Paul Coopers Brace of Thirties Mangrove carp
A hard winter’s fishing on the Mangrove, with only 2 fish to my name a 24 and a 20lb common, this was my opportunity to grab the last few days on the Mangrove before the end of the 2004-2005 season. I had decided, after a discussion with my wife, that it was essential that I concluded the season with a chance to catch one of the biggies from the swamp. Wednesday 27th April was to be the start date and I would do 3 nights returning sometime on Saturday. Arrangements made with work and the family, I was in the right frame of mind to attack the Mangrove for the end of season bash.

I had been approached by David Keep to try out the Angling Line Specials boilies for a few sessions and see how could get on with them. I asked him to supply me with 18mm and 14mm boilies with the addition of the eggshells being left in the base mix. The bait arrived on time, fresh and smelled as if they could do the business. So far so good!

I packed 4kg of 14mm Angling Line Specials, prepared a bucket of hemp, and a bucket of red band pigeon conditioner for the trip. The particles (hemp and pigeon conditioner) were soaked 2 days before. The hemp was boiled the night before until the seed tails protruded enough to simulate the pea snail and the pigeon mix until it was soft enough to form a type of mulch.

I arrived at the Mangrove around 12.30pm to see Richard Seal just leaving and Shaun Harrison pitched up on the Field Swim. There was a strong southwesterly blowing into Lightning Tree and Stream Mouth bay. Stream Mouth does give you a certain amount of protection from the wind, but I decided to fish directly into the head of the wind and packed the boat to set off to Lightning Tree.

Most of the swims on the Mangrove are only accessible by boat and on a water of around 17 acres it can be a harrowing trip across the lake in a strong wind, but it could be worth the effort. A trip across to the far side of the lake and I set up my home for the next few days. A bit of plumbing around to find a hard spot to position my baits. I chose an area 40m out into the lake for 2 rods and a 25m mark to my left for the remaining two other rods.

Out with the marker float and baited both areas with around 200 to 250 14mm Angling Lines Specials, and a few pints of hemp and pigeon mix, around both marks. All 4 rods were baited with the Angling Line Specials 14mm bottom baits. I had brought no other baits with me, as I wanted to give this bait a fair chance.

By 3pm I had settled down and waited for the results of my efforts. By 9pm the wind had dropped, the lake became still and the sky was overcast, and full of that heavenly rain. I sat watching the lake well into the hours of darkness and retired to my sleeping bag around 10.30pm. Just after midnight one of my 40 yard rods rattled off through my Delkims and I was soon onto the first fish of the session ... and the first fish on my new bait. The fish tore out into open water but was soon coaxed to continue its fight closer to my rod tip. It was having none of that and went under the staging on which I was bivvied up. After a few hectic minutes of the fish trying to go under the stage I managed to get the beast into my net. It was a fish that I have had the pleasure of catching in the past that I called the Prehistoric. It is an ugly looking mirror carp with a deformed mouth and skin like sandpaper. Into the weigh sling and it was its normal weight of 25lb 4oz. Into the carp sack for photo’s first thing in the morning.

25lb 4oz

Again I baited my hook with a 14mm AL Special, along with a piece of plastic corn, a small pva webbed bag filled with 4mil trout pellets and 5 freebie specials, I recast the rod to the same mark.

00.45h and again the same rod was away on another screaming run. A quick turn of the clutch on my Shimano Technium XT 10000 reel and I was into another strong fighting fish. Having gained some line I began to bring the fish closer to the net when one of the 25m rods rattled off. I reached to this rod and ensured that the hook was set home into the fish on that rod and let the run continue, tightened the clutch to keep on the pressure and went back to my first run. Hectic, or what, 2 runs on the Mangrove at the same time is unheard of !

Into the net with the first fish and as I lifted the net I could see that it was one of the swamps magnificent commons, it must be a thirty. The other rod was still taking line; I had to deal with the Common as quickly as possible. Onto the unhooking mats, onto the scales, 33lb 4oz, a personal best Common, into a second sack, and back to the sanctuary of the water for a few photo’s.

33lb 4oz

Back to the other rod, which had, now gained about 40m and lodged itself into the pads to my left. A bit of pressure and the fish kicked its way out of the pads into open water... soon to be my 3rd capture of the morning. I was looking at a young 20lb 4oz partially scaled mirror carp, pristine condition and a new fish to me. I had 1 sack left which I placed this fish in, again for photo’s at first light. 3 fish sacked and no more sacks, there’s no way I would require another sack!

Rods back out and I retired to my sleeping bag a happy angler with having just caught a personal best Common. Brilliant!

Back into the land of nod when it happened again!

At around 2.45am a 2-inch drop back on the same 40m rod. It’s now raining quite heavily but its out to the rods as the bobbin was motionless, and then straight up to the top and again a massive drop back. Tightened the clutch and reeled down until I felt the fish, I slight strike to the rod and I was in again. Into the pads to the left this time, and after a good strong fight I could see a fish I recognised as a Mirror known as Paw Print approaching the net. Onto the scales and the dial kept going and stopped at the 35lb 8 oz mark, a personal best British Mirror!

I now had a dilemma? Do I save the 25lb 4 oz fish that I have caught before or the new 20 lb 4oz fish? One has to be released to make way for the 35. I settled on putting back the smaller fish... after all weight counts. Paw print had a resting place for the night in my 3rd sack.

Two personal best carp in 2 hours on a new bait, both sacked up along with a 25 in a another sack. Back to the bivvie and into a deep sleep.

35lb 8oz

5.45am, that 40 metre rod was off again, it was just coming light. After a long scrap the fish a 24lb mirror was in the net. No choice but to set up the video camera and take a bit of footage and a few snap shots. The fish was returned straight back and I returned back to the comfort of my sleeping bag to wait for the light to improve for another photo session.

24lb

By 7am no sign of anybody else on the lake and I was not aware of anyone due down. Sent out a few text messages about my success set up the video camera for film shots and photo’s, all to be done on the remote. Not the best situation to take the photo’s but I needed to return the fish back to the lake as soon as possible.

9am and Allen Williams arrives, 1½ hours too late, but I now had a drinking partner for my lunchtime celebration!

One more night on Lightning Tree with Allen moved to my left on Fallen Tree and Richard Seal, who had returned for a few more nights, set up on Stream mouth to my right. I had no more action on the Thursday night and I was aware that at least 3 other syndicate members were due down to the lake. Friday morning I moved to the far end of the lake onto the West End swim. Again I baited up 2 areas, with 14mm Angling Line Specials, and hemp. At 5.30am on the Saturday morning the margin rod was away which resulted in a 23lb 2oz Common, this being the only fish off the lake.

23lb 2oz

Is it the new bait or good location? Who knows? I will be certainly using this bait in France for my main baiting campaign for the coming weeks fishing. I will report back on any captures made on the Angling Line Specials.

This has been an exceptional session on a difficult venue that rarely gives up its jewels to the ever hopeful angler.

A brace of thirties with 4 twenties thrown in for good measure, this is a hard one to beat.

Thank you Mangrove and thank you David Keep for the introduction to Angling Line Specials.

Paul Cooper