I always look forward to trips on my local Southern Syndicate Lake. After arriving I completed my standard few laps of the lake and after seeing a few fish I decided to start off in one of the main swims called Armchair. It was a cloudy day and there was a lovely South Westerly wind blowing into the swim. It really did look prime for a few bites. After getting setup I had a quick lead around to find some suitable areas. I found one small spot out to the right of the swim, which was just big enough for one rod. The other two rods went straight out towards a large oak tree on the sky line. Bizarrely, both spots were at the same 17.5 wraps distance. Ten Spombs of my favourite particle mix with a liberal helping of boilies went out accurately over the main spot and eight over the right hand area.

Two rods went out on standard blow-back rigs tied using an Ultra Skin hook length and a size 6 Covert Incizor on the business end. I tied a simple combi-rig for my third rod comprising of a 25lb Trick-Link boom section and a short length of supply Trickster Heavy braid. Again hook choice was my favourite size 6 Covert Incizor.

The night passed quietly and at 6:30am I awoke and after seeing a few fish over the spots it looked really good for a bite. At 8am one of the rods was away and after a relatively easy fight, I slipped the net under a lovely 25lb 4oz mirror. At 9am the same rod was away and I knew instantly that I was connected to a better fish. A short while into the battle the fish weeded me up solid. I kept my head and after a few minutes the fish kicked itself free and I managed to slip the net under a big fish. Placing the fish on the mat, I instantly recognised the fish as the big common. It was a fish that I had caught last year, but at a weight of 33lb 4oz I was still buzzing.

Less than half an hour later the recast rod I was away again and after a similar fight the fish weeded me up in one of the lakes many weedbeds. I kept the pressure on and soon the weed began to break and the fish starting moving again. With weed over its eyes, the fight was relatively uneventful and I soon had a huge common resting in the folds of my net. The fish went 37lb 8oz and was a new PB common. We got some great photo’s of the fish, before releasing it back into its watery home.

After the carnage that had occurred, unsurprisingly the day passed quietly. I re-positioned the rods before dark and topped the spots up with my usual particle and boilie mix. At 4am I unfortunately lost a fish on the right hand rod. Dawn passed uneventfully and I waited until midday for another chance. Out of the blue the left hand rod was away and after a spectacular battle, my friend kindly donned his chest waders and slipped the net under what was obviously another big fish. On the mat we recognised it as a fish known as the mug and one I really wanted to catch. Weighing 31lb 2oz, we got some lovely shots before I slipped her back.

I was starting to run low on bait and on my final night I had just few handfuls left. A lovely 21lb mirror rounded the session off nicely the following afternoon and I packed away one very happy angler!