Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 11/05/2024

What a day, what a week, what a venue!

This week saw 12 very eager anglers targeting our Road Lake. A few groups of friends soon turned into one by the end of the week, with some great laughs and a lot of fish too.

First in line we have an annual visitor, Jacob O’Connor. After coming out 8th in the draw Jacob got himself into what recently had been a swim in poor form, Tea Party 1. Starting off fishing 21 wraps towards Turtles Corner, Jacob put out a good bed of bait to get him started consisting of Royal Marine boilie, house pellet and maize, all glugged in salmon oil. Jacob started the week off just how he carried it on having 8 in his first 24 hours including two 40lbers ‘Rio’ at 40lb and ‘Castro’ at 41lb 6oz what a start! Keeping the bait going in after each fish and putting 3 solid bags out all soaked in Buttercorn goo with Edge pellet Hookbaits or Scent from hell wafters in yellow, Jacob was getting consistent bites all throughout the week, mainly coming in the daytime and they were clearly reacting to his spomb. With his biggest fish being ‘Big Pecs’ at 58lb at its biggest weight, which also got him on the wall, this was only 1 of 3 50’s having ‘Frankie’ at 53lb and ‘The Long Common’ at 51lb 1oz Jacob ended the week with over 40 fish and even had 2 of the same ones twice. So in the words of the man himself “What a day, what a week, what a venue!”

Next up we have Jack Webb-Olley who came out 5th in the draw and chose to go in Tea Party 2. Jack spent his week fishing 21 wraps towards the far bank fishing 3 spinner rigs either on slow sinking maize or 12mm Northern Specials in yellow, while baiting up using Cell and Link boilie along with our house maize and hemp. Jack was soon off the mark after having 5 in his first 24 hours including ‘Vouvray’ at 40lb along with ‘Jupiter’ at 20lb and 3 other 20lbers, another good start. Sticking to what was working, Jack worked his swim well all week and managed 2 more 40’s in the shape of ‘Cooky’ at 42lb 8oz and ‘Walkers’ at 41lb on the last morning, and the amazing old mirror ‘Bite Mark’ at 37lb. Jack ended his trip on 33 fish again having fish react to his spomb, frequently getting bites while he was at it. 

Ethan Wellerman is next who came out last in the draw and chose to go in The Cage but soon moved next door and stayed in Dunkerque. Ethan started fishing 16 wraps at the dot island with two rods and one 9 wraps at Decoy. Ethan went with a boilie only approach using Mainlines Isofish and was fishing D-rigs with “out the bag” hookbaits. Ethan only had to wait until Monday to get his first fish and a great first fish it was with ‘Stubby’ at 53lb and a new PB! Unfortunately Ethan only managed a couple of our smaller fish for the future for the rest of the week but was happy with his new personal best and went home happy. 

Over in Turtles Corner this week we had Joe Clements who was on his second trip of the year and I’m sure he would be happy to repeat his first. Ball 1 was the perfect start and he wasted no time in going straight back in where he left off in March back in Turtles. Armed with the knowledge from his previous trip, Joe targeted the same spots fishing 22 wraps at the dotted island and 14 up the treeline baiting with tinned corned and Creamino boilie along with house pellet and fish 3 spinner rigs over the top baited with Gigantica special Isotonic hookbaits. Another good start for Joe landing 5 fish in his first 24 hours up to 37lb 1oz. Using the bank along the treeline, Joe was baiting up tight to the margin and fishing in the shallower water on his shorted spot and had steady bites all week landing 30 fish in total his biggest being ‘The Model’ at 45lb 12oz along with ‘Sherlock’ at 43lb 9oz. Another successful trip for Joe and we look forward to your next. 

Next up is Chris ‘Filters’ Abbott who came out 9th in draw and went in Dunkerque for the first night but after seeing fish down the other end of the lake moved down into ‘The Poo’. Chris started off with a good bed of bait putting out a bucket of Mainline active and house pellet and maize, fishing 14 wraps out in front with 2 rods and 18 at Shingles. Chris managed his first fish on Sunday night landing a 28lb common and a nice scaley known as ‘Cassidy’ at 28lb 2oz the move had paid off. Chris’s bites were 1 a night after that landing another 3 with ‘Amphibian’ at 39lb ‘Last Chance’ at 41lb and ‘Leah’s’ at 39lb another swim that hadn’t produced many fish for a while but Chris had managed to get the best out of it. Chris was fishing solid bags with slow sinking maize or Mainline wafters.

Jack Wetton came out ball number 6 this week and chose to go in Decoy, a swim that has been in good form of late. Fishing 16 wraps down towards the bund with 2 of his rods and 18 at Dunkerque with his other, Jack had to wait until Tuesday night for his first fish being a 30lber during the night but unfortunately chose not to keep it for photos. With his first fish coming from the spot towards the bund, Jack decided to go a bit heavier with the bait putting a good spread out of Mainline Link and house maize. With no luck Wednesday night Jack stuck to his spots and managed to land two Thursday night, with one being ‘Huckleberry’ at 45lb a character of a fish with no anal fin, and an unnamed common at 31lb 8oz. Unfortunately that was it for Jack on this trip but he left very eager to come back. Jack had all 3 of his fish from his bund spot fishing Northern Specials on spinner rigs.

Across in Shingles this week we had Darren Protthord who was here for his first trip with us. Darren had a good lead around on Saturday and settled with 2 spots fishing 18 towards the dot island with 1 rod and 2 rods fishing 16 wraps to the right of Tea Party 1. Baiting up with Royal Marine glugged boilie and house maize, Darren managed his first carp on the early hours of Tuesday morning having ‘Ron’s Common’ at 39lb and a smaller resident at 16lb then followed up with 2 more Wednesday morning at 35lb and 26lb all coming on Scent from Hell yellow hookbaits. We look forward to your next trip Darren, hopefully you both manage one next time.

Tim Baillie was here for his second trip of the year this week after a successful trip on the Main Lake and found himself in Double Boards after coming out ball 10. Tim was only with us for 4 days this trip due to other commitments sound had to make the most of his time. Fishing solid bags using the Creamino bag mix and slow sinking maize on his rig, Tim baited up with 5kg of mixed house pellet and particle at 15.5 wraps towards The Poo with two rods and 1 9 wraps down his right hand margin. Early hours of Monday morning was Tim’s first bite having ‘Boyle’ at 38lb so Tim put another 5kg out and reset his rods after dinner. Unfortunately Tim lost his next bite and had to return home early hours Wednesday so that was it for him this trip but we look forward and wish you luck on your next trip in October.

And last but certainly no means least we have Myles ‘Gone Fishing’ Holloway who brightened up everyone’s week this week with his character. Myles found himself in The Birches this week after coming out late in the draw. Concentrating 2 of his rods At 18 wraps towards Billy’s and one at 13.5 to his left, Myles was baiting up using house pellet, maize and chopped boilie. Myles’s first bite came Tuesday with a fish of 28lb and his second and last carp of the week was one known as ‘Hurcules’ at 39lb, a fitting name. Unfortunately Myles didn’t pick anymore up but thoroughly enjoyed his week. 

All in all a very good week, some great fish coming out and a great bunch of anglers on too. It was a pleasure to look after all of them and I look forward to the guys returning. 

Roll on next week,

Tight Lines.

Greg

Team Gigantica