Winter's Lake 2023 W// Steve Bromilow

Started off with the draw and had the first pick, so I chose a swim called Willow. The first few hours were spent choosing three spots to fish and then baiting them with about 2kg of Bancho crumb and approximately 30 baits on each.

The first day went by with nothing, but then at 11.45, the rod I had set for a showing fish ripped off, resulting in a common of 48-8, a French personal best. The next three nights went by without much happening due to high pressure and cold nights, making me think it was going to be a tough week.

However, on Tuesday evening, I saw a fish show twice under a tree on the island. So, I dispatched a Bancho nut pop-up to the spot with no free offerings. Then, at midday, it went into meltdown and resulted in a 53lb mirror, again a French personal best. I had only just got the rod back out when the rod down the margin, which I had changed over to a chod with a single hook bait, ripped off. After an epic battle, it resulted in a French personal best common of 62lb.

After another fishless night and day, I decided to go for a shower at 17:00. Upon returning to my swim, I noticed a spot I had baited early in the week was flat spotting. So, I put out a bait along with 30 washed-out baits. It didn't take long before my rod ripped off, and after an epic battle, I put the net under a mirror of 47-12. All the fish up to now have fallen to BANCHO NUT WHITE POP UPS. I got all my rods back on their spots for the evening when at 20:45, my middle rod ripped off. After a strong fight, I put the net under a mirror of 33-6. Scott then came round to do the photos, but before we got the chance, my left-hand rod screamed off again, resulting in a hard-fighting mirror of 32-10. We then managed to get the rods back out and get the pics done.

Settling down for the night, we wondered what it would bring, being a new moon. But all was quiet until 07:00 when my bobbing hit the rod before I heard the alarm. This fish took about 50 yards of line on three occasions before being brought into the net. It was an absolute cracking common of 40-8. Scott moved into the Willow swim with me for the last night. Not long went by before the left-hand rod screamed off, resulting in a mirror of 50-8 for Scott. It made up for him after a hard week with no reward. Rod back out, fire pit roaring away, and a couple of beers as the light was closing in on our last chance of a fish.

Then, out of the blue, a fish showed in open water on a spot not fished. I looked at Scott and said, "My fourth rod won't catch anything clipped to the bivvy." So, I picked it up armed with a ZINGER on a choddy and cast it at the fish, placing a stone on the spool. After 45 minutes, the stone came flying off, and I was away. Shortly after, I put the net under a 21-12 mirror, which was to be the final fish of the week. Not a bad week's fishing armed with Max Attract Baits Bancho Nut for my first session. Thanks to Matt for allowing me to join his team. 💥💥