Terry Hearn: How I Caught The Parrot

Britain’s best-known carp and carp angler meet as Storm Doris causes nationwide havoc – and Hearn sets new 63lb pb

- Storm Doris

IN CONDITIONS eerily reminiscent of his 1996 capture of Mary from Wraysbury, Terry Hearn has eclipsed his long-held pb with the Parrot at 63lb.

The long mirror, which set the current official British record at 68lb 1oz last January, came from Cranwells, on the Wasing Estate in Berkshire, during Storm Doris. Terry racked up 176 captures in around 150 nights there before finally meeting the one he wanted.

Terry said: “The windier the better, when the air’s full of energy, the trees are creaking and cracking, and you can barely hear yourself think... always a favourite for the big ’uns.”

With conditions looking spot-on, Terry plotted up in the Lifebuoy swim and got to work. “I had a fair idea where I’d be putting my baits. Stretching out for over 100 yards straight in front were 3ft-4ft shallows, then tighter to the island the depth drops away to 9ft.