Vic and I have recently tried out the States Lagoon. Its bigger than the Specimen lake and there are more inaccessible places, especially for Vic and me as we haven't got a barrow. I think Vic is working his charm on Barbs and he may resolve the barrow problem soon!! Its a long haul around that side of the lake with all your gear.
The first time I went, Vic was unable to come as I didn't know I was going until the last moment. He has to sort out who takes the dog for a walk, feed the horses and rabbits etc so the more notice I give him the better.
I set up on the bottom end of the lake and spodded out some mix. A few hours later, I had a tentative take and a bream of 5lb+ was on the bank. Not what I was after, but it was my PB for a bream. To cut a long story short, this was the tone of the session - bream. I tried sweetcorn (real and plastic), 8mm - 16mm boilies, pop ups, snowmen set up, tiger nuts etc. The carp weren't interested although the bream seemed to enjoy it all!! I tried short hooklinks, long ones, but the end result, bream. I did increase my PB for a bream again, this time a bream of 7lb 2oz. It fought for all of 20 seconds and then gave in.
I ended up with 7 bream, all over 5lb .
A few weeks later, we managed to arrange a session together together and we set up at the top end of the lake, near the top car park. I used the marker rod, clipped up, and used pva bags and netting with stick mix and boilies but no fish, not even a bream. I stayed that night and didnt have a run. I was a bit disappointed but I'll still carry on, just try another part of the lake and use plenty of bait.
The last time we went I stayed for 2 nights and Vic joined me on the first day. We set up on the left side of the lake near to where I had the bream previously. A similar story, spod, pva bags/netting, boilies, sweetcorn - all caught bream but no carp. Maybe I'm doing something radically wrong but I can't catch a carp to save my life!!
Vic getting his method feeder mix ready
View from Johns swim
Anyway, I'll keep going and see what turns up!
Well, thats it for now,
Cya soon,
John
