Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 21/07/2018

It Ain’t Half Hot Mum!

Another scorching summer week on the Road Lake, with temperatures well over 30 degrees most days. The nine anglers who arrived on Saturday were greeted by the lakes residents launching themselves out of the lake with merry abandon. What would the week ahead hold for the lads.....only time would tell.

First out of the draw was Lee Edmans, who had no hesitation in picking the ever popular Tea Partyswim. He wasted no time at all, and quickly flicked out a single Pink Pop-Up on a Spinner Rig, just so he had a rod out, and unbelievably it was picked up by a fish within five minutes, which unfortunately dropped off half way in. Not to be defeated, he kept at it and soon was holding up a lovely new PB 39lb Mirror known as Darky. With the pressure off he got into his stride, and fishing out at 18 wraps towards Turtle Corner he picked up fish steadily for the remainder of the week. He set himself the target of catching a forty pounder, and on Monday morning he achieved it in fine style, with a brace of forties! He had “God Knows” at 42lb and “SAS” at 44lb 12oz! Job done. He ended the week with eight fish, which fell for a dirty yellow pop-ups. 

First time visitor Rene Schroter set up for the week in The Poo, and chose to just spread boilie with the throwing stick all round the swim, to try and keep any fish which passed through searching for them. On Saturday night, he was rewarded with a nice twenty pound Mirror to get him started. On Sunday he had a couple of bites in quick succession, the best of which was a new PB 34lb 8oz which we named “Rene’s”. Not content with one PB, on Monday morning he rang to say he had landed a good fish, which turned out to be a new 50, as Epaulate tipped the scales round to 50lb. What a result. Rene introduced 30kg of Mainline Cell during the week which he applied with the throwing stick. He used simple Combi Rigs, with Size 2 Korda Kranks and standard out of the bag bottom baits. He finished up with seven fish for the week, with some proper chunks amongst them.

Mike Willnow chose to fish next to his friend Rene in The Goo and adopted the same tactics on the baiting front. He got in on the action early, taking a twenty pound Mirror on Saturday night, and a new PB Mirror known as The Sergeant at 39lb 12oz. If that wasn’t good enough; after a quiet evening on Sunday, his rod melted off just before midnight, and battle royale commenced. After a brutal scrap, the monster Mirror known as Big Mac was staring up at him. Tipping the scales round to 52lb, it smashed his new PB out of the park. Mike fished simple rigs like Rene, and putting them out to ten wraps towards the corner of Bacheliers, saw him rejuvenate a swim which hasn’t featured highly on people’s list. He used 30kg of boilie during the week, and finished with eight fish including two PB’s.

Steve Jefferson chose Dunkerque and spread his rods out at 16 wraps, and baited up with MCF MCB boilies and Pellet. After a slow start, things kicked off nicely on Monday when he landed four fish in quick succession, the best being a chunky forty pound Mirror known as “Baldrick”. The fish then drifted away, and Steve thought a move to Double Boards would bring better fortunes. After a quick cast around he settled on a couple of spots to the right, fishing on one of the small raised areas. After an uneventful night, he had a take out of the blue mid morning, which resulted in a nice 28lb Common. Steve ended the week with a creditable seven fish, considering the weather conditions. 

Colin Wadley fancied having go in Turtle Corner, as the swim commands plenty of open water, which the fish usually visit at some point during the week. He adopted slightly different tactics to most anglers, and was casting at showing fish and bubblers. Just after first light on Monday he had run of bites which saw him land four fish to 28lb. Colin used Combi-Hooklinks and wafters; attaching a PVA mesh bag with a few MCF SBC boilies in before casting out. A large group of fish moved in front of Turtles on Monday morning and Colin picked a few of them off, for the next couple of days. Things quietened off on Thursday as the pack went in search of more food. Colin  finished his week with sixteen fish, including two forties and two thirties; the biggest being a Common known as Mr Massive, which weighed in at 46lb 4oz.

Nick Warburton made the long pilgrimage from Sheffield and after a tiring journey, promptly fell asleep after picking Decoy, to wake up on Sunday morning and moved into the vacant Shingles where there were a few fish showing! His move proved to be worthwhile, as he picked up a nice 28lb Mirror that night. He was fishing at 16 wraps towards the dot island, and had one rod down the right hand margin. Nick started off baiting with the throwing stick, then switched to the Spomb to try and concentrate the bait a bit tighter. After seeing fish showing close in along Turtles treeline early one morning, he decided to take advantage of the Stalking Swim. A short morning session proved to be very fruitful, when he landed Mr Massive for the second time in 24hrs! All Nicks fish fell for an IB Dumbell fished on IQ D-Rigs with running rigs.

Wayne Baker went into Brambles and set his stall up fishing at 18 wraps towards the wonky tree, with his rods fished quite tight. There were a few fish showing in the area, but that first bite evaded him, until out of the blue, in the middle of the afternoon on Sunday, his right hand rod fished with a Yellow Pop-Up on a Spinner Rig ripped off. After a spirited tussle, he soon slipped the net under a new PB 36lb 8oz Mirror, which he named Rocco. A frustrating couple of days followed, before Andy the bailiff advised him to step up the baiting to try and stop the fish in their tracks. Wayne went straight in with 5kg and then topped up regularly with the throwing stick. This worked like a charm, and Wayne went on to land a further four fish in fairly short order. Never underestimate how much food the fish can put away on the Road Lake; they are eating machines at this time of year.

Martin Syring started his week in The Beach, which had been prolific the week before. He lost a fish early on Sunday morning, and then the swim went a bit quiet, so a move to Billy’s was made on Tuesday. Starting off fishing to the margin trees at 17 wraps, disaster stuck with a couple of dropped fish, before he managed to snare a nice 20lb Common on a 16ft zig, which he had cast into open water. Martin also had a morning in the stalking swim, and like Nick he also nicked himself a forty pounder! The beautiful Mirror known as “Ruby” was a great reward for some opportunist angling.

Shaun Woodley chose to go into The Birches, and during the walkround there were plenty of fish showing in the area. Despite his best efforts, he didn’t get amongst the fish, but pinched a twenty pounder from the stalking swim, when he had an afternoon session in there. Not to be deterred; he spotted a group of fish off the bund in front of the Beach on Friday afternoon. Most anglers would have stayed put for their last night, but Shaun made the effort to move; and what a move it turned out to be. Fifteen minutes after casting out he received a steady take and ten minutes later was netting himself the most stunning 44lb Mirror known as “Cracker”. If anyone deserved a chunk, Shaun did, what a result. The fish fell for a Dumbell hookbait on an IQ D-Rig, and made him one seriously happy bunny!

Andy the Bailiff, dropped into the vacant Bacheliers on Sunday evening, and only 10 minutes after casting out landed his Road Lake target fish, The Wedge at 42lb. He followed this up with a further nthree fish in a great evening session. All the fish fell for Mainline Milky Toffee Pop-Ups in Pineapple and Buttercorn Goo, fished at 21.5 wraps down the left hand margin on Spinner Rigs and running COG's. He baited up with a mix of Mainline Link and FYBER, glazed with Hemp and Foss Oil.

The daytime temperatures rarely fell below thirty degrees, but the fish still fed. The lads ended the week with a 61 fish total, comprising of 2x50’s, 10x40’s, 7x30’s, 31x20’s and 11 doubles. Well angled lads. Hope the sunburn isn’t too sore.

Tight Lines and Bonne Peche

Andy