Bumpy with a 35lb 8oz common from
Cobbleacre Lakes, Norfolk
I have had my sights on a stunning common in a Norfolk stillwater for
over 3 years now, it's just one of those fish I had
to have my name on.
I knew that she normally came out at the end of
February, so a phone call was made to Bob the
fishery manager and a 4 night session was planned on
the 20th February 2008.
I set the alarm for 02:30 on the
Wednesday, I got up had a coffee and a fag, got the
car loaded and headed off on my journey at 03:00.
After a lovely three and half drive round the M25
and M11 (NOT), I finally arrived at the lake at
around 06:40. Scottee was already set up in the
Beach, so a quick chat, cuppa and another fag was in
order.
Scottee had lost one on the Tuesday night so
at least the fish were moving. I got all sorted
and set up for about 8ish in the snags. In front I
had a gravel bar running across the swim at about 15
yards. The first rod was put on the bar, the second
was just behind it in the silt and the third was
about 5 yards past it in deeper silt. I put around a
kilo of boilies over all rods and sat back and
chilled out with a cuppa and a fag.
During the day I
had a couple of liners but nothing else. The night
produced a few more liners with some being really
savage and making me get out of the bag to take a
closer look.
I decided to leave the rods in
position till the second afternoon as I had loads of
liners throughout the night and morning and didn't
want to upset the swim, as there was obviously fish
mooching about. I redone the rods at about 3 in the
afternoon, all 3 went back out but half a rod length
shorter to try and pick one of the fish up that had
given me the liners. I decided to put another kilo
of boilie out for the night as the rods were staying
out again for another 24 hours.
Throughout the
night I only received two liners and was a tad
disappointed not to receive any action. My brother
turned up that morning at 07:00 as he was joining me
and Scottee for two nights. I got the kettle on and
made me and him a brew, rolled a fag a sat talking
to him about all the liners I had been getting but
no takes.
View a video Bumpy with the
big common on the bank.
I think the time was about 07:30 when the
middle Delkim absolutely melted away. I was on the
rod in a flash and pulled into whatever was on the
other end. The fight was very strong and from a
minute into the fight knew that it was a good fish
that didn't want to come up. I didn't see the fish
for the first 10 minutes as it held deep, then I got
a glimpse of a golden tail. It was another 5 minutes
before she came up and took her first gulp of air,
she had one more try of getting away but knew she
was defeated and rolled on the surface and went into
the net first time.
Scottee, Bob (Cobbleacre Fishery Manager), and my brother
were on hand to take control, we though it may be a
fish called cartoon at first, but on looking didn't
have the googly eye's of cartoon. There was only one
other fish it could be. My dream, my goal, a fish
that I had wanted so much for 3 years lay in the
bottom of my net. We soon had her up on the scales
and the Reuben's shot past 30 and settled on 35-08,
what a fish and a dream of mine had come true. I had
another two fish as well the next day, first one
being 19-12 and the second 20-04.
Cheers Scottee,
Bob, and Adam for all your help with the photos and
calming me down lol...
That night I had my first
taste of Magners cider and boy did it go down well,
the next morning I had a bit of a headache from the
night before, but that fish just needed to be
celebrated in style.
