MAINLINE MADNESS! 27th February, 2018

If there's one angler used to beating back any set-backs it's our man Ian 'Chilly' Chillcott - recently overcoming the harsh conditions to well and truly take his carping life one big step forward with a Willow Park winter haul! Chilly takes up the story...

"I had done a couple of social trips over the last four months, but just didn’t feel up to taking things too seriously. My recovery has taken a hell of a lot longer than I expected, however, a friend of mine Tony Smeets asked if I would like to fish Willow Park, a very historic carp lake, no more than a mile from my house. It may surprise you I have only fished it once, and that was way back in 1994! It just seemed the right thing to do so Mark, the lake owner, picked me up at 07:00 one cold Tuesday morning. I did a night in the recommended swim, but after being wiped out hundreds of times by the tufties and the swans, it was time to move. I eventually ended up in the mouth of a bay to my left and set-up three rods. Two in the far margin under the trees at around 30 yards range and the other 20 yards down the near margin to my left. In all I baited with 5 kilos of 10 and 15mm Hybrid boillies, and an eleven fish haul over the next 24 hours would suggest I got things just about right. The largest was a common of 26lb 12oz, which almost feels like a new personal best, especially when you consider the last six months have been something like the beginning of a new life for me and my wife Lynn."