Stoneacres Lake on the prolific Linch Hill complex in Oxfordshire has hit what may be it best ever bream form, with a string of fish over 13lb.

Topping the list is Coventry’s respected specialist Phil Smith, who beat his long standing personal best with a 16-pounder, plus four more between 14lb and 14lb 11oz.

Phil had vowed to stop bream fishing after taking a 15lb 14oz fish in 1989, believing he’d never be able to beat it.

But the surge in the size of big bream in the last two years, which saw a new record landed last season, prompted Phil to have a change of heart. He took all of his fish on a gravel bar at 120 yards and took the big one on sweetcorn on the last night of a six night stint.

Not far behind Phil is Hemel Hempstead’s Warren Gaunt, who has landed a brace of fish for over 30lb from the same lake.

After a blank night, Warren moved his baits to a smaller bar a little further out than the first one he’d baited, and the move paid off handsomely with fish of 15lb 12oz, 14lb 12oz and a smaller fish of 8lb 12oz.

All the fish fell to a sweetcorn and worm cocktail on size 10 hooks and 10lb braid, on Warren’s third session on what is already becoming a legendary water.

Not to be left out, Stoney Stanton, Leics big fish ace Stef Horak has taken bream of 14lb 12oz and 13lb 1oz on similar tactics from the same water again, just two weeks after he took a 15lb 8oz specimen from Stoneacres.

Unlike Phil and Warren, Stef has been using esterberry boilies to tempt his fish and has had at least seven in double figures.