Carl Udry took full advantage of having Wellington Country Park to himself for a weekend session as he banked two upper 40s, a 30 and a 20.

Nonetheless, the 43-year-old was made to work for his haul, packing up and moving in freezing conditions just as he was about to settle into his first swim.

The last-minute switch of pegs proved a masterstroke as Carl went on to catch the Pretty Mirror at 49lb, Clint’s Common at 47lb and two others of 35lb and 25lb.

The Thatcham angler arrived at the empty Berkshire venue at 4pm on Saturday and headed for the Three Trees swim.

He said: “It really was cold, the wind chill almost making it unbearable.

“With the brolly up and two rods deployed and one to go, half way down the lake a rolling fish was impossible to ignore. So, it was brolly down, rods packed away and I was on the move in the dark.”

Carl hauled his kit round to the Bush swim, which he knows well, and settled in for the night.

At 5.45am, Carl emerged from his brolly after a drop-back bite on his right-hand rod.

“A short wintry battle was soon won and a shine down in to the landing net unveiled one of the sought-after gems in the shape of the Pretty Mirror at 49lb.”

The same rod was away again at 10am.

“After another short, heavy battle I was soon staring down at a new pb common at 47lb. What a morning – I was speechless!”

A 25lb common followed shortly afterwards and at 4am the next morning a 35lb ghostie completed the four-fish haul.

Said Carl: “I’ve had a number of memorable sessions in my time, but due to the time of the year, terrible weather conditions and a venue that has inevitably become much trickier over the years, this ranks right up there.”

Rig and Bait

• Ronnie Rig
• Hookbait: Heavily glugged Sticky Signature Squid pop-up
• Loosefeed: 500gr of heavily glugged 20mm Sticky Manilla boilies
• Hook: Size 4 Gardner Covert Dark Mugga
• Hooklink: 14ins of Korda Boom