Stalking approach yields big prize for Essex man.
Essex ace Richie Lofthouse enjoyed a session to remember last week, when he stalked and then successfully landed a 35lb 4oz mirror, after changing his approach on a difficult session. Richie explained: “I arrived at the lake as usual late on Friday evening. The lake was really busy, as you would expect at this time of year, so I ended up doing a quick night in an unfavoured swim. Because of this, I wasn't surprised when I woke up to static bobbins. I hung it out in the swim until 10am anyway, because there is always a chance, but once I had decided that the window of opportunity had passed I was on my toes.

"I had a walk around and found a group of perhaps 12 fish cruising the margins. I marked the swim with a friend’s water bottle and headed back to the van for my trusty 9ft rods. I was soon back in the swim and had two rigs in position.

"I didn't have to wait long for some action. Thirty minutes later the clutch on my Daiwa SS2600 was singing a merry tune. The fight was epic; the fish must have taken 70 yards of line on its first run. During the fight, a few mates gathered behind me for moral support, which was nice. Fifteen minutes later I was looking down at a lovely deep chestnut-coloured common. What a lovely carp to catch on such light tackle!

"I used chod rigs combined with Mainline’s Hybrid boilie and was in action again a short while after, banking another clean common.”