Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 20/06/2020

And......they’re off!! After the ten-week lockdown, we could finally open the gates again at Gigantica. The weather was set to be pretty warm with daytime temperatures up in the high twenties and mid-teens through the night. Mainly Easterly winds were forecast for the week, and with only a few anglers booked on, they would at least have the scope to move around if the fish gave themselves away and things were a bit quiet.

Martin Syring joined us from Germany and following the advice of Andy the Bailiff, he dropped into The Decoy swim. Fish were evident in numbers down towards the bund, so he chose to fish two rods down to the bund and one towards the corner of The Cage at 18 wraps. After getting settled in on Saturday, he was away at first light on Sunday morning with a pretty double figure Common. A simple running rig baited with two grains of maize got him the first bite of many. 

Bait for the week was a mix of Mainline Cell and Cockbaits Pennyfish boilies which he mixed with our maize and pellet. Over the two spots each day, he introduced 8kg to get the fish rooting around. The tactic was a success and during the week Martin landed a brilliant 21 fish. The best of the bunch came on Tuesday morning shortly after first light, when a steady take on his white Banoffee Pop-Up cast towards the bund was picked up by “Big Mac” which span the scales around to 55lb 8oz and gave Martin a New PB. All in all, a great week for Martin, who fished well and had bites every day.

Tom Griffiths had an unexpected result, when he came with his mate as a guest on the Main Lake, but jumped on the Road as there was space, and he was lent some tackle. Turtle Corner was the swim of choice, and Tom started off fishing with two rods out front at 18 wraps and one across to the left-hand margin. Surprisingly, the open water seemed to be devoid of fish during the day, as no bites were forthcoming and no fish were showing. Luckily, the margin rod saved the day (or night as it turned out) with Tom getting a bite most nights as the fish crept down the margin. Tom used a pellet and maize approach down the margin; baiting by hand each afternoon in readiness for the night-time bites. Hookbaits were three grains of Korda IB Slow Sinking Maize on Spinner Rigs. Unfortunately, none of the lakes’ monsters paid him a visit on this occasion, but he ended the week with five fish to high twenties. 

Gigantica regular, Deacon Olley, absconded to the Road Lake after coming out low in the draw on the Main Lake. He set up his stall in Tea Party 1 fishing two rods towards Turtles and one rod down in front of The Poo where fish were showing regularly. Bait for the week was CC Moore Pacific Tuna mixed with maize and pellet. In a similar pattern to Tom in Turtles, Deacon could not get the fish to feed on his main open water spot, despite changing hookbaits regularly. Out of the blue, he picked up a small Mirror to settle the nerves, but the action promptly dried up again. A move round to Billy’s on Wednesday saw further frustration for Deacon, when he had a bite in the right-hand corner of the swim, only for the hook to pull out. He’s back again in a few weeks, so will undoubtedly reap his revenge.

Andy the Bailiff primed his favourite swim (Bacheliers) on Sunday afternoon with 4kg of pellet, maize and a Mainline Prototype Fishmeal Boilie, then fished for three hours in the evening after work. As dusk approached, fish were showing in the area and it wasn’t long before the supercharged Mainline Link Wafter hookbait was snaffled by an unknown 33lb Common. A nice evenings’ work.

It has been great to finally have anglers back on the lake after the Lockdown. Everyone managed a bite or two and the icing on the cake was the mighty Big Mac for Martin. A brilliant week, spent in great company. Until next time boys.....

Tight Lines and Bonne Peche

Andy

Team Gigantica