Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 14/09/2024

A Week of PB’s

This week saw 5 anglers break their PB which is what we love to see here at Gigantica, one even broke his twice.

First in line is Luke Williams who found himself in Shingles this week. Luke got off to a slow start this week landing a double early on in the week but then ended the week in style, having a 50 plus every day for the last 3 days. Fishing 17 wraps out towards the dot island with solid bags over a bed of house maize, using a single grain of slow sinking maize boosted with garlic goo, Luke’s first biggen was the ‘Box Mirror’ at 51lb 8oz he’d worked hard for that one. Then come the early hours of Friday morning Luke was in again this time something very special and one of the fish on our missing list, ‘All About the Hat’ the biggest common in the lake and this fish hadn’t been out since early April last year and we couldn’t wait to see it. 66lb it went and great news for Luke it was a new PB. Luke still had time for one more and after his soaking Friday evening after dinner got back to Shingles for his last night when he was awoken in the early hours to one of the biggest mirrors in the lake ‘Ron’s’ which went 63lb, what an end to the week.

Down in Bacheliers this week we had Adam Chapman who came out last in the draw and couldn’t believe his luck. Fishing 15 wraps towards the single tree on the opposite bank with all 3 rods, Adam baited with a fishmeal boilie and house maize, fishing three spinners over the top with match the hatch bottom baits topped with IB pop up corn. Adam managed to get off the mark on his first night with a couple of smaller fish then on his second broke his PB catching ‘The Jewel’ at 55lb. Keeping the bait going in little and often Adam managed another two soon after one being a 28lb common and the other one known as ‘Diamond Geezer’ at 55lb not a bad day’s fishing. Adam managed to get steady bites after that getting a larger stamp of fish catching ‘Twin Patch’ at 41lb then ‘Mia’ at 46lb then ‘The Flying Dutchman’ at 46lb 1oz.

Down the opposite end we had Nick Thomas who drew ball 2 and chose to go in The Beach. Nick spent the week fishing 23 wraps towards the middle of the bund and 24 towards the corner. Fishing SXB boilie and house maize, Nick fished spinners over the top on yellow pineapple and isotonic hook baits. Nick was soon off the mark the first night when he had a 32lb 8oz common known as ‘Relentless’ and ‘Redeye’ at 32lb stangley they were both last caught on the same day by the same angler too. Nick was then in for steady action from then on managing 6 fish by Monday, his sixth being an unnamed common now known as ‘Frigo’ his nickname when working in France named after a fridge. Come Tuesday Nick added a couple more to his tally catching ‘Cooky’ at 35lb 12oz. The biggens started to turn up later in the week on Nick when he broke his PB with ‘AJ’s’ at 44lb and his mate Ant was on standby with a bucket only to go and break it again with ‘Eye-Q’ at 54lb just intime for the PB wall. Nick ended his week on 25 fish rounding it off with a distinct carp known as ‘Arapaima’ at 34lb.

Mikey Callaghan started his week off in Brambles this week but after sitting behind motionless rods for a couple of nights and seeing action in Birches next door decided to make the move. Mikey soon managed a 32lb common known as ‘Trench Foot’ at 32lb then had to wait until the last night for his next bite but it was worth the wait as it was ‘The Jewel’ at 55lb and another new PB. Mikey’s persistence paid off both fish falling to a single piece of IB slow sinking maize in a solid bag.

Darren Walker, a returning customer, was here for a 2 week session on the road lake and spent his first week in Tea Party 1. Darren’s first bite came Monday landing a 29lb 8oz mirror then it went quiet for a couple of days until he caught two 40s Thursday morning one being ‘Nailed’ at 48lb 12oz and the other ‘The Archer’ at 47lb 3oz. Darrren caught his fish fishing solid bags with slow sinking maize over a bed of house maize at 21 wraps towards Turtles Corner.

Tucked up in Turtles Corner this week we had Mike Adams. Mike was very happy with his swim choice and set out fishing 3 rods 23 wraps towards the dot island over a bed of Cell and Link boilie mixed in with some maize. Saturday night Mike caught his first fish catching ‘Covid’ at 33lb 12oz a lovely mirror to get off the mark with, he then went on to catch two more Monday night where he had ‘Not All About The Hat’ at 42lb and another lovely mirror called ‘Wilbur’ at 39lb. Unfortunately, that was it for Mike this week. 

Down in Decoy we had Anthony who was fishing the going spot towards the bund at 18 wraps but also targeting fish he saw showing across his swim. Baiting up from the bund Anthony was using the house maize along with his own OZ SXB boilies fishing matching hook baits. It turned out to be a slow week for Anthony as only had a handful of fish but he was just happy to be here and enjoying time off with his mates. A couple of the fish he had was ‘Lou Lou’ at 39lb and ‘Prince of Darkness’ at 32lb.

Last but not least this week we have Ollie Chapman who was here alongside his brother and father celebrating his 50th birthday. Ollie fished The Poo this week and started off fishing 16 wraps towards the red roofs in the distance baiting up with a fishmeal boilie and house maize then fished 3 spinners over the top with out the bag boilies topped with yellow IB pop up corn. Ollie caught the first fish of the week being ‘Cooky’ at 37lb 3oz which was a new PB but unfortunately this was his only fish of the week. Hoping to return in the future lets hope he breaks it again. 

Great to see so many anglers going away with new personal bests this week and also great to see some of the fish that have been on the missing list show their faces. 

Roll on next week. 

Tight Lines,

Greg.