when I flicked it on I was greeted with a common in the net of monstrous proportions!
“I got everything together and with the help of Gordy (Howes), we hoisted it up on to the scales and the needle flew round to a ridiculous 48lb 10oz, which is a lake record and a top weight for the fish known as Callum’s Common. St Ives, where dreams are made!”