Type: Fully Scaled Mirror
Weight: 23lb 8oz
Bait: Goldfish
Rig: Combi-Rig Snowman
Date caught: 16th Jul 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire United Kingdom

How about this then!

I sat watching the spot for 3 hours before this fish came mooching around for lunch.
I had elected to fish a deeper area further out in the hope of getting a tug. However once the carp found the bait the vortex’s started and the fish fizzed away right over the hook bait!
My heart was in my mouth!
zzzzzzzzzzZZZ off went the bait-runner!

I lifted the rod into the fish and all hell broke lose as the fish charged right trying to get around the corner and out of sight. I jumped into the lake and waded out past all the weed and debris that littered the margins of the lake. As i walked out to the edge of the reeds and weed the water started to lap over the top of my waders, i had gone as far as i could and would have to stand and scrap there. My heart was in my mouth as the rod lurched over and the carp fought for it’s life. I had no time for finesse, i had to stop the carp and get it in the net quick as there was just no room for playing a fish. Heaving on the rod and winding down on the fish had the desired effect and it was soon rolling and splashing around in front of me where i could try and net it.

I couldn’t get the net in the water! There was so much weed there was just no where to stick the net in deep enough. So here i was chest deep in water, rod fully bent over with a fish wallowing and ready for the net just inches away yet i was unable to move the fish or the net any closer to each other!

I knew i would lose it if i didn’t act fast so with one last effort i heaved on the rod and pushed the net out and down as hard as i could. The weeds suddenly gave way and parted and  when i saw it glide over the net rim i just could not believe it!
I had caught one of only two fully scaled mirrors in the lake.

It was an amazing feeling pulling this fish in all encased safely in the folds of my landing net.
I knew I had caught an incredible fish, a fish of a lifetime.