Big Carp Opens Wide...

New Personal Best Of 33lb 6oz For Tracy-Lee

We don't often feature catch reports on Anglers' Net, but when one comes through so well presented, oozing enthusiasm and accompanied by cracking photos, we never say “no”!

The following report is from Tracy-Lee Khan, who works in a dental surgery when she's not out on the bank. If her first carp of 2010 is anything to go by, we'll be hearing a lot more from her this year!

Nice fishing, Tracy-Lee, and I bet I can can safely add a “Go, girl!” from some of our female readers!

Tight lines,

Elton

New Personal Best 33lb 6oz

On a rare afternoon off work, I decided to go and wet a line for a couple of hours and boy am I glad I did!

I had previously done a 24hour session last season on a private 12-acre estate lake, and had only ever caught tench and bream the weather just seemed ideal and with the time off I couldn’t find an excuse not to go.

I arrived at the lake at around half one and decided to walk round the lake to see if I could spot fish. I was about half way round the lake when I found the spot I wanted to fish, as I had seen a couple of fish cruising the margins in very shallow water.

I went back to the car and got my gear together, then just sat fixing my rods together whilst I watched the water for more signs of fish activity. I decided to go with the TNT Steamies by Individual baits on this trip as I did really well in France on them last season.

I fished close in about four metres off the bank in the margins. The area had a set of lily-pads and an overhanging rhododendron that looked like the perfect carp hideout.

After an hour, the Delkims screamed off, but to my disappointment it was a tench that I had on and not the carp I was after.

My confidence was up a little knowing that at least there were fish in my area, so I got my rod back on the same spot with a handful of freebies and not fifteen minutes later my Delkims were screaming off again. As soon as I hit the rod, I knew I was into a carp.

Playing her, my adrenaline was running. I knew she had to be big, but I never thought she would go 30+.

It felt good once I had the beast in the net I could finally rest easy. I wet the sling and tore off the scales and was amazed when I saw her on the bank. She was immense, absolutely stunning.

I put her into the sling and weighed her and was shocked when she went 33lb 6oz. I had to rest the big girl in the margins while I, and probably she, got over the shock of it all.

My first trip of the season and I’ve got a new PB. Can’t wait to get back and wet the lines and put another beast on the bank.

Tracy-Lee Khan