Shane continues the story:

“Getting down to Farlows for the gates opening is never an easy task, especially when it involves setting alarm clocks for half two in the morning. But it was well worth the effort as it gave me the time to find a few showing in close, at around 40 yards out at first light. I got three rods out to where I saw them showing, all armed with white 14mm Fluoro Mulbz, followed by four large Spombs of Manilla Active straight out the bag; my confidence was sky high.

“Just as it got dark, I had two big bream, which isn’t what you really want! But I got the rods back out there with a few fresh Spombs, convinced that a carp would come along eventually. Just after midnight I had a similar take, a big drop back on the bobbin and of course I instantly thought it was a bream! However, I was wrong, as after reeling down until I felt a bit of resistance all hell broke loose, with a big surging run and rod bent double, it was no bream! After a big battle it finally showed itself and succumbed to the net and it was clearly a big common, one that we later recognised to be Tyson, going 36lb on the nose.

“Just as I was sorting the rig to get chucked back out on the spot, one of my other rods still fishing one noted! I dropped what I was doing and was soon into another Farlows carp! I was met with another solid weight and following another big kiting run, I had to try stop it from going into the next swim down. Finally, I got some line back on it and it felt another decent one with some weight to it. After a bit of a tussle, it finally went over the net cord and it was indeed another decent fish but a mirror this time. I gave it a quick weigh and it went 31lb 10oz; a brace of thirties on my first night sat waiting for the pictures come first light was the perfect start!

“The next day was pretty dead and it seemed all the action was going to be through the night-time, so I reeled in at around 10am and didn’t put the rods back out till later that afternoon. Going in with the same tactics again the rods went back out there with fresh hookbaits and few more spombs for the night ahead. It didn’t take that long for the action to start, as a couple of hours after dark, I had my next bite which resulted in a long mirror weighing 28lb! It was a bit early to sack the carp, so we just got some night pics and let her go.

“With all the rods back out again, I topped up the spot and everything from then on went like clockwork. Throughout the night, I managed another 28lb 8oz mirror, which was a recapture from the beginning of this year in May, so I just slipped that one back followed by a 20lb+ mirror and a low double mirror. After that it seemed they had moved off, first light came around and nothing else had happened so with all the bites coming through the night I just packed up early and made the 3.5-hour journey back home, chuffed with the results of the session.”