DAY-TICKET 52 AFTER MONTHS OF PREBAITING
Personal best from Strawberry Fields
ASIX-month prebaiting campaign and a half-hour battle culminated in the capture of one of the country’s biggest day ticket commons.
Carl Milton banked this 52lb 1oz specimen from Strawberry Fields in Kent within two hours of casting out at the start of an overnight session.
The 36-year-old physiotherapist had targeted this fish for the last two years and it broke his previous personal best of 48lb 8oz.
He said: “Working full time and having a young family limits my fishing time, so I was delighted to catch this one. It only tends to come out once a year, so it’s not easy to catch.”
It fell to a Nash Key boilie, which was mounted on a size 8 Korda Wide Gape hook and a 10lb mono hooklink with a 2oz inline lead.
This was fished over a scattering of 30 free offerings.
“When I lifted into the bite I knew it was either this fish or the other big common which goes over 60lb,” said Carl. “It took out one of my other rods during the fight which was a bit hairy, but after half an hour I eventually got the better of it.
“I had been baiting the spot every week with varying amounts of bait depending on the conditions, so it was a relief that all the effort eventually paid off,” he added.
“It took out one of my rods, but I eventually got the better of it”