Angler Name: Liam Richards

Hometown: Broxbourne

Fish Weight: 26lb8oz

Bait: 16mm Sticky manilla pop up

Venue: Lea valley

Rig: Ronnie rig

Tactics: Fished tight to snags, locked up, with a drop off leadclip system.

Additional Info: After turning up just after the post lockdown rush I chose to fish one of the pits I haven’t yet fished (mainly due to them being less crowded). I set up in a swim with a good view of the lake but after just a few hours I was surprised with a bite from a single hookbait fished tight to snags. Unfortunately a short fight and the hook pulled, rod back on the spot I sat back feeling a lot more confident than I first was, that day and night passed un-eventfully but on the last morning of the session I was awoken to my receiver going crazy. Bare footed I pulled the fish away from the snags and continued to play it in open water, a few minutes later I slipped the net under a big ball of weed and this beauty hiding beneath.