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Bailiff Comments
Week Commencing: Sat 17/10/2020
The final week on “Road Lake” finishes with a flurry
So as “The Road Lake” comes to a close, the full lake were on a mission to see just how many fish could be landed. It was clear that the fish had been holding up in certain areas over the last few weeks on the catch report but could they be tempted to feed all over the lake. One things for sure there were PB’s to be smashed and records to be set. The weather was very changeable with strong winds and lots of rain especially at the start of the week. So without further a do the walk round was done, the draw commenced and we start this weeks report with not the peg that not only landed the biggest fish but also the most, “Turtles”
“Main Lake” regular Richard Winters saw himself making a last-minute booking on Road Lake as he had the option of jumping back on the Main Lake the following week. Richard was early out in the draw and made the choice of fishing in “Turtles”. Turtles has lots of options, there is a sexy looking margin with overhanging trees or the option of open water fishing. Richard started by choosing the open water option at 18 wraps which is an area that previously had done well and although he started well picking up fish with immediate effect it was apparent that the fish were more comfortable further out. Pushing the spot to 22 wraps to the dot island this proved a wise choice and the action was relentless. Id love to tell you what loose feed Richard put on the spot but he was on a use up mission. Using a variety of fishmeal boilies that had been donated to him from fishing the previous week he mixed these with sweetcorn and maize. The attack of putting 5 spombs of bait over the 3 rods and then watching each rod go in turn was ridiculous. I’m sure he was on a mission to break “Bailif Phil” as he spent most of the time on his peg, weighing, photographing and even landing fish from double, triple takes. Richard is a solid angler and loves a D rig, fishing krill hard hookers drilled out with a small piece of foam inside and tipping with fake corn was deadly. Richard set a new record of landing 65 fish yes you heard that right 65 fish!!!!!! I know ridiculous right!! To say that amount seems like the fish just jumped out into the waiting nets but Richard worked for every fish and his work load was relentless. Once he cracked the code he repeated the working formula which accounted for this phenomenal session. The only weight bracket that eluded him was the 60lb bracket but with the biggest fish known as “Eye – Q” at 56lb 12oz he added 8 x 40’s and the rest doubles, 20’s and 30’s. Literally wading through fish in search of the bigger ones. Not only did Richard attempt to brake Bailif Phil but I think he also broke Steve who was in Shingles next to him. The formed the dynamic duo and it was a team effort most of the time as his rods were ripping off whilst playing fish constantly. Richard it was a pleasure to witness and top angling my friend!!..........
Since we touched on Steve Hurst in “Shingles” we may as well report on his week which was I think at the start a touch frustrating. Imagine being bivvied up next to someone hauling but not having similar results. Steve took a whole 24 hours until his first capture but what a capture it was. “Erroll” graced his net at a whopping 47lb 8oz!!!! Now Steve started out his session at fishing at 16 wraps and this is where the main baited spot was established with Xcel Baits VNF and KSC boilies and maize, however the fish were showing beyond him. So with that in mind rather than spread bait all over the swim Steve fished a rod longer using a solid bag and pink VNF and KSC wafters. This method worked bringing regular bites until it stopped and the fish moved onto the baited area. Steve then fished all rods on the baited area using the same hookbait method. Between action on his spot and assisting Richard next door it was an action-packed week and it was a joy to have the pleasure of getting to know him. We hope to see you again very soon my friend, great angling and keep those English lumps coming, ill be stalking your insta account haha…..
We had a group booking of family and friends fishing this week also, no stranger to Gigantica is Mr John Allen who has been helping us out over the last couple months clearing the brush from the stock pond over on Road lake as well as any other duties that needed attention and what a job you have done pal, thank you from us all here at Gigantica. John has enjoyed some fishing in the evenings but this week he finally got to fish properly alongside his family and friends. He chose to fish “Bachiliers” and fish slightly differently. Fishing out towards the far bank at 23 wraps and baiting the area from the far bank he set out the stall. The fish had regularly been showing in the evenings along this bank and definatly some donkeys had been heard boshing away. John even on this occasion decided to use boilies which is a rarity haha, I believe he had “The Jackal” in mind and his session started well as on the first morning he slipped the net under a high double common and the fish were certainly in the area. That very same evening at around 11pm his rods sprang into life once again but this one felt bigger!!! The call came in and bailiff Phil was there in no time for the weigh in and photos. John had landed the character fish of “Broken Tail” at a busty weight of 46lb on the nose. Photos were done and she slipped away into the night to go and sulk away. Johns only other action came to a scaley 26lb mirror that he got to name “The Silver Fox” Im sure John would have liked a bit more action himself but on the same note he saw some of his group do some special things as we will slip next door into “Goo” where his nephew Phil was residing……….
So………Phil Allen, in “Goo” in similar fashion to next door in “Bachiliers” didn’t have a mega fish week but what he did have was some very magical moments. Phil fished off the back of how the swim had fished the week before. Fishing a short spread of rods he fished out at 12 wraps fishing boilie over all 3 with spombs of maize to try and draw the fish down. Phil along with a few of the group were fishing with Premier Boilies, blue cheese and garlic boilies, now believe me these stink lol now wether it was because they were different from the krill that had done so well the week before we will never know but the numbers of fish certainly lowered. What did slip up on the match the hatch boilie was a collosal fish named “Big Pecs” at a massive weight of 55lb 8oz which was a new PB for Phil. This was Phils only action for the week but to be fair he never lost faith and the same perseverance on a different week would have seen more action, so my hat goes off to you pal…….
Over on the other side of the lake it couldn’t have been any more different. You may as well have put a net down the middle of the lake because where as you saw fish bosh and could work out movements down the left, over on the right it was or seemed devoid of fish. Now don’t get me wrong there will have been plenty about but it could be easy to get disheartened as the action was very slow going. Returning to The Road Lake this week was Trevor Wilson who went into familiar peg of “Billy’s”. Trevor had had a very similar session this week to what he had in previous years, on his last trip it took a few days to get things going and this week proved to do the exact same. Fishing out at 20 wraps in open water was Trevors approach. After 2 quiet days Trevor finaly saw some action in the form of a low 20lb common but then all went quiet again. The odd fish was showing in the night and true to his last session Trevor stuck to it!! Carried on baiting with boilie and corn and fishing wafetr hookbaits something better slipped up. The call in the ealy morning came in and it was decided to retain her till the daylight. A very pretty fish was hoisted up and “The Model” lay there before us, hitting a weight of 45lb, this fish is certainly a stunning example of a carp and a massive congratulations goes out to you on this capture. The action slowed again from then with just another low 20lb common until the final evening when Trevor added a high 20 and low 30lb mirror to the tally. Every credit on your patience and angling trev it was a pleasure, see you soon my friend………..
Just across from Billys we have “Tea Party 2” where we had Johnny Cooper. It was clear from the outset Johnny was an accomplished angler and after the peg selection and a chat with Phil a choice of fishing out to the left into the bowl was the wise choice as it was clear the fish were held up there and that would be the best chance of picking up some regular action. Johnnys choice of boilie was B5 Shellfish mixed with sweetcorn and then maize fishing out at 16 wraps. The action was steady and picked up as the week went on. Every evening he would be into fish with the report on the breakfast run of fish coming out every day. Johnny got into some beauties the biggest being a 43lb 8oz mirror which is still to be found and could be an unknown fish. If so Johnny will have the honour of naming her!! A dozen hard earnt fish including 3 x 40s was the result and I think after the first half of the week ringing that dinner bell was the way forward, if the activity slowed introducing half a dozen spombs definitely gained interest in the area. Well done mate top dangling !!.........
We may as well stay in the area and skip to the left to “Tea Party 1” there camped up we had Paul Truett who isn’t shall we say a shy human being haha, I had a reet laugh with Paul, not only does he know his stuff but he certainly keeps the moral at an all time high. There were even a few very strange moments when I found Johnny in Pauls bivvy but less said about that hahaha. Paul had a bit of a touch when he came out last in the draw, a last minute change of swim saw him unbelievably able to jump straight into the flyer which was T1. Sticking to the going distance of 16 wraps between shingles and turtles and spraying boilie and maize over all 3 rods was the approach. Paul was on the stinky Premier baits, blue cheese and garlic boilies also for the week with copious amounts of our home cooked maize over the area. Paul fished match the hatch style with the same boilie over the top and this proved a winning tactic and he saw steady action from the off. The highlight for Paul having never caught a 40lber was to see him catch 2 at once and not only 2 X 40’s but one of each variety. The first being “Walkers” a 40lb 8oz mirror but then the second part of the 40lb brace was “Andy’s Common” at 41lb. Congratulations on the PB’s mate and we cant wait to see you again for more fun and frolicks another week……..
Over in “Poo” we had young Alfie Williams, Alfie is really getting to grips with the old carp fishing and with plenty of support from the group decided to fish at the recommended shorter range of 12 wraps. Again he was on the old blue cheese and garlic and maize approach with standard blowback rigs. Alfie hit it off with a flyer as on the Sunday I got the call that Alfie had a chunk in the net. A chunk it was in the form of a 48lb Common name “Breakfast O Clock”. It was a pleasure to see the happy attitude daily even though the action wasn’t prolific in Poo this week, and then the phone went again, and yet again another massive common. After a brief inspection of the fish in the sling it was definitely getting weighed in the water as all fish suspected to be close to the 50lb barrier do. She bent the bar round to 52lb 8oz and she didn’t ring any alarm bells as a known 50. That’s because she wasn’t, “Big Bob” has jumped up a weight class and adds yet another 50 to Road Lake. This was Alfies only action for the week but what a stamp of fish. You’re a legend pal and look forward to seeing your fishing flourish in the future!!...........
I’m grouping these next 3 anglers together as they were an absolute blast, cracking personality’s, very “friendly” with possible drinking problems. In “Dunkirk” we had Rob “Inky” Hughes, in “Beach” we had Ben “Ben Ewers” Ewers and in “Decoy” Paul “Welshy” McCarthy With all the action in the opposite end of the lake it was tough going for the lads so they resorted in entertaining themselves in between trying everything they could to temp a few to bite. It started off well enough especially for Ben in “Beach” he slipped up a couple on the very first night up to low 30s. Then the wait was on……Rob entertained himself not only with copious amounts of beer but by asking Bailif Phil obscure questions daily to test his sanity and boundaries. These questions went from being down right weird to…well….just plain awkward….to his delight hahaha. Rob lives in a world where the boundary line is way way behind him, he jumps way over it and he had me in stitches the entire week. There was however a bit more action from these three towards the end of the week, Rob somehow picked up a fish in his “sober” state in the form of a 32lb common and Ben slipped up “The Duchess” A new 40lber at 43lb common on the last night. These 3 are all well accomplished anglers and to pull even these results showed their skill levels. Well done guys it was honestly a pleasure to have been abused and entertained by you hahaha, till next time, so long………..
Well in conclusion a week of 109 yes…..109 fish, some had red letter sessions some had to really work at it but PB’s were broken and one things for sure everybody left with smiles and eager to return. Well done all it was a pleasure to meet you all and we shall see you all again.
Until next time guys n gals, tight lines, be lucky and bag a chunk.
Phil