Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 03/07/2021

Juuuuust the two of us (cracking song)...... with an empty lake and the fish clearly at one end the challenge was on!!!!!!!..............

Ohhhhh the “Road Lake” can be a little tinker at this time of year. The fish really do love that bund by New Beach so with just the nights to our disposal I challenged Jason Van Der Merwe to see if we could get them going in a different area so that the fish got moving about. Tea Party 1 and Tea Party 2 were the two swims chosen, of course we would be having a social and talking all things carpy in the evenings, but our heads were in the game and the challenge was on, even a little wager was in place. Most fish and biggest fish........so who’s your money on?............

It’s Sunday the 4th of July and we decided to start, the spots chosen were as follows, I was to fish 18 wraps towards Turtles 3 rods tight together in “Tea Party 1” and Jason to fish 19.5 wraps to the left of the dot island in “Tea Party 2”. The idea for these spots were to try and home the fish in and bounce them between us as the spots were roughly 5 wraps away from each other. We agreed to spomb at the same time and do everything together, so the disturbance was kept to a minimum. Initially we deposited about 10 kilos of maize, hemp, pellet and Mainline Link boilies out onto the designated areas and fish different hook baits over the top to see what they preferred. I opted for a double SSM, 15mm Pineapple pop up and a 18mm link bottom bait with a 12mm pineapple pop up all on Spinner Rigs. Jason chose very similar opting for 2 SSM and the link snowman again all on Spinners. After only 5 minutes after depositing such a large amount of bait at 8pm Jason was away with a mid 30 Mirror but unfortunately the hook hold was just on the outside of the lips so she was slipped back and this didn’t count towards the prizes (sorry pal ha-ha) an hour later I was away landing the first fish of the challenge with an upper double uncaught common on the link snowman. Further action in the night saw a low 20 also grace my net taking me 2 nil into the lead and the signs were looking good for the week. Steady baiting till midnight seemed to be doing the trick.  

The following couple of nights seemed to result in the same routine Jason’s side seemed to dry up after he landed a clonking 32lb grass carp that beat him up but I would seem to get on average 2 chances a night but most fish being around the high 20 mark. Those bigger ones had to be around here somewhere. I had changed all rods to link snowman now with different toppers but the pineapple was winning the race every time. On the Tuesday night something bigger decided to grace the bank in form of “Nailed” a gorgeous 47lb Common. Of course it was from myself and this fish not only was winning me the prize fund in the biggest fish category but I had banked the most as well! Drinks are on me!!!!!!.........

Wednesday evening, I will remember for a long time not just in the fishing stakes as I managed to bank another 2 mid 20s but it was 23.00 by the time we got to the swims, why you ask? Well of course the mighty England decided to beat Denmark taking us into the finals of the Euros! What a night it was the voices were very croaky the next day. 

We decided to change the baiting plan, maybe they were holding back from the disturbance of the spomb every half hour. So, a change from the midi to the large spomb and 10 initial deposits of bait and then sit on it. In similar fashion to the first take from Jason 5 minutes after the last cast saw my right-hand rod tighten and a fish start to kite away to the right. I’m so glad Jason was there to land it as it was a maniac in the margins. A 37lb 12oz grass carp decided she wanted a cuddle with me so I duly obliged. Jason decided to join back in again in the early hours of the morning hitting back with a low 20 mirror, but I was way ahead in all stakes which took us into the final evening!!!!!

When there’s money at stake there’s no friendship and he left me yes! LEFT ME....... Seeking the only place that gave him the chance to catch me up he headed off to “New Beach” for the final night! He needed 5 fish to draw level and got off to a flyer with a low 20 common gobbling up his black foam zig on a yellow aligner out at 21 wraps. The fish were boshing everywhere down there and I have to say I was a tad nervous. 2 hours later my nerves were shot as he had only bagged another 2 fish, a 31lb common and a bloody 48lb common! The common coming to the link snowman so both methods now working. Not only had he now taken the biggest fish stakes, but it was a PB Common. Massive congratulations mate, the move has paid off, a tactic change introducing a zig and only 2 fish in it now with the evening still to go but could he catch me up. You know the answer don’t you! Yes that “Belgian Sniper” went on to add 4 more fish to his tally so 7 fish in 1 night and even added another clonking 48lb common known as “The Wedge” again to the link snowman. He came from behind adapted his approach, changed swims and took a northerners 10 euros. It was a bitter pill to swallow as the fish had moved out of Tea Party 1 but we had a great week of evening sessions and on this occasion Mr Jason Van Der Merwe was the winner.

Every peg in Road Lake will produce on any given week with good angling and tight fishing but this week’s session only goes to show to make the most of when the fish are on you and the runs can be exhausting. The light is shining bright now for anglers to come and enjoy the delights of Gigantica and we are buzzing to have full lakes again over here.

Till next time guys and gals, tight lines, be lucky and bag a chunk.

Phil.