Hildreth has wow factor with carp

Despite the fact local tench fishing is beginning to shift into top gear, it is carp which kick off the column this week with news of the capture of what is thought to be the largest specimen in Maidenhead’s prolific Finches Farm Fishery.

The two-lake complex at Hawthorn Hill is recognised as a terrific mixed fishery for bags of smaller fish but there are a number of better fish to be found too as local rod Richard Hildreth discovered when he spent a session on the fishery last week.

Richard returned to angling after a long break to occupy some of his retirement time a couple of years ago and tackled the water with prawns floatfished on a size six hook to 10lb line. Fishing at close range, Richard struck into a positive bite in the middle of the afternoon and his rod doubled over and locked up solid. Thinking he had hooked the bottom Richard continued to apply pressure to free himself when the ‘bottom’ slowly started to move off.

“I suddenly thought to myself I’ve got a very big fish here,” Richard explained.

He spent the next 20 minutes playing the fish until it rolled on the surface and he was able to see it for the first time.

“It was a very large mirror carp and my first reaction was just wow,” he said.

A further five minutes passed before Richard was able to net the specimen and get it on the bank where it was unhooked and weighed in at 29lb; the largest in the fishery, the largest fish Richard has ever caught and a terrific capture.

Carp everywhere are looking big and carrying at lot of weight in the run up to spawning which should start on the smaller, shallower venues in the very near future if temperatures continue to hold up.

Tench are beginning to pack on the pounds too with the first double figure fish of the season reported in the national press and local specimens beginning to be caught at increased weights too, including last week’s fine specimen of 8lb 6oz to Cookham’s Andy Delaney.

Andy hit the right spot and fished the groundbait feeder packed with brown crumb, pellets and sweetcorn with a couple of grains of strawberry flavoured corn on a size 10 hook to 6lb line to capture the fish.

He also caught others weighing 5lb 8oz, 5lb 12oz and 6lb 10oz during a morning session on one of the RDAA waters.

The quality of tench fishing should continue to improve over the next couple of weeks as we move into what is usually the very best period of stillwater angling in the entire year.

Anglers wishing to report catches may contact me on 07780 755138. I may be e-mailed on ian@bigfishtrail.com