THE SPECIAL ONE!
It has already been one hell of a week for DNA anglers fishing on Monks Pit – and it’s only Tuesday!
Whilst Billy Wells was hauling thirties for fun (we’ll have more on that later), Perry Alabaster was getting his hands on one of the most-sought-after fish in the Cambridgeshire syndicate, the magnificent Special One at 38lb 12oz.
“After spending most of the Monday listening to the wind howling as I was working, I couldn’t resist ringing the Monks bailiff, Darren, to ask if I could bring my scheduled Tuesday/Wednesday session forward a day this week,” said Perry.
“Once he’d agreed, I rushed home to load my gear and got to the lake just in time to get the rods out before dark. The wind was still blowing a hoolie and with my two first-choice swims already occupied, I decided to set up in the teeth of a strong south-westerly. I eventually got the rods out after running up and down the bank chasing rod sleeves, landing-net bags, etc. that were flying around, but I still felt confident using the Crayfish wafters in solid bags of Crayfish Mini Mix pellets, a tactic that’s worked well for me in recent weeks.
“Apart from feeling relieved the tree I was camped under hadn’t fallen on my head as I woke up on Tuesday morning, my main feeling was that of disappointment that the night hadn’t produced a bite. I was just contemplating a swim move when my right-hand rod rattled off! As I played the fish towards the bank, I thought it was probably a little stockie, but at least it’d be a blank-saver. It really didn’t fight much until it got within a few rod-lengths of the bank, when all hell broke loose and I battled with the fish under my rod tips for what felt like an eternity! Eventually I landed it and weighed it at 38lb 12oz. That would do nicely! I still hadn’t realised what fish it was until my mate, Mark, who was just leaving, started taking photos. It was a much-sought-after Monks resident known as the Special One.
“I’d seen this carp on the bank a couple of times since returning to Monks in 2021 and it’s been right up the top of my most-wanted list since I first set on eyes on it. What a creature! Needless to say, I didn’t end up moving swims.”
This is not the first time the Special One has given itself up to DNA products, having also been caught by Steve Haylett at 36lb 2oz on Secret 7 back in the summer of 2021.