SANDHURST STUNNERS ON RETURN TO THE BANK!
Pete Lillie’s first carp-fishing session in a year certainly went to script, producing a new PB mirror and two other thirties during a social at Sandhurst Lake in Yateley.
The session started off slowly, but a change of tactics brought about the action, with the highlights being the PB mirror of 37lb 12oz and a stunning fully scaled that tipped the scales at 31lb 4oz.
Pete announced: “I’m back with a bang after a 12-month break from carp fishing, the longest break I’ve had since I was eight years old, initially due to lockdown, then the birth of my first son.”
Resorting to barbel and tench to get his fix, Pete finally got his carp rods out once again during a social session at Sandhurst Lake in Yateley.
“I came out late in the draw, but managed to get my chosen swim, which was peg nine,” said Pete.
“I initially went for a boilie-only approach, fishing just over 80 yards in the silt off the back of a gravel area, applying Secret 7 and SLK with the stick and fishing hinged stiff rigs over the top in the hope of singling out the bigger fish. However, after a fruitless 48 hours, a change of tactics was needed. Still fishing the area where I applied the spread of boilies on the first day, I changed to fishing two tightly baited areas of crumbed S7 and SLK boilies, combined with matching pellets and a good dose of matching Hydro Spod Syrups, Salmon Oil and Fish Hydro. On the business end, I used 15mm Milky Malt pop-ups balanced with BB shot so they sat on the deck like a wafter, in conjunction with 10-inch supple rigs to battle the silt.
“The change of tactics definitely got the ball rolling, as over the remaining 48 hours of the trip I landed a 33lb 8oz mirror, a 31lb 4oz fully scaled, a 17lb mirror and, finally, a new personal best mirror for me at 37lb 12oz. I really couldn’t have wished for a better welcome back.
“To top things off, our group of 11 anglers recorded a collective total of 35 fish, including 10 thirties and a forty, with three personal bests.”
A new PB mirror of 37lb 12oz
Another cracker at 33lb 8oz
This 17lb stockie was one of four fish for Pete
