FREE-LINE 01.pdf - Page 49



Feature Catch Report by Martin Reeves
It all started when I read an article in a popular carp fishing
magazine, which sparked my imagination. The article was about a
session on the Yateley Match Lake where the angler had a quest to
catch the Redmire Common. I arrived at the lake around lunchtime to
start my session.
After a couple of hours walking around, I decided to drop into a
quiet bay with the wind hacking into it. The wind was a very strong
SW wind, which if you don’t know is a warm wind, and the carp quite
often follow this wind. Whilst having a lead about, I found two very
clear spots, one of which was right in front of me, and the other was to
my right down a tree line against some snags.
I chose the clear spots because the sheer amount of weed would
have made it difficult to present my rig effectively elsewhere. I
baited each spot with a boilie-only approach, mixing both 12mm and
15mm, as I was told this is predominantly a particle water, and I
wanted to go against the curve but at the same time offer a variety of
shapes and sizes that you would get with particle. I decided to keep
things simple, and due to fishing on a hard bottom, I didn’t need to do
anything too fancy and complicated, so I went with a basic hair rig. I
was using a Size 8 Twister hook and the Khaki Coated Armour Braid.
The first night resulted in a 35lb catfish, and although this wasn’t
exactly what I was after, it was welcome all the same.
The next day, I decided to have a short walk down the bank, and
whilst looking in the gin clear water below some snags, I could see
some huge Yateley carp hiding in the snags through my Hobo Optics
polarised glasses.
Due to fishing the snags, I had my drags set fairly tight so as to not
let the carp gain too much line. As you’re probably aware when
fishing locked up, when they go, THEY GO. I was rudely awakened at
6am by my first ever Yateley carp trying its hardest to rip my rod off
the pod. After a tiresome fight, I slipped the net under a stunning 23lb
mirror carp. I very quickly got my rods back on the spot. I didn’t put
any more bait out due to the possibility of there being more carp in
my swim and not wanting to spook them off. My thoughts were
correct, and not long after the rods being back out, I had yet another
23lb mirror carp from the snags.
After a quiet 24 hours, Darren Eyre, a fellow teammate came to see
me with some lunch, and while we were watching the water and
having a chat, the right hand rod sprung into life, and after a short
battle, a stunning 30lb mirror was sulking in the folds of my landing
net.
While still full of adrenaline from the previous night, I decided to
get away early and started packing down. Whilst putting my gear
away, the bobbin on my left hand rod began to smash into my bite
alarm, resulting in yet another angry looking mirror carp, which
spun the scales to 19lb 8oz. To say my first visit to Yateley Match Lake
was impressive would be an understatement, and I will definitely be
returning for the Redmire Common.
Martyn “Never Smiles” Reeves.
HOBO ARMOUR
Catch Report
WINNER!
Matt Osborn, consultant for UK Bait Company, woke up at
8.10am to his right hand rod tearing off. It was only a fish of 11lb
2oz, but what a beautiful looking carp, and he was chuffed with
that. After only three nights and a change of venue, he finally got
his snow carp!
FREE LINE 49

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