Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 18/10/2025

The Wizard of Oz

Following last weeks capture of the king of the lake Hanson at a massive 69lb and 38 fish coming from Turtles Corner, Lets see how the new set of fresh faced anglers faired. 

Lets get straight in to the action with Kevin Frambach. After a great draw coming out ball 2 Kev decided to slot himself in Turtles Corner after a good hit of carp last week and it producing very good numbers and weights this year. This was a first time out at Big G! And he was going in big and not messing about with the baiting approach, 10kg of hemp and 10 kg of maize ordered as soon as the draw was done along with 5kg of house pellet and his own 14mm and 18mm fishmeal boilie. The plan was to keep the carp in his water with a heavy and accurate baiting approach, Fishing out towards the dot island and slight right at 21 wraps.  The rigs for the week would be a multi combi rig along with a spinner rig, fishing a 15mm cell wafter. After getting set up on Saturday and leading about it wasn’t until Sunday just before dinner when the baiting strategy worked. His first bite was in the net with ‘Bobby’ 30lb 8oz. Into Monday afternoon and plenty of fish showing in the area it was to no surprise Kev was away again with ‘Raoul’ 35lb backing it up with a few lower 20 commons which he slipped back wanting the big girls. Sticking to the same tactic was getting the numbers up on Tuesday afternoon another 4 were in the net in quick succession the biggest being ‘Frigo’ 32lb 10oz. Just before dinner and just after dinner was bite time, From Thursday Kev decided not to come for dinner and it was a great decision landing another 4 through dinner time two lower 20s along with ‘Illona’ 32lb 8oz and his biggest of the week, and a stunner in ‘Mr Miyagi 39lb 14oz. That was Kevin done for the week and was really unlucky not to get into some of the big chunks on the pond landing 17 carp. See you back at the Big G in a couple of weeks when you tackle the road lake again chasing the big carps! Well done mate. 

Next up across the pond we have friend of Kevin’s, Vince Leopold. Coming out 2nd in the draw Vince decided to go with Tea Party 2. Commanding a big part of the angling lately this was a wise decision. Straight out at 24 wraps. Vince went with a different baiting approach, House pellet with 16mm fishmeal and 18mm Cell boilie, Spombing for majority of the session adding in the throwing stick which produced Hanson last week. This was also Vince’s first trip out, Would he get into any of the big girls? He was off the mark on Sunday with a 37lb common and a stunner it was! Caught on his forever faithful Spinner rig with a soft braided hair and a straight point size 6. Personally I love this rig and think its a game changer. Into Monday with the pellet and boilie flowing in nicely Vince was away again with ‘Splash’ 44lb 8oz with a early morning bite! Would he get into any of the big big girls. With a slight weather change of a lot of rain, Most regulars know this can pay a massive part of the bites slowing down which it did. However Vince  sat it out patiently  slowing the baiting approach knowing not alot wasn’t coming out and advising him as soon as the weather changed he would start picking them off again. This was the case landing his biggest of the session in ‘Krak off’ 48lb 4oz. Big fish weather ? It was a few smaller residents of the road lake in the net for the next couple of days. However Come Thursday it was his chance for a larger fish, wish myself in the swim having a chat he was away, a slow take usually the sign of a big girl, Waders on and into the water Vince went fighting the carp away from the bolders. Epic battle and played it brilliantly, First 50 from the Road Lake for Vince? Of course! Landing ‘Big Scale’ 51lb and another new 50 for the water! Top Angling mate!  A great way to finish off the week. 10 landed going back to Germany. Cracking effort vince, See you back soon!   

Back after a unsuccessful trip in march we have Sam Vandermark coming out 6th in the draw, Sam gambled by going in The Decoy after form not being great of late. The advice ive been given out lately in the swims that aren’t producing the bites away from the pack off fish is to fish as light as possible, no spombing, minimal bait and pulling the rods in during the days. Sam’s tactic would be solid bags with one grain of yellow slow sinking maize, 14 wraps at the beach. Fishing just the nights giving himself the best possible chance of a bite when the fish have been moving. What a great tactic this turned out to be. Early hours Sunday morning he was away with a chunk aswell! ‘Long Common’ 53lb 14oz. A new PB in the net, sam was absolutely buzzing. It was the same approach again for Sunday evening bags at 14 wraps at The Beach with no bait. With the rods set after dinner it was looking grim, no carp showing into darkness when they have been the most active, With deep waters on the road some times this isn’t a bad thing. Early hours Monday morning it was a slow take. Could this be another chunk in the net!? After breaking his PB once already he was at it again with ‘TJ’ 60lb 14oz mega carp! A new top weight for this fish and sam getting himself up on the road lake wall! No one bites came after this, but you cant complain with breaking your PB not once but twice in the same week. Brilliant approach sam and we shall see you next time to go one better ?

Over the other side of the pond we have Louis lapschies and his partner travelling from Germany also his first trip to Gigantica. Coming out 8th in the draw and selecting the famous Beach swim knowing theres always chances of bites in there what ever the form. The tactic again was very simple, Solid bags with half a dumbell wafter topped with the ever faithful yellow slow sinking maize. Fishing 15 wraps at The Decoy and 15 wraps at the life buoy. 14-18mm Fishmeal boilie with the throwing stick was the baiting approach, with around 20-30 baits on each spot, not lots of bait but just enough to get the carp feeding and interested outside of the swims that have been hauling. Straight into the action it was for Louis on the first night, with ‘Boilier 29lb 8oz. The tactic had worked with this again like decoy not producing much of late. Early hours he was at it again… this time a much bigger fish from the life ring, 2nd bite at the Big G with a  50! ‘The Tish’ 50lb cracking common! After this Louis didn’t get into anymore, but putting that light approach out when the carp did move up there defiantly worked. Well done mate hopefully you will get back here in the future!

Next up we have Nate Riley also out on his first trip out to Gigantica road lake. Coming out 5th in the draw Nate decided to go in to Billy’s with last week ended up on 3 fish on the last night. After having a good detailed chat with Nate and telling him a lot of the smaller residents of the pond have been coming from his far margin, and knowing that the bigger fish have came from in front of the swim in recent times he opted to fish the open water for that chunk . Setting the marker up at 18 wraps, baiting it with the throwing stick with a good spread on the first night with 3kg of fishmeal boilie consisting of 15mm and 18mm. The rigs for the week would be a multi combi rig with a match the hatch boilie on two rods topped with slow sinking maize toppers. With maize dominating the lake in recent years Nate also went simple but affective fishing a spinner rig with 2 grains of yellow slow sinking maize. Well what a start Nate got off too. Off I went on the famous scooter to drop the break around to the chaps Nate had 2 slinged up. The tactic had worked a treat! The first a smaller smaller common at 19lb, and a fish of a life time so far for Nate absolutely smashing his PB, he had ‘Broken Tail’ 50lb! Epic mate and a very well done! Also not to mention a top soaking from his mate also on the lake! Into monday night and Nate was in again with ‘Covid’ 33lb 4oz. That spread of boilie was really slipping them up. Nate went on to land ‘ The Slothien’ 19lb. Topping the number to 4 for the week! Proper gentleman is Nate, hopefully see you back out here in the future, Well angled sir! Ohh…. Next time lets keep the bivvy on the deck

Coming out 12th in the draw we have Road Lake regular Luke Williams along with his partner . Luke has had some very impressive sessions here at big G, catching some of the real monster on the road lake including All about that hat. Coming out ball 12 is never kind but with Bacheliers still available luke was happy with his swim selection. After reading up on catch reports and a good chat with me it was the short spot at 14.5 wraps at the red roof to the church spire. The plan is to allow the carp to feel happy in the out of bounds with no pressure and allowing them to come out when ready to feed in the night which has mainly been the bite times this year. Lukes tactic for the week his trusted spinner rigs with match the hatch Boilie a 10mm fishmeal with a little house hemp and maize as the bait strategy. With some surprise and relief for Luke he was away on the first morning early hours of around 3am with ‘ Lets have it’ 36lb 8oz. It was a slow week in bacherliers with all of fish coming from turtles area and the Tea party. However Luke stuck to the plan and managed too land one more being his the biggest of the week in ‘ Twin Patch’ 48lb. A tough week for Luke but managed to grab himself a few to go home with. Good effort!

We also had rise of the foot soilder legend Big George Jenkins land 3 upto 37lb in Tea Party 1 giving the carp plenty of boilie. Over in Dunkerque we had Dec Robe managing to get himself ‘Kaena’ 31lb 12oz, a better man than me mate as I blanked in there for 3 nights the week before, but what do I know ? In The Birches we had Scott Bassett back out after a march trip land 3, biggest being ‘Eutopia’ 42lb 10oz on the first night just solid bag fishing, Cracking effort Scott. Finally we have the young man himself back on his second trip Josh Nicholls. Josh set himself up in The Shingles for the week, Also getting off the mark midweek with a new PB ‘Kenwood’ 37lb 4oz. Great effort josh and well done on the PB, Backing that up with a 35lb stunning mirror which decided to do the off with water shots! 

All in all a cracking week on the road lake 47 carps landed. Some great memories made and some even better banter. One of my favourite weeks of the year. Well done all on the efforts. Thats me heading back home to Costa del kidderminster now until December. Will the carp finally move or will they stay in the triangle ? 

Tight Lines, 

Tom 

Team Gigantica