‘‘I grew up in Hampshire and have fished every discipline; coarse, game & sea. So, you can imagine my delight upon discovering that this lake has not been fished in living memory!

I hastily pulled out my ‘ every opportunity ‘ fishing pen, loaded with a 3lbs breaking strain with a float set up.
My primary investigation, having chosen four natural swims, was that it was well stocked with
Common Carp, Brown Trout, beyond that I have no idea what is in here…

The Carp I landed, along with the trout, ranged from a couple of ounces to double figures.
Although I hooked larger fish, I lost them in snags.

I am in the process of overhauling and clearing the lake due to the Gorilla style tactics I had to use on the day. You can see large fish swirling and topping, but access impossible due to the undergrowth. Initially, I am putting in 10 fishing stations. The beauty of this project is that no one knows what lies beneath; Wels Catfish anyone?! Any fishing tactic would be appropriate, so why not come and join me to discover the unknown, you tell me what is there!’’

– Gillon Thomson
Wessex Champion of Champions.