“THE BUG ALWAYS DOES THE BUSINESS”

  • Posted: 11th May 2023
  • Author: Team DNA
Mick Bentley is absolutely brimming with confidence in The Bug, after once again doing the business for him over on the Linch Hill complex in Oxfordshire.
Turning up to this popular venue on a Bank Holiday weekend was always going to result in limited swim choice and Mick eventually found himself on Willow Lake, with Christchurch Lake absolutely rammed.
His limited swim choice didn’t do him any harm, though, as he would go on to tempt his first two Linch Hill thirties as part of an eight-fish catch!
“Turning up at Linch Hill on a busy Bank Holiday, I had limited swim choice,” admitted Mick.
“Christchurch was out of the question as all swims were taken, so I had a walk around Willow and settled on a swim with an island in front of it. Targeting the shallow water on the shelf, I went in lightly to start with, baiting with three Spombs of Bug crumb, Crayfish Maxi Mix pellets, corn and plenty of Bug Hydro Spod Syrup and Bug Liquid Food, with three 12mm PB pop-ups fished over the top.
“That first night, just on dark, I received a bite on my left-hand rod, resulting in a stunning 27lb linear. With the photos done, the rod went back out with another three Spombs over the top. Nothing happened for the rest of the night, but on first light I received a slow take again on the left-hand rod. Instantly it felt a good fish and a slow fight resulted in my first Linch Hill thirty in the shape of a beautiful dark 31lb 4oz mirror.
“With the rod back on the spot, this time I decided to give them a proper bit of bait, introducing 20 large Spombs and, to my surprise, just 30 minutes after Spombing yet another slow take materialised, this time on my middle rod. This resulted in yet another Linch Hill thirty and I was buzzing big time at the sight of a 33lb 8oz common in my net. It was then a case of sort the fish out and get the rod back on the spot as quickly as possible.
“Things then went a little quiet for the rest of the day, but as soon as darkness came they were back on me, resulting in a 22lb fully scaled mirror, a brute of a 25lb common and three cricket-bat commons – they clearly couldn’t get enough of The Bug!
“Hands down, no matter where I take The Bug, it always does the business for me!”