I decided that I would target the water by stalking it with either floating baits or float fished baits in the margins.  Dad had tagged along for the ride, just in case his photography skills were needed.  To start with there was a serious chop on the water, way to much to think about floater fishing, so I started with simple float fished baits in the margins.  After hopping between spots for a couple of bite less hours I was starting to think it wasn't to be; then suddenly the wind died and the water went totally flat calm. Straight away I reached for some floating crust and catapulted it out into the lake.  For the first 10 minutes nothing happened, then suddenly a large mouth started sucking in full pieces of crust off the surface.

I sat patiently, trying to build up the fish's confidence, which was soon joined by a couple of other sizable fish.  Then with light fading fast I decided to make my cast to a fish that I suspected was a large Common.  Within seconds my crust disappeared and my new Fox duo-lite Barbel rod was at full test curve with the Carp shooting down to the left, desperately trying to snag me in the rushes.  At this point I looked over at Dad, he knew exactly what I was thinking.  In a matter of seconds I was down to my boxers and up to well over my waist, trying my hardest to keep the large fish - that was now obviously a big Common - from making the rushes.

After a serious game of tug-o-war, I finally netted what I knew was easily a PB Common.  The fight had been manic and on 8lb line, bloody good fun!  The fish was extremely wide and I knew it was going to be a good twenty, so when the digital scales registered 24lb exactly I was over the moon!