blacksilverbaits

Jack Robertshaw, 16, recently went on a 24 hour session with his dad, Dirk, to Lychgate Fishery in Stoke Golding, Leicestershire. Arriving at 4:00pm on 6th June, he fished on the specimen lake hoping to better his personal best of 17lb 8oz. It was the first time he had fished this venue

Jack fished with two rods, one on a method feeder, and one on the safety clip lead system. The method feeder rod involved the use of our BlackMagik groundbait around the feeder, with 8mm Halibut pellets for hookbait. The other rod involved a safety clip lead system with a 2oz lead and a self-tied rig that had a piece of Peperami for hookbait and a PVA bag of mixed pellet with a small amount of Black Magik groundbait. 

The clip rod was fished at long range into a quiet bay that the wind was blowing into, but didn't stay out there for long as after a few line bites, the alarm sounded and Jack was hooking into his first of the session. The fish was a fully plated mirror carp that weighed 13lb 4oz. 

13lb 4oz mirror carp caught over Black magik Groundbait

Both rods were then recast, ready for the night ahead. At 4:00am, with just enough light in the sky to see the far bank, Jack decided to drag himself out the bivy and into the pouring rain to recast the rods. He then sat next to his rods, under his brolly until 5:10am when the alarm sounded again on the rod fished at long range with a PVA bag. Oddly, the fish came in the first 30ft like a big Bream, there was plenty of weight, but no real fight, but as the fish came closer to the bank, it woke up, making several arm aching runs that ripped line from the reel. 

At this point his dad, Dirk, was on hand with the net, but the fight was far from over, it took another 10 minutes before the fish surfaced for the first time, this is when the pair knew there was something serious at the other end, it was clear from the creamy golden glow that this wasn't one of the resident sturgeon, but in fact a Mirror Carp

It continued to stay low, but after surfacing for a second time the fish started to lose control, then as the rain and wind stopped it seemed like nature held its breath as the huge fish finally crossed the cord of the landing net. The fight was over but there was no time for a break, as the fish was carried to the unhooking mat, the barbless hook had already fallen out, the scales were zeroed, the fish was in the sling and when hoisted up, they read... 34lb 5oz. 

34lb 5oz Mirror caught over Black Magik Groundbait

Not only had Jack nearly doubled his previous personal best, but it also set a new lake record. So after a couple of snaps, Jack returned his stunning capture, and celebrated with a nice bankside fry up for breakfast. 

At 7:00am, the method feeder rod screamed off, and Jack hooked into his third of the session, after making a quick dash for the far margin trees, the fish fought hard under the rod tip for around 5 minutes, until it surfaced, and found the back of the landing net. It was a 13lb 2oz Mirror Carp, courtesy of the Blacksilver Baits groundbait, Black Magik. 

Only one more thing could have made the day better, and at 7:30am, it happened. Dirks rod that was cast into open water with a large piece of luncheon meat, slowly started to take line off of the bait runner, this was an odd bite, so after taking more line, Dirk struck into a very powerful fish. It didn't stop fighting from the moment it was hooked, but frustratingly remained glued to the lake bed. 

Neither of the pair wanted to say it, but they both had suspicions that it may be one of the few Sturgeon that inhabit this water. After a lengthy fight, they still had no idea, the fish was tiring under the rod tip, but refused to come up, then after a couple more runs, the fish broke the surface of the water, Jack put the net under the fish, and they both woke up the neighboring anglers on the lake with the cry, "it's a Sturgeon!" The fish then went through the same process as the rest, unhooked, in the sling, on the scales, with the weight of... 30lb 2oz. 

30lb2oz Sturgeon

Incredible, on their first visit to a lake they knew nothing about, the father and son team managed to catch two 30lb fish. After a few pictures, the sturgeon was then returned to the lake. The two anglers then spent rest of the day reminising about two personal bests, about two stunning fish, about a 24 hour session of a life time