Two more Papercourt 40+, two more cheesy grins for Aaron from this week's session.
S2 fished over Wraysbury Baits MC Nut.
Not sure of this man's name. Quite certain he is a forum member by what is written though. Well done mate, you will always remember that day 💪🏻. GPB2.
S2 fished over Wraysbury Baits MC Nut.
Not sure of this man's name. Quite certain he is a forum member by what is written though. Well done mate, you will always remember that day 💪🏻. GPB2.
In reply to Post #1635
Quote.... Some cracking fish them.
Looks like Aaron has turned into a one man carp catching machine this spring. There is a lot of big UK carp there. Papercourt is certainly no walk in the park as far as I know. I'd imagine that there will be plenty of anglers on that lake, who think he can literally walk on water right now. I am grateful to him that he has shown his new edge.
I love the smiles. When you work five days a week.... It's all about those smiles.
Quote.... Some cracking fish them.
Looks like Aaron has turned into a one man carp catching machine this spring. There is a lot of big UK carp there. Papercourt is certainly no walk in the park as far as I know. I'd imagine that there will be plenty of anglers on that lake, who think he can literally walk on water right now. I am grateful to him that he has shown his new edge.
I love the smiles. When you work five days a week.... It's all about those smiles.
CF Mod Cam, new PB comm & first 30+ comm. First fish from a new lake. Happy days Cam.
GPB2 barrel trimmed, in PVA bag full of DNA bits & pieces.
GPB2 barrel trimmed, in PVA bag full of DNA bits & pieces.
In reply to Post #1638
Are there any mods available please
I don't know if anyone else suffers from this —
Would there be any chance of starting a new thread for this topic please
I use an I pad for reading through all of the forum pages - whole site option
Every time it's gets to this thread it takes an age to load and move onto the next thread
I know there was a topic a couple of years ago where you started a new thread because of this
Many thanks
Are there any mods available please
I don't know if anyone else suffers from this —
Would there be any chance of starting a new thread for this topic please
I use an I pad for reading through all of the forum pages - whole site option
Every time it's gets to this thread it takes an age to load and move onto the next thread
I know there was a topic a couple of years ago where you started a new thread because of this
Many thanks
In reply to Post #1639
Sam, Yateley Car Park, 52lb4oz. Part of a brace. One of 4 this week. GPB1.
Well done Sam.
FishOn Ricci, 42lb6oz, Masons, GPB2/S2
FishOn Charlie S2
Sam, Yateley Car Park, 52lb4oz. Part of a brace. One of 4 this week. GPB1.
Well done Sam.
FishOn Ricci, 42lb6oz, Masons, GPB2/S2
FishOn Charlie S2
FishOn Ricci, another beautiful Masons 40+. GPB2/S2
In reply to Post #1639
Works fine for me
Works fine for me
In reply to Post #1639
Sam, numerous 2023 40+ from The Car Park & Hollybush. All GPB1 cc.
Richie, all white S2 balanced.
Clint S2 cc
Gary GPB2 balanced
Wade S2 cc
Sam, numerous 2023 40+ from The Car Park & Hollybush. All GPB1 cc.
Richie, all white S2 balanced.
Clint S2 cc
Gary GPB2 balanced
Wade S2 cc
In reply to Post #1643
The Nursery pit, Sonning Eye, 2017
The Nursery, is a SSSI, former no fishing venue owned by Lafarge. It lies directly next to Sonning Eye, very close to the river Thames. At one time, half of the Nursery, was actually a part of the montros Sonning Eye gravel pit. The lake itself is an L shape, one original half of the lake being much shallower, than the other much newer and more deeply dug half. The shallower part of the lake, was the bit that was once a part of Sonning itself. A causeway was built across the entrance to a large bay, which formed the original part of the Nursery. For many years, every year during flooding, this causeway would be under water and fish would enter and exit the Nursery at times of flood. In exactly the same way they always have from Sonning itself, which very regularly floods into the river Thames. At a much later date, Lafarge dug out the newer much deeper half of the Nursery. It would be this 'new ground', which would lead some of the fish in the pit to grow to truly incredible sizes. The pit was approximately fifteen acres or so at an uneducated guess. The Nursery gets its name, from the Nursery center which backs onto the lake on the Henley road. At some point, the barren causeway separating the Nursery and Sonning Eye sprouted gorse bushes. As the gorse bushes grew denser, they formed a natural impenetrable barrier, which would eventually stop the fish being able to enter or leave the pit during times of flood. At this point, the pits stock became more permenant. The entire stock of the pit, was made up of former Sonning Eye & river Thames carp. I have never mentioned the name of the pit before, out of respect for the other anglers who fished it. When I fished there in 2017, I, and anyone who fished there before me had to hide in the bushes. It was a strictly no fishing venue which very few knew about in reality. The Nursery pit lies in between Sonning Eye, and CWA Long lake. In 2018, CWA fisheries got the fishing rights for the Nursery pit from Lafarge, and a small five man syndicate was formed on the pit. It's not a secret anymore, so there is no problem naming it now. My fishing on the pit in 2017 was very brief, but ultimately very successful. The very momentous to me personally fully scaled which I went on to catch, has not been banked again ever since unfortunately. Since my time on the pit, otters have had their say. Although no bodies of the specific fish I am about to speak about have ever been found. So never actually confirming 100% that she and the others are gone. It's looking more and more likely every year that goes past that this is indeed the case and otters had them. The pit contained some absolutely incredible carp, the like of which I have never seen before or since. Monsters, left alone to grow to incredible sizes in a totally unmolested environment. The account below, details my fishing on the pit from Late April 2017, until June 2017 when the river Thames reopened.
The Nursery, is a SSSI, former no fishing venue owned by Lafarge. It lies directly next to Sonning Eye, very close to the river Thames. At one time, half of the Nursery, was actually a part of the montros Sonning Eye gravel pit. The lake itself is an L shape, one original half of the lake being much shallower, than the other much newer and more deeply dug half. The shallower part of the lake, was the bit that was once a part of Sonning itself. A causeway was built across the entrance to a large bay, which formed the original part of the Nursery. For many years, every year during flooding, this causeway would be under water and fish would enter and exit the Nursery at times of flood. In exactly the same way they always have from Sonning itself, which very regularly floods into the river Thames. At a much later date, Lafarge dug out the newer much deeper half of the Nursery. It would be this 'new ground', which would lead some of the fish in the pit to grow to truly incredible sizes. The pit was approximately fifteen acres or so at an uneducated guess. The Nursery gets its name, from the Nursery center which backs onto the lake on the Henley road. At some point, the barren causeway separating the Nursery and Sonning Eye sprouted gorse bushes. As the gorse bushes grew denser, they formed a natural impenetrable barrier, which would eventually stop the fish being able to enter or leave the pit during times of flood. At this point, the pits stock became more permenant. The entire stock of the pit, was made up of former Sonning Eye & river Thames carp. I have never mentioned the name of the pit before, out of respect for the other anglers who fished it. When I fished there in 2017, I, and anyone who fished there before me had to hide in the bushes. It was a strictly no fishing venue which very few knew about in reality. The Nursery pit lies in between Sonning Eye, and CWA Long lake. In 2018, CWA fisheries got the fishing rights for the Nursery pit from Lafarge, and a small five man syndicate was formed on the pit. It's not a secret anymore, so there is no problem naming it now. My fishing on the pit in 2017 was very brief, but ultimately very successful. The very momentous to me personally fully scaled which I went on to catch, has not been banked again ever since unfortunately. Since my time on the pit, otters have had their say. Although no bodies of the specific fish I am about to speak about have ever been found. So never actually confirming 100% that she and the others are gone. It's looking more and more likely every year that goes past that this is indeed the case and otters had them. The pit contained some absolutely incredible carp, the like of which I have never seen before or since. Monsters, left alone to grow to incredible sizes in a totally unmolested environment. The account below, details my fishing on the pit from Late April 2017, until June 2017 when the river Thames reopened.
In reply to Post #1645
2017 was a great year for me fishing wise, I had moved out of London, and was going to take full advantage living close to the river. I had already been chasing the former, and now dead river Thames record over two stretches for a good number of years. Me and my friend Sam had enjoyed some incredible pike fishing on the Thames that winter in 2017, culminating in Sam catching the third largest pike ever banked from the Thames at 32lb8oz. With me also banking numerous large 20's. On the last day of the river season I had got it into my head that I needed to christen some new DV 1.25lb Avon rods my friend Gary Peet had given me from the Tackle Box. So I baited a swim on the river for barbel with spiced meat and garlic hemp. That evening on a very flooded and powerful river, after a stupidly long battle where I was completely under gunned with light 1.25lb Avon rods... I landed what I was told at the time was the third largest barbel ever caught from the river Thames, on my first ever Thames trip specifically targeting them. During the start of the closed season of 2017, I had my one and only session on Burghfield, which resulted in three 40+ and two 30+ mirrors in five nights. I had located the carp long before my ticket had started on April 1st at long range, and had put something rather special 'out there' to keep them in the area. It really worked too. I caught a big carp everyday. Not bad for my first and only ever trip. I watched the BBC clear the water three times at long range on my last morning, which will remain with me forever. An incredible sight. I had that first and only wonderful session, slightly ruined by a few members, who clearly did not like what was happening. That's carp fishing.... But little did I know, that this was to lead to me catching the fish of my dreams in the very near future. It was also the very first year of a new five day rule on Burghfield, so I had to leave. The BBC was caught from 'out there' three days later by Scott Lloyd, a great capture at over 60lb. Clearly, that was the end of that though for me. The Nursery was calling. I had previously seen photographs of two, very special ex Thames fully scaled. Both of which had previously been caught by friends from the Nursery pit. These fish interested me massively. Unfortunately, one of them had since blown up spawnbound and died. But I knew that there was another, also that she was one of the most beautiful carp that I had ever laid eyes on. Being a lifelong Thames angler, she was the ultimate prize for me. But I knew of some other very special ex Thames carp in there as well, and I simply could not wait to fish the pit. I knew I could have access for parking, I knew the pit would fit in well with me needing to work constantly. I would just need to keep myself well hidden away from any birdwatchers that would regularly walk the lake, and the out of bounds on the back of RDAA Sonning. I would also need to make my hard earned time fishing really count. I would always wear 'normal' non fishing clothes, and anyone who approached my swim would be cut off long before they got close to seeing any fishing kit. I blagged two bird watchers, and a Lafarge employee during my short time on the pit, none of whom ever saw my rods or my kit. "He who dares Rodney", "he who dares".
2017 was a great year for me fishing wise, I had moved out of London, and was going to take full advantage living close to the river. I had already been chasing the former, and now dead river Thames record over two stretches for a good number of years. Me and my friend Sam had enjoyed some incredible pike fishing on the Thames that winter in 2017, culminating in Sam catching the third largest pike ever banked from the Thames at 32lb8oz. With me also banking numerous large 20's. On the last day of the river season I had got it into my head that I needed to christen some new DV 1.25lb Avon rods my friend Gary Peet had given me from the Tackle Box. So I baited a swim on the river for barbel with spiced meat and garlic hemp. That evening on a very flooded and powerful river, after a stupidly long battle where I was completely under gunned with light 1.25lb Avon rods... I landed what I was told at the time was the third largest barbel ever caught from the river Thames, on my first ever Thames trip specifically targeting them. During the start of the closed season of 2017, I had my one and only session on Burghfield, which resulted in three 40+ and two 30+ mirrors in five nights. I had located the carp long before my ticket had started on April 1st at long range, and had put something rather special 'out there' to keep them in the area. It really worked too. I caught a big carp everyday. Not bad for my first and only ever trip. I watched the BBC clear the water three times at long range on my last morning, which will remain with me forever. An incredible sight. I had that first and only wonderful session, slightly ruined by a few members, who clearly did not like what was happening. That's carp fishing.... But little did I know, that this was to lead to me catching the fish of my dreams in the very near future. It was also the very first year of a new five day rule on Burghfield, so I had to leave. The BBC was caught from 'out there' three days later by Scott Lloyd, a great capture at over 60lb. Clearly, that was the end of that though for me. The Nursery was calling. I had previously seen photographs of two, very special ex Thames fully scaled. Both of which had previously been caught by friends from the Nursery pit. These fish interested me massively. Unfortunately, one of them had since blown up spawnbound and died. But I knew that there was another, also that she was one of the most beautiful carp that I had ever laid eyes on. Being a lifelong Thames angler, she was the ultimate prize for me. But I knew of some other very special ex Thames carp in there as well, and I simply could not wait to fish the pit. I knew I could have access for parking, I knew the pit would fit in well with me needing to work constantly. I would just need to keep myself well hidden away from any birdwatchers that would regularly walk the lake, and the out of bounds on the back of RDAA Sonning. I would also need to make my hard earned time fishing really count. I would always wear 'normal' non fishing clothes, and anyone who approached my swim would be cut off long before they got close to seeing any fishing kit. I blagged two bird watchers, and a Lafarge employee during my short time on the pit, none of whom ever saw my rods or my kit. "He who dares Rodney", "he who dares".
In reply to Post #1646
My first walk around the pit, revealed very clearly that the much older more shallower area closest to Sonning, was the area anyone fishing the lake previously had mainly concentrated their efforts. Once you got behind the maze of impenetrable gorse bushes, a hidden world was revealed. A hidden world of truly lovely swims completely cut off from the outside worlds knowledge. Clearly lovingly prepared by anglers who had poached the lake previously. The last thing I wanted to do was tread on anyone else's toes. So this area was imeadiatly written off. Little did I know, that I would have the pit to myself pretty much for the next six weeks. I could have fished where I wanted, but I did not want to fish near anyone else, so I went to the opposite side of the lake to where it was obvious anyone fishing was going. At the end of the main path on the opposite side, there was a fence, with access to the back of the Nursery center. It was here that I chose to start fishing up next to this fence. It had a large plateau to my right, with bars running from the more newly dug half of the pit like roadways. The swim that I chose, was right on the meeting point of old and new Nursery. Basically on the outside corner of the L shape. To my right, was the much deeper, heavily weeded newer part of the lake. The weed was the thickest most horrible you could imagine. Full up with zebra mussel at all depths. Directly opposite me at extreme range, was the shallower, much older part of the pit. I would later find out that the pits very small stock of carp, would spend the vast majority of their day times in this shallower area. All of them. They very rarely visited the deeper, more heavily weeded part of the lake. But when they did at night during darkness, they just had to use the road ways right out in front of me in my mind. I knew the first time I went out in the boat and looked, that this would be the area for me to target. The two bars that came off the side of the plateau to my right, both ran for around ten to fifteen yards and broke up directly in front of me. Both bars were completely covered in thick Canadian pond weed. My first task was to clear this weed. An eight foot bamboo cane was placed at the start of the furthest bar, which also ran slightly longer than the closer bar. The cane was placed, so as I could see it from the bank. The photo with the rod leaning on bivvy was just after a carp. If you zoom in you can see my cane. At the time I was living very close to the Nursery, having moved to Sonning for a year. I was working every single day, but I could visit the lake just before dusk and bait it. And that is what I did. My fishing time was kept to the bare minimum really. But I maximized my preparation time. 30kg of particles at a time. Mainly fermented garlic hemp, but also masses and masses of tiger slime and some of Geoff Bowers nut mix, also soaked in tiger slime. During these initial bait ups, I bumped into a tench angler. He had been poaching the pit for a number of years. We quickly struck up a mutual respect. He left me alone, and I left him alone. During our early conversations, I had asked him if he had caught any decent tincas from the pit. He flat out told me there was no big tench in there, that he had never even caught a double. I started to notice bait being eaten, at first not to much, but it was a start. My first night fishing the spot, I banked an 11lb6oz male tench. This is an absolutely montros male tinca. Just ounces off of the largest male tench ever banked in the UK. I chuckled to myself about tincaman, Fair play to him too, I'd do the exact same. If the pit contained male tench of this size, it likely held a British record female. It was my first glimpse of the potential of the pit. The new ground Lafarge had dug, had created an environment where all the fish in the pit could REALLY flourish on that fresh ground and neglect. Any lake is very rich during the first ten years after it is dug. The Nursery fish had come from the Thames via Sonning, into a rich environment, made substantially richer by Lafarges work to extend the pit previously. It was all like the 'perfect storm'. An environment where fish could really flourish on neglect.
My first walk around the pit, revealed very clearly that the much older more shallower area closest to Sonning, was the area anyone fishing the lake previously had mainly concentrated their efforts. Once you got behind the maze of impenetrable gorse bushes, a hidden world was revealed. A hidden world of truly lovely swims completely cut off from the outside worlds knowledge. Clearly lovingly prepared by anglers who had poached the lake previously. The last thing I wanted to do was tread on anyone else's toes. So this area was imeadiatly written off. Little did I know, that I would have the pit to myself pretty much for the next six weeks. I could have fished where I wanted, but I did not want to fish near anyone else, so I went to the opposite side of the lake to where it was obvious anyone fishing was going. At the end of the main path on the opposite side, there was a fence, with access to the back of the Nursery center. It was here that I chose to start fishing up next to this fence. It had a large plateau to my right, with bars running from the more newly dug half of the pit like roadways. The swim that I chose, was right on the meeting point of old and new Nursery. Basically on the outside corner of the L shape. To my right, was the much deeper, heavily weeded newer part of the lake. The weed was the thickest most horrible you could imagine. Full up with zebra mussel at all depths. Directly opposite me at extreme range, was the shallower, much older part of the pit. I would later find out that the pits very small stock of carp, would spend the vast majority of their day times in this shallower area. All of them. They very rarely visited the deeper, more heavily weeded part of the lake. But when they did at night during darkness, they just had to use the road ways right out in front of me in my mind. I knew the first time I went out in the boat and looked, that this would be the area for me to target. The two bars that came off the side of the plateau to my right, both ran for around ten to fifteen yards and broke up directly in front of me. Both bars were completely covered in thick Canadian pond weed. My first task was to clear this weed. An eight foot bamboo cane was placed at the start of the furthest bar, which also ran slightly longer than the closer bar. The cane was placed, so as I could see it from the bank. The photo with the rod leaning on bivvy was just after a carp. If you zoom in you can see my cane. At the time I was living very close to the Nursery, having moved to Sonning for a year. I was working every single day, but I could visit the lake just before dusk and bait it. And that is what I did. My fishing time was kept to the bare minimum really. But I maximized my preparation time. 30kg of particles at a time. Mainly fermented garlic hemp, but also masses and masses of tiger slime and some of Geoff Bowers nut mix, also soaked in tiger slime. During these initial bait ups, I bumped into a tench angler. He had been poaching the pit for a number of years. We quickly struck up a mutual respect. He left me alone, and I left him alone. During our early conversations, I had asked him if he had caught any decent tincas from the pit. He flat out told me there was no big tench in there, that he had never even caught a double. I started to notice bait being eaten, at first not to much, but it was a start. My first night fishing the spot, I banked an 11lb6oz male tench. This is an absolutely montros male tinca. Just ounces off of the largest male tench ever banked in the UK. I chuckled to myself about tincaman, Fair play to him too, I'd do the exact same. If the pit contained male tench of this size, it likely held a British record female. It was my first glimpse of the potential of the pit. The new ground Lafarge had dug, had created an environment where all the fish in the pit could REALLY flourish on that fresh ground and neglect. Any lake is very rich during the first ten years after it is dug. The Nursery fish had come from the Thames via Sonning, into a rich environment, made substantially richer by Lafarges work to extend the pit previously. It was all like the 'perfect storm'. An environment where fish could really flourish on neglect.
In reply to Post #1647
Over the next week the pits bream moved onto my area. They stripped quite a bit of weed for me, but ultimately they became a real pain in the backside. I was doing over night trips after work, and being kept up all night by monstrous slabs. I would not be at all surprised if the Nursery also contained a British record bream. I stopped fishing, but carried on baiting. I knew that I would be able to visibly see when the carp eventually got onto the spot. And they very soon did. I arrived one evening for a bait up, the moment I got above the bar I could see everything was different! It had been absolutely smashed to bits. Every strip of weed was now gone. Large glowing areas clearly dug right out by carp. As I scanned the bar gleefully knowing my work was about to pay off, a 40lb+ mirror glided under the boat. This fish was probably the most ugly carp I had ever seen in my life. Although the pit contained some very beautiful Thames carp, it also, like the river itself these days contained some absolute munters. Fish that had been washed into the river from Oxfordshire day tickets, which had survived in the river and ultimately found their way into the Nursery via Sonning. Simmos, but horrible simmos in the main. The one which drifted under my boat that day had been christened 'the blow up doll' due to having and very strangely permenant open disfigured and deformed mouth. Clearly a birth defect, or being caught far to many times as a small carp. Whatever the cause, boy she was ugly. But the carp were there, and now it was time to capitalise. Stiff hinge rigs, with pink S2 crushed cork pop ups, with either a fermented tiger, or fermented peanut on top would be the weapons of choice. These would always be fished spread along the bar as single hook baits.
My first night after the carp arrived, I landed a 21lb common. This first fish was added to the following night by the blow up doll at 42lb+. They were clearly now 'on it'. Every time I went out in the boat to place rigs or bait up I could see the bar was being dug right out. They were digging right down into the gravel in various areas. I would very regularly see the blow up doll, she was so greedy she was always on the spot. One day she had another carp with her. I have been lucky enough to catch and also see some very large UK carp in my time. The carp I watched from the boat that day, was far larger than any carp I had ever seen before or since. It had to be in excess of 70lb. It absolutely dwarfed the blow up doll. Easily by 30lb or more. I nearly fell out of the boat. It was the most impressive sight which I had ever seen whilst angling. A carp that would have shook carp fishing to the very core if it was ever banked. I could not stop thinking about what I had seen all week at work. It really blew me away. I mentioned it to my friend Alan who ran Long lake and had fished the Nursery before me. I described the fish to him as having one large scale on its side. Alan showed my a photo of a carp which he had caught from the pit some years previously. It had long been feared dead, or flooded out, because it had only ever been banked from the Nursery just the once at just over 30lb. Well I had just seen it without any doubts, and it was a British record in waiting. Without question the largest carp swimming in the UK, and completely 'unknown'. Things had just become so much more exciting. On a whole another level of exciting! My following trip saw me bank the fish of my dreams. I have caught so many much larger UK carp. But being a lifelong Thames angler, she simply meant everything to me personally. She was literally carved from oak, and she had no silly name. She was completely unknown to the masses. She had been caught some twenty five years previously from the lock-cut on the Thames at Sonning at 18lb. She weighed 40lb8oz when I was lucky enough to catch her. My friend Ben came to help me do some photographs and a little video. As we slipped her back, I never dreamed she would be the last carp that I would ever catch from the pit. It was June 5th, just eleven days later the river Thames would open and I would be chasing my nemesis again. I caught some absolutely breathtaking carp from the river in 2017, stacks of them, but I never caught my nemesis, who would be dead within six months.
Over the next week the pits bream moved onto my area. They stripped quite a bit of weed for me, but ultimately they became a real pain in the backside. I was doing over night trips after work, and being kept up all night by monstrous slabs. I would not be at all surprised if the Nursery also contained a British record bream. I stopped fishing, but carried on baiting. I knew that I would be able to visibly see when the carp eventually got onto the spot. And they very soon did. I arrived one evening for a bait up, the moment I got above the bar I could see everything was different! It had been absolutely smashed to bits. Every strip of weed was now gone. Large glowing areas clearly dug right out by carp. As I scanned the bar gleefully knowing my work was about to pay off, a 40lb+ mirror glided under the boat. This fish was probably the most ugly carp I had ever seen in my life. Although the pit contained some very beautiful Thames carp, it also, like the river itself these days contained some absolute munters. Fish that had been washed into the river from Oxfordshire day tickets, which had survived in the river and ultimately found their way into the Nursery via Sonning. Simmos, but horrible simmos in the main. The one which drifted under my boat that day had been christened 'the blow up doll' due to having and very strangely permenant open disfigured and deformed mouth. Clearly a birth defect, or being caught far to many times as a small carp. Whatever the cause, boy she was ugly. But the carp were there, and now it was time to capitalise. Stiff hinge rigs, with pink S2 crushed cork pop ups, with either a fermented tiger, or fermented peanut on top would be the weapons of choice. These would always be fished spread along the bar as single hook baits.
My first night after the carp arrived, I landed a 21lb common. This first fish was added to the following night by the blow up doll at 42lb+. They were clearly now 'on it'. Every time I went out in the boat to place rigs or bait up I could see the bar was being dug right out. They were digging right down into the gravel in various areas. I would very regularly see the blow up doll, she was so greedy she was always on the spot. One day she had another carp with her. I have been lucky enough to catch and also see some very large UK carp in my time. The carp I watched from the boat that day, was far larger than any carp I had ever seen before or since. It had to be in excess of 70lb. It absolutely dwarfed the blow up doll. Easily by 30lb or more. I nearly fell out of the boat. It was the most impressive sight which I had ever seen whilst angling. A carp that would have shook carp fishing to the very core if it was ever banked. I could not stop thinking about what I had seen all week at work. It really blew me away. I mentioned it to my friend Alan who ran Long lake and had fished the Nursery before me. I described the fish to him as having one large scale on its side. Alan showed my a photo of a carp which he had caught from the pit some years previously. It had long been feared dead, or flooded out, because it had only ever been banked from the Nursery just the once at just over 30lb. Well I had just seen it without any doubts, and it was a British record in waiting. Without question the largest carp swimming in the UK, and completely 'unknown'. Things had just become so much more exciting. On a whole another level of exciting! My following trip saw me bank the fish of my dreams. I have caught so many much larger UK carp. But being a lifelong Thames angler, she simply meant everything to me personally. She was literally carved from oak, and she had no silly name. She was completely unknown to the masses. She had been caught some twenty five years previously from the lock-cut on the Thames at Sonning at 18lb. She weighed 40lb8oz when I was lucky enough to catch her. My friend Ben came to help me do some photographs and a little video. As we slipped her back, I never dreamed she would be the last carp that I would ever catch from the pit. It was June 5th, just eleven days later the river Thames would open and I would be chasing my nemesis again. I caught some absolutely breathtaking carp from the river in 2017, stacks of them, but I never caught my nemesis, who would be dead within six months.
In reply to Post #1648
A small syndicate was formed on the Nursery whilst I was away, and after catching the fully, I was not given a ticket. I was gutted. The fully was never banked again. The single scaled long Thames fish which I saw was never caught again. I hope and pray that both are still there, and the blow up doll. And all of the other very special (and ugly) carp which the lake contained in 2017. But, some very good anglers have fished the lake ever since my time on the pit, and neither the fully or the monster have been seen since. Otters moved onto the pit sometime around 2018. In all likelihood, they have taken them both, and most of the others. I barely get to fish these days, work has become an all encompassing monster. I often look back on 2017 with great joy. When I do get to very rarely go carp fishing these days, it can only be on pits similar to the Nursery. No bitching, no dramas, real fishing, for very few carp. These kind of places are the essence of carp fishing to me personally. Long may there remain just a few places in the UK, like the Nursery that I knew in 2017. 🇬🇧
Blow up doll
The Nursery swim
Evening bait up
11lb6oz male tinca
The Nursery is light blue pit marked with black x
Burghfield 42lb+
Burghfield 42lb+
Burghfield 40lb+
Sam 32lb8oz
26lb+
18lb+
A small syndicate was formed on the Nursery whilst I was away, and after catching the fully, I was not given a ticket. I was gutted. The fully was never banked again. The single scaled long Thames fish which I saw was never caught again. I hope and pray that both are still there, and the blow up doll. And all of the other very special (and ugly) carp which the lake contained in 2017. But, some very good anglers have fished the lake ever since my time on the pit, and neither the fully or the monster have been seen since. Otters moved onto the pit sometime around 2018. In all likelihood, they have taken them both, and most of the others. I barely get to fish these days, work has become an all encompassing monster. I often look back on 2017 with great joy. When I do get to very rarely go carp fishing these days, it can only be on pits similar to the Nursery. No bitching, no dramas, real fishing, for very few carp. These kind of places are the essence of carp fishing to me personally. Long may there remain just a few places in the UK, like the Nursery that I knew in 2017. 🇬🇧
Blow up doll
The Nursery swim
Evening bait up
11lb6oz male tinca
The Nursery is light blue pit marked with black x
Burghfield 42lb+
Burghfield 42lb+
Burghfield 40lb+
Sam 32lb8oz
26lb+
18lb+
I had a bit of time off, and I wrote that in two hours at 3am when I could not sleep after a long flight. It's not been proof read, there's likely a few mistakes. But it is free. It details some fishing, on what was, one of the best kept secret lakes in the UK.
If someone with the power could put it into a more readable format that would be amazing. It was hard work copying and pasting that into a few different posts. If I try to stack it now I'll mess it up. I'm useless 😂
If someone with the power could put it into a more readable format that would be amazing. It was hard work copying and pasting that into a few different posts. If I try to stack it now I'll mess it up. I'm useless 😂