Suffolk Water Park specimens fall to snowman setup

DAN LANKESTER got his winter campaign on Suffolk Water Park’s Specimen Lake off to a flying start, landing a trio of carp during a 48 hour session.

The highlight of the trip was a 34lb 4oz mirror which the 35-year-old gardener backed up with a common of 25lb 2oz and a small stockie of around 9lb.

All three of his fish were taken from close to an overhanging tree on the far margin at 100 yards range near a sandy plateau where he’d seen fish moving.

“On the second morning I had an occurrence on one rod - the bobbin pulled up tight but when I picked up the rod there was nothing attached,” the Ipswich-based carper told Angling Times.

“Within 10 minutes of putting it back out on the spot it screamed off and this time I successfully landed a 25lb 2oz common.”

This was followed by the smallest fish of the trip before his new personal best slipped up early in the evening. “I’ve never had a fight like it – it just kept stripping line and I just had to hold on until it tired itself out.”

Dan’s successful setup consisted of a Frank Warwick Baits Fruit Smoothie bottom bait and pop-up fished snowman style on a JRC Cocoon hooklink and a size 8 Nash Fang Twister hook.