World Carp Classic - Official Global Website
Lake Bolsena 2nd - 8th September 2012

We settled in for the 2nd night, we had re-done all the rods and had upped the amount of bait used. We had a gut feeling that on this occasion they carp would want more bait, so that is what we did, and the swim looked good for a fish. We just needed some luck and for some carp to come our way.

I was excited as usual, and we stayed up for most of the night, but needed some sleep, so around midnight we got our heads down. The wind had got up a little, and the moon was almost full but there was a chill in the air, that was fresh and sharp and reminded us that fall was on the way, and that even though this huge, beautiful lake looked peaceful, it could all change in a second and become very angry and dangerous, especially when out in the boat at night in the dark.

Around 1.30 am, my right hand rod, fished at 170m long range, just melted off, the rod slammed over, bucked violently, and the spool on the reel sizzled, it was the one fished over the oats pack bait and I was on it in seconds. With Frank by my side we decided we would have no choice but to go out in the boat in the dark and fight the fish on its own terms, and thought “bring it on” it was game time! All was going well, and after getting out past the floating submerged rafts of weed, and out in to open water, all of a sudden, we were hit by the wind that smashed us backwards, and slightly sideways, but with years of doing just this under our belts, we just did what we were there to do, we got over the fish and I made a snap decision, that I had the fish near the surface, and I was going to keep it there. The surface was the safest place, it was out of reach of major snags, and other lines, the fish was immensely powerful, and erupted on the surface, and sent plumes of water up in the air. I saw a massive tail, smash over and beat the water in the moonlight; it was then that I knew I had hooked a really good fish.

I was so focused on the job in hand, and trying to control this huge fish, that the wind began to drift the boat off out into the lake, this was not good, the mission was to subdue the fish, land it, make sure it was safe and return to base.

Of course that is not what happened, this fish had much bigger plans, it wanted to kick my arse and it towed me for 100 yards, in the dark, while all the time smashing the rod into full test curve, with pure savagery. It was a true beast, a monster that did not want to go in the net, but this time, the line was strong enough, the hook hold good enough, and my luck lasted long enough, and in the net it went. I could see it was big, but it was not until I was back on dry land, and I tried to lift the fish out of the boat, and on the first lift it did not move an inch, it was then that we knew that it was something very special. Frank could not wait, he weighed it for me there and then, and told me that it was 57 lbs, over 26 kg, and a new World Carp Classic all time history smashing record!

Every one was called to weigh the fish on the official scales, and to record the facts and figures, Ross Honey has now had the privilege of having to say the coolest thing ever said over the competition radio band, he radioed base HQ and promptly said, " Ross to HQ, Ross to HQ, I am going to need the “BIG BOY SCALES”.

It was a privilege to be there, and to be the one who caught the fish, but it was also an honour to share the moment with Frank, at that moment in time I would not have picked anybody else to be stood there with me reflecting on our achievement.

Jason Cann