THERE was nothing common about the way 12-year-old Jason Bilinkewycz landed this 28lb carp.

The Bury schoolboy angler (pictured left) timed his big catch well -- just three days before his birthday! And he followed it up by winning his first junior match last Saturday on the Red Bridge Lodge in Radcliffe.

Jason, who lives in Watling Street, Bury and attends Tottington High School, is a member of the Radcliffe Angling Society and his father, Walter, is a committee member and the Society's auditor.

A keen footballer, Jason has been fishing since he was four and has collected one or two trophies, the pick of them being a Specimen Trophy he won for a 19 and a half pound pike he took from Whiteheads top lodge in Lowercroft, Bury when he was nine-years-old.

Jason, a right winger, plays for Dobbies Under-13s football team and supports Manchester United.

But it's his other love, fishing, where he is really beginning to shine now and Jason is hoping for plenty more catches like that common carp he landed at the Clifton marina in Salford.

"It took him an hour to bring it in," said Walter. "The only help I gave him was with the landing net. We were using a 4lb line with 2lb bottom line."