Monster carp tops amazing run for angler targeting new venue.

Gleaming, pristine and weighing in at an impressive 49lb, this big common is the highlight of a run of fish that has seen angler George Benos bank no less than 11 fish over 30lb in just a few weeks.

Having joined a new southern water in June this year, George started his campaign with a dream session, baiting an area heavily to land five mirrors all over 30 and topped off by a fish of 41lb.

Returning a week later, he did it again, fishing a two nighter and banking six fish - five over 30 with a 44 also coming to the net.

But it was the third session on the new water that George really hit pay dirt. Settling in for a 48hour stint he again baited heavily and less than 24hours later he was cradling a common carp just a pound shy of the magic 50lb mark.

“I was lucky enough to get back into the same swim where I’s had the big run of fish from the first two sessions,” George told Total Carp. “The first night was uneventful besides a few fish showing in the area. Then at lunchtime the following day my middle rod had a slow run and then stopped, as I walked over to it the line pulled out the clip and the fish was on.”

Leaning into a good fish, George played the common to the bank, coaxing it out of two weed beds on the way before the fish, known as The Big Common finally hit the net.

“It felt like a good fish from the off, not really fighting too hard but you could tell it was a heavy weight on the end,” continued George. “It kited to my right and went into the first of the two weed beds that it managed to bury its head into during the fight. When it came free there was a carpet of weed stuck over its head, but when it came closer I could see it was a big fish. I quickly got the whole lot in the net and picked the weed from the fish’s head, at this point I could see it was a big common and I was over the moon.”

The common slipped up to George’s Nash Scopex Squid Liver boilie hookbait presented snowman style on a blowback rig over a large bed of free offerings.