What a carp caught by George Benos

@CARPTALK
Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:21:15 +0000

Just seen this over on the mainline baits page

Big congratulations to George Benos who has captured the Waterside Common weighing a massive 68lb. Here’s how it unfolded. "Sunday 22nd feb, with Tom Dove’s small Willie challenge, and the weather being absolutely prime, I just had to be there, turning up at just before first light, it seemed so did everybody else!!, with no fewer than 9 already fishing and another mate Tom Lorraine the housewife favourite, loading his barrow.

I done the right thing and gave Tom first choice on what little was left, but I already had my eye on the only remaining swim left, knowing the others were stitched for the next few days. My first night came and went
and the second night was much the same, and again although I never caught, I did see and hear a few.

The swim to my right was potentially becoming free that morning, and I gently inquired about moving up, well this is where fishing Burghfield has made me forget that if you don’t mark your patch your get schooled!!, and I’m so glad I did, lol. Tbh, I would not had moved anyway, after what I saw come first light, they were out there in front of me, clearly feeding, on my well spread 18mm super Cell boilies, I’d been prepping these for weeks, allowing them to suck in the same flavour smart liquid, multiple times, until they go lovely and sticky, and white!! Deadly.

Around 10.30 am, I saw the big common show twice on the right of the swim, but pretty much all the shows I’d seen were at least 10/15 yards closer in, than where my rods were positioned, I took the decision to quickly redo all 3 rods and place them around 20 yards out in a line, shit or bust. Well 2 hours later the left hand rod burst into life, at first I thought it was a small one, but after the fish kitting to the right and the unmistakable size and golden frame of this beast, I new exactly what I was attached too, the next few minutes were some of the longest I’ve ever felt, and if I’m honest the only thing that was going though my mind, was this is going end the same way as when I hooked and lost the BC!, however I needn’t have worried, he was nailed the size 4 crank x was not coming out!! What an amazing buzz."