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Bailiff Comments
Week Commencing: Sat 14/08/2021
With Friday the 13th looming and 13 anglers on Road lake was it a bad omen!!?????
Of course it wasn’t but with over 230 fish captured the previous week surely the lads would have their work cut out to get into those sort of numbers. The start of the week saw high temperatures into the 30s with a change coming on the Monday bringing some rain and northerly winds. Could a full lake keep the fish moving? Would they continue to feed with gusto? Sit tight, grab a brew, pop your feet up as we take you on a tale of “The Road Lake” and all things carpy………………
One thing that was clear especially from the walk round was that that fish were “EVERYWHERE” Of course the hot pegs from the previous week saw signs of carp but also the areas that weren’t fished saw allot of action too jumping on cue whilst bailiff Phil was pointing out spots to fish.
Over in “New Beach” we have a young gentleman who guys by the name of Ben Mitchell, Ben is a regular visitor to Gigantica who you would usually find over on the “Main Lake” but with the option to jump over to “Road Lake” this week the challenge was on!!..... I think it’s safe to say that ben was “ON” the fish. As per usual at this time of year they were stacked up boshing in front of the bund but those that know this swim know that you can’t fish all the way over to them. With the snags in front of it 21 wraps is as close as you can safely fish and Ben chose this distance to the “Three Tits” treeline marker. The chosen plan of attack was 2 on the bottom and 1 on a zig as the previous week had proved they could be caught in abundance up in the water. 12 foot with black foam and spombing over the top saw instant action and Ben was having a good old pasty mission. One thing to be said about Road Lake is that you may have to sometimes wade through the smaller ones to get to the bigger ones and Ben certainly did that!! Bens 1 zig and 2 bottom rods into the one area worked really well as he caught as the bait slowly fell through the water on the zig but it also baited up the bottom bait rods at the same time. Plenty of Mainline Link and Cell, maize and pellet was the key to success. D-rig hook presentation with baitworks yellow wafters and match the hatch Snowman presentation were the key to the lock, then on Wednesday it happened, a beauty of a fish named “The Jewel” came for a cuddle at 46lb. All went quiet for 24 hours then until on the Friday back came the time of the zig with 2 cracking captures back to back. The call came in there was a lump in the net and a lump it was, “Hansen” had got a bit Ziggy with it and sprang the scales to 52lb 12oz then to make it even more of a memorable moment whilst in the swim “Lovin Life” joined the party at 45lb 4oz. All in all a really good week with a top lad, some awesome memories to keep forever and some stunners caught too…………
Ahhhhhh “Decoy” you gotta love this swim, one of the most consistent swims on the lake id have to say and who did we have in here this week…? Jamie “toothless” Curtis that’s who! Now it was clear from the off we were going to have a good week with this character! A laugh a minute was had and I have to say he had a very healthy appetite at meal times, sometimes seconds just wasn’t enough hahaha. Jamie had drawn “A Flyer” though with the previous week doing over 60 fish could it keep up these kind of results? Jamie certainly had a good go, catching from the off!! Nothing complicated on the rig side of things spinners with the new Korda Klaw hooks in size 4 but 2 Baitworks PineapHell barrel wafters as a hookbait seemed to do the trick nicely off the deck. 16 wraps down the bund as usual with 2 rods and the 1 out in front on the 18 wrap spot towards cage. Bites did come from all areas and the switch to a hinge stiff rig again with the pineapple popup brought about the odd bigger fish. Jamie smashed it and banked 44 fish all fishing over plenty of Mainline Link and Cell with pellet and maize with a few secret lotions and potions thrown in for good measure. A 43lber on the first night was the sign that things were going to be a good week in the form of “After Work” and work it was!!!! Just because there are fish in front of you doesn’t always mean you’re going to catch them. You still have to put that effort in and Jamie nailed it after a couple of days he had a routine and knew when bite times were going to come then made the most of the opportunities!! “Long Common” at 47lb was the biggest for Jamie but I think his favourite had to be “Pac-man” at 40lb, we had only been talking about the fish the day before and then he went and bagged it. Well done on an awesome week and we shall see you again soon !!!!!!!..........
Next up we have a family affair with the Brogdens, Dennis Sr, Jr, Steven and Charlie all came for their first time to Gigantica so first stop we shall have a trip to Charlie over in “Double Boards”
Charlie thought his luck was out when he drew 13th in the draw but still had a good choice of where he would like to fish for the week and chose “Double Boards”. There had been allot of fish showing especially down in the right hand margins so that was the plan of attack at 7 wraps and then out into open water with the other 2 rods at 14 wraps. The sun was blistering for the first few days and unfortunately over there there is no getting out of it. After purchasing a bivvy fan stocking up on water and mozzi repellent the attack was on. The action was steady but mainly with smaller fish that he got to give a name too but it wasn’t until the Wednesday early hours that something bigger happened. The call came through that something rather large was sulking in the sling. The trip was made at half past midnight to see a stunning common languishing in the sling. Those spinner rigs certainly have allot of explaining to do accompanied with the newly stocked Mainline Cell!!! ;). After photos and a few high fives “Polly” at a weight of 41lb 12oz was safely released back into her watery heaven. Charlie is no stranger to big fish as he runs a boat fishing for huge tuna and marlin etc now maybe our fish don’t grow to those sizes, but they fight just as hard pound for pound :D………well done mate great patience and next time im sure a few more of the bigger end will fancy a pic or two!!….
Steven Brogden was camped up in “Birches” where he initially set out to fish out at 18 wraps to the bar with 3 rods, Mainline Cell in 15mm and 18mm and maize and hemp mix with pellets made up the mix to fish over and regular introduction of around 5 k a day was the initial approach. A fish on the second evening saw Stevens week start with a beautiful mirror named “Billys Scaly” only a 20lber but beauty in miniature all the same. It was over the first 2 days that Steven noticed that the fish were showing allot closer in slightly to his left. A sneaky switch over to this area saw something rather special happen !! A Team fish “Mable” only went and snaffled up his Cell snowman hookbait on the spinner rig didn’t it.!!!!! Mable which actually went into the 60lb category in the winter this last year but down in weight she went and smashed Stevens PB at a weight of 52lb. As if that wasn’t enough Steven stuck to the spot and on the following evening caught a fish that hasn’t been seen for 5 years “Kulture Klub” at 40lb. More fish graced his net over the rest of the week with consistent baiting and lots of patience. Great week Steven your watercraft was “Top Knotch” (see what I did there) , great angling and we eagerly await the next visit!!......
To complete the family, we have Dennis Senior and Dennis Junior. I’m going to group these together as they decided to fish in “Goo” and “Poo” and both set out to fish the same distance out at 14 wraps. There were definitely fish there on the walk round boshing out right on the area. Both fishing on the good old faithful Spinner Rigs with wafters, double SSM and cell snowmen throughout the week. It was Junior who had first blood on the second evening with a stunning mirror that goes by the name of “Wage Packet” at a weight of 30lb 8oz. Things went quiet then for a few days with both swims but the fish were still active they just seemed to be avoiding being captured. I think the reason being mainly they were up in water but plod on they both did. Still keeping the faith, they carried on topping up the swims with maize and hemp, pellet and Mainline Cell Boilies. Then Goo added another upper 20 common to the tally and Senior in Goo went and opened up his account for the week with a small mirror. Both stayed positive and stuck to it, I always say if you stick to the plan at some point in the week you will have the fish on you and guess what? The very last night it happened. The call came that Dennis Senior had a lump in the net!!!! As I arrived he had also just lost another lump which was a shame but what was in the retainer was a beauty!!....... Equalling his PB, “Big Bob” was held up for the camera at an impressive 47lb 8oz, the double SSM doing the bite once again. This was the last bit of action for the week and typical the fish turned up on the last night. It was a pleasure having the 4 of you for the week and we eagerly await your return……………..
Now our journey takes us into a world of PBs smashed, lots of mozzi attacks, plenty of banter and even a fish slap or two!!!!!
Brian “fish slap” Tuck took the far journey with his gear to “Turtles”, but where to fish!!! Sexy margins to the left?? Open water?? Short margins to the right?? Well, Brian went for the open water out at 21 wraps. He had obviously spotted something out there as it didn’t take him very long to put a fish on the bank. In actual fact he was first off the mark when the call came in that he had 2 possible 30s for photos. We will never know what the first common was as it made a bid for freedom when transferring to the sling haha, but the seconds common was a character of a fish name “Joes Common’ at 35lb 8oz, WHAT A START! Feeding “Mainline Link”, maize and pellet but fishing with “Boss Baits” wafters the Cotswold club mix had started the session off to a flyer. On the second evening “TJ” came for a cuddle at 47lb, what a mirror she is but then things slowed down a touch!! Very similar to how “Goo and Poo” did, again I believe the fish went up in the water with the change in the weather and pressure. Brian still banked a slow trickle of fish through the week, but the bigger ones had had their time with him at the beginning. The funniest thing ever happened on the last evening. Whilst Brian was videoing the capture of a mid 20 mirror he got one hell of a slap from it. Unfortunately for Brian im pretty handy at editing videos so take a look on the facebook page for a full-on fish slap video. A pleasure as always my friend see you soon………….
From one Brian to another Bryan over in “Tea Party 1”, Bryan Mills chose to go in this very popular swim, again so many choices on how to approach it as you can fish the middle of the bowl towards Turtles at around the 18 to 21 wraps or the church spire at 16 wraps, marginal shelfs, ooooo those decisions. Bryan chose to do both, 2 rods out at 18 wraps and 1 out at 16. It was a tough old week for Bryan, it did take a couple of days for the alarm to scream off but scream it did in the form of a 30lb 4oz Mirror named “The Duke” but the mission was on for a PB, I mean why else do we come haha. After a couple of days the call came for a chunk in the net, was this a PB. “Le Flair” was languishing in the net and looking very plumpy!! She span the scales to 42lb and that was mission completed and a good soaking was in order !!!!...... These were the highlight fish of the week for Bryan the Mainline Link, pellet and maize mix doing the business once again!.............
We had new guests this week but also some seasonal regulars and they don’t come more loyal than John “one spomb” Daly who had taken up residence this week in “Tea Party 2” One thing that I admire about John is his confidence, he just knows what works for him and whats worked in the past and plods on. I tell you what his track record with the bigguns is pretty impressive too!! Now after falling in bushes off his chair on the very first night (was this beer related?) it didn’t seem like the best start to the trip but after a good nights sleep and some porridge in the morning it was like the incident had never happened lol. John chose to fish out at 14 wraps to the left of the dot island which you can tell is something hes done before. Directly in front of Tea Party 2 the lake narrows and by fishing this side you are fishing in the main bowl and not the cut through, very clever John!!! It wasn’t a massive haul of fish for John but yet again he bagged a few lovely fish!!!! “Krak Off” was the first bigger one at 38lb 4oz, a beautiful mirror!!..... A few more doubles and low 20s later it happened!! He went and bagged a chunk didn’t he!! Putting all the lads to shame “Diamond Geezer” wanted to have a photo with Uncle John at a lovely weight of 48lb 4oz, what a unit. Match the hatch style fishing, “Mainline Link” and CCM wafters over the top of a bed of boilie with the odd spomb of maize over the top doing the business, well done John a pleasure as always you always give us all a good laugh and good luck next week as you do a double stint here on the road lake!!!...........
Another newcomer to the “Road Lake” this week was Lee Mcglone who opted to fish in “Shingles”, Lee opted to fish out at 18 wraps towards the dot island and got off to a flyer with a beauty of a mirror “Cassidy” at 29lb 8oz and then went and smashed his PB on the opening night !!!!!! “Lovin Life” took a fancy to his wafter hookbait presented on a D-Rig and span the scales around to 45lb 12oz!!!!!! What an amazing start, but Lee had to wait a full 24 hours before the next bite. Lee had quite a bit of night time action and slower in the days as at 4am on the 16th “Darky” at 45lb 4oz decided she wanted a photo shoot. 2 40s on your first trip aint to shabby my friend. Another few doubles for the week but the main action was there, and you took advantage when the fish were on you good angling…………
Tom “Daddy long kneck” Griffiths ….. oh the names we all have for you my friend lol, well I think it’s safe to say you were a little upset not to get in your beloved favourite swim but “Brambles” certainly isn’t a swim to be sniffed at my friend. After some stern words and a bit of crying I think you settled your head to attacking it as it should be done. 18 wraps straight out onto the bar with all 3 rods and plenty of bait in the form of “Mainline Link” maize and pellet and fishing a variety of snowmen and wafters and SSM over the top. The action wasn’t relentless for the week and I have a feeling you were so close to something special with all the effort you put in. A few fish now have new names down to yourself “Shalom” 24lb 8oz and “John Pierre”22lb 8oz capture of the week for yourself was “The Oaf” 36lb another common but what a beauty she was. It wasn’t meant to be on this session pal but I think you are owed a monster on the next trip !!!!................
The last 2 guys to complete this weeks catch report and we will start with Eddy Sproule originally started out in “Bacheliers” a very popular swim that has so many carpy features, it commands so much of the left hand side of the lake, marginal features, open water, long distance far margin features and close in right hand marginal fishing. Eddy chose to fish the open water but after 2 days just wasn’t feeling it. After no fish he decided to have a move to “Billys” The only thing with Billys at the moment is you have to share the swim with the mozzis the peg is still a little water logged so it is attracting them in swarms but every credit to him he stuck it out and stocked up on the mozzi spray and coils. Eddy hit it off straight away!!! Guess what his first fish was !!!! A new PB!!! WAHAY!!!! A 36lb mirror named “Quaver” so that’s a soaking due, he carried on fishing the overhanging tree and receiving bites landing plenty of the smaller stock until a few days later he did it again !!!! Another PB in the form of “Lady Lucy” not only a PB Common but Eddy also got to name her!!!!!! The SSM doing the business on this occasion over Link, maize and hemp and pellet. Eddy also fished out into the open picking up fish fishing with solid bags casting to showing fish. The double soaking was hilarious for you my friend we can’t wait to have you back………………
My fingers are sore, my brain is tired but here we go with the final angler for this weeks report !!! Another mover as Graham Mapplethorpe originally started in “Billys” but as big as Graham is he isn’t as manly as Eddy and after crying about the mozzis he made a move into “Dunkerque” where they were less intrusive haha. Fishing out at 15 wraps to the rock Graham saw action quickly in the form of a 24lb mirror name “Afterbite” which he very aptly named lol. “Mainline Link” again with the maize, hemp and pellet and plenty of it. Snowman rigs with wafter and snowmen presentations from Boss baits were the preferred method. The bites came regularly after that but a call at midnight and an excited Graham on the 17th with the possibility of a PB the bike ride was on. It was even worth the puncture on the way back as “Cracker” at 40lb made sure Graham was getting a soaking !!!!! massive congrats to you mate. This was to be the only lump apart from those mozzis that Graham was to capture but plenty of doubles and low 20s made the week a very enjoyable one……..
Well that’s all she wrote!!!! So many funny moments, soaking wet anglers, banter and general amazing times. Over 120 fish between you all and it was a pleasure to look after you all. Here’s to lots more weeks in the near future.
Until next time guys n gals, tight lines, be lucky and bag a chunk.
Phil