David Mag

Charlie's Mate

After having a bit of a result on my last trip, I was absolutely gagging to get back down the lake. What with CEMEX having a 48-hour on, 48-hour off rule, I couldn’t even get down to have a walk around. I’d spoken to my friend, Steve, and he filled me in on what had been happening the last few days. It seemed as though the fish were still staying down the far end by the bar, so like the trip before, I got down nice and early.

There wasn’t many on and after pushing the barrow into the Double Boards I sat on the floor to watch the water. Looking across toward the bar I could see somebody standing in the water in Deep Point. I could see it was a friend, Mick, so I walked round to see if he needed a hand. As I got into the swim he was just releasing a fish. After a chat over a brew it was clear that the fish were still about. Mick had seen the big mirror, Gums, showing a couple of times the previous evening and had somehow foul-hooked a low-30 common as well as catching a couple.

'That’ll do', I thought to myself. Once he was all packed up I set about getting the rods out and was soon dangling for those Frimley monster commons. A little before midday a youngster that was set-up next door walked over for a quick chat, and he commented on there being a few fish drifting into the bay he was fishing and that he had to leave shortly.

Once he’d left for home I went for a look myself. He was right of course and I could see small groups of fish drifting in and out of the bay. I quickly ran back and grabbed the rods and soon had two baits on areas where I’d seen fish. 

It wasn’t long before the right-hand rod signaled for some attention. Soon into the fight, the hook decided it had had enough and dropped out. Quickly replacing the rig and getting it back on the spot I sat back in anticipation. Just 15 minutes or so had passed when the left-hand rod bent round.  

It fought well, as all the Frimley carp do, and just as I got the net in the water the right-hand rod rattled off! I tried my best to get the first one into the net, in the clear water I could see it was lovely mid-20 linear, but as it came up ready for netting the hook fell out. Tossing the rod into the reeds with a few kind remarks I set about getting the other fish in. It turned out to be a pretty little common of about 17lbs. Once she was unhooked and everything sorted I sat to watch the water. After an hour or so they seemed to have done the off, so walked back over to Deep Point and got the rods back out. My friend Dan turned up late afternoon and over a few cups of tea we had bit of a catch-up as it had been a while since we’d seen each other. 

We both walked over to see if there were any carp mooching around in the bay but it just seemed quiet. I went and got my marker rod to have a quick lead around and just as I was about to send the marker out Dan stopped me. Looking across to the spot where I’d had two takes early the fish were sending up plumes of bubbles. Running back and grabbing a rod there was soon a bait beside the bubblers. We had enough time to make another brew when the tip bent down into the water. Lifting into the fish this one again fought as though its life depended on it. Luke, who had only just arrived, did the honours with the net. It wasn’t massive, but at 21.02 it had me grinning from ear to ear.

After getting the rod back out Luke ordered us up a celebratory pizza. We were halfway through it when the same rod was away again. All the way in I thought I had the biggun, because it fought so hard and I just assumed there was only one carp in the lake that could do this. After a long old scrap and with me in absolute bits, Luke bundled her into the net. It wasn’t the biggun, in fact not even close, but it was a nice common that went 32.06!

The night passed quietly and after the 32 I’d moved all my gear into the bay swim. At about 9am I had a call from a friend, ‘Maggot’. Apparently, Tony the head bailiff had caught Charlie’s Mate early in the morning. It was well down on what we had all predicted at 39.06! I stayed on for another hour or so before slowly starting to pack away the gear. Halfway through, the left-hand rod slammed round. After another good fight a little common rolled into the net, again this one was probably no more than 18lbs.

I quickly got the rig back out before carrying on with packing-up. It wasn’t long when the same rod bent round again. This one ended up being slightly bigger at 24.08 and I managed to get a fellow in the next swim to take a couple of shots.  After slipping her back I sat down to take it in. The fish weren’t massive, but the lake had certainly been kind to me over the course of a few trips.

As I looked across to the pads I could see the family of coots diving down on my bait. I left them to it as I’ve gotten used to it over the years fishing park lakes and most of time they bother us far more than they do the fish. After a few minutes I got a couple of bleeps on the rod fished across to the pads. Looking up, the coots were still diving. 

Walking over to the rods, I pulled out the banksticks and lifted up the rod to reel in. As I did so the line arced round and started moving out of the bay?? Quickly applying pressure, I saw a big set of shoulders break  the surface 30 yards out. The fish dived down and the rod took on an alarming curve.

Stupidly I hadn’t set the net back up as I was packing up so I had to shout over to Duncan in the next swim to give me a hand. He rushed round and set the net up and I slowly led the fish toward me. It didn’t do much, just kited from side to side. I saw it twisting in the clear water in front and just asked him to 'PLEASE GET IT IN!' I wasn’t at all worried ...honest!

He got it first time and commented on it looking big. I took one look at it and knew it was one of the big three. In fact it looked too big to be anything but Charlie’s Mate. I said to Duncan that it had to be her, but obviously with Maggot phoning in the morning saying it had just been caught, Duncan was understandably dubious. I got everything ready and Duncan lifted her out and put her on the mat.

It was her, without a doubt, as it was far too big to be anything else. We could see that distinctive dip in her back. Duncan commented on her being a bit hungry! We got her in the weigh sling and hoisted her up on the scales. I couldn’t see the dial, but his eyes said everything I needed to know. He said "erm, can you just put her down and lift it up again. I just need to confirm what I’m seeing."

After double-checking, then triple-checking, a weight of 44.14 was confirmed, along with a new PB common and a lake record to boot. The 39 earlier that morning was actually Charlie that they'd mistaken. I’m still absolutely gobsmacked!!

Cheers for your help Duncan and Maggot.

The fish were all caught on 10mm Tails Up boilies on test, tipped with four white maggots. This was fished over a handful of boilies, two handfuls of hemp from the Bait Warehouse and a pint of maggots. Rigs were simple; Size 8 ESP Mk 2 Stiff Riggers knotless-knotted to 15lb Atomic Jellywire to 7 feet of ESP leadcore leader and a 4oz Atomic inline flat pear.

Keep catching,

David Mag