Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 13/05/2023

Consistent Strong Winds can only    mean one thing and that’s BIG  Carps!

Another week on the Road Lake with customers waiting patiently at the gate whilst we get the complex ready for our new guests.

One o’clock and the gates open with our guests flooding through. To see all our guest buzzing for the week ahead always puts a smile on my face!

Let’s get this week started then….

Checking the weather forecast prior to your trip is something I always mention to all our customers as this could be key when deciding what swim you chose in the draw– whether you come out first or last;XC weather is very accurate and something I rely on in my own fishing. As expected the weather forecast predicted strong winds all week that didn’t disappoint! With the warm strong winds we always seem to see the bigger fish hit our banks.

So we start of Mark Camps AKA Campsy. Mark jumped at the chance to go straight into Decoy with the wind pushing down the bund, this was a no brainy for Campsy. Mark started to bait with Gigantica’s mix consisting of our very own cooked on site hemp/maize. The greedy carp do love this mix especially here on the Road Lakes and you can see why in the pics.

Campsy had to wait a couple of days before he got his first bite, but what a first bite this was AFTER WORK at a whopping 52lb and yes this was a new PB even if it was by ounces. As you all know we love to protect and look after our baby’s so anything over 50lb does not leave the water; with me and another bailiff on hand to do photos the rest of Campsy party were round to see what was lurking in the sling. A lovely long mirror that looked mega not only in the pics but in the water as well.

Campsy’s next bite came the following day and yet again another big Mirror waiting for its picture to be taken. Yet another PB at 53lb was a fish known as A-STAR. I love photographing our carp but also capturing the reaction of our angler’s faces when they are holding these beasts and beaming ear to ear.

Campsy didn’t stop there, with regular baiting at 16 wraps towards the bund he went on and landed another six carp biggest being 37lb, unfortunately we don’t have any photos but good steady angling will always reward you. Well done mate even though you do support Tottenham lol.

Campsy tactics for the week was solid bags fished down to the bund on pineapple wafters over a bed of essential Cell and mixed particles hemp/maize, A-STAR was caught at 18 wraps straight out on the bar on a snowman, total tally for the week was eight carp with the biggest being A-STAR AT 53LB.

Next up we have Jon Parker, Jon is well known to lakes with regular visits and fishing weeks back to back, this gives Jon the upper hand as he can see what behaviour and direction the carp are heading and the activity.  With the strong winds, Jon was very surprised by coming out late in the draw and himself with The Beach for the week, it was clear to see when delivering dinner that the carp had moved into the Beach and hugging the bund.

Jon was into his first fish on Sunday morning with a lovely common at 21lb then followed up with a mega common at 44lb just before tea. Jon was consistent with bites everyday with steady baiting at 21 wraps, this is important on the Road Lake especially if you’re on the fish To keep them in the area the key is to go in heavy with the bait, exactly what Jon did but for some reason they just weren’t getting their heads down, some could say a moody old do, but this wasn’t going to stop Jon. He kept applying the bait and was rewarded with a lovely mirror known as EDDY at 47lb 14oz then followed with another Mirror at 48lb known as SAMOS,  both fell to the famous and popular noodle rig! Jon’s final carp for the week came on the Thursday and that was to be all the action.

Jon ended up with eight carp for the week using every tactic, with heavy baiting, fishing off the spots, zig rigs at different depths but it just wasn’t to be. The carp were definitely not interested.

Bait choices were Pineapple wafter on the noodle rig and spicy squid pop ups on ronnie’s

Jon went through 30 to 40kg bait, on a normal week with fish in front of him you’d like to think he would of bagged more bites, whether the carp were getting ready to spawn we just don’t know.

Well, that’s a wrap and another week comes to an end. It’s been a tough old week on the Road with the carp not playing ball. At Gigantica our carps are something else, they don’t act like normal carp and at times just blows my mind but that’s why we always want to come back as there are some mega carp to be caught.

Yet again another great bunch of lads and it was an absolute pleasure to meet you all. Hopefully we get to see you again.

Tight Lines.

Many thanks Mike.