Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 24/05/2014

Water 18 plus degrees.

Weather sunny, warm followed by wet.

With the Gigantica carp looking for love we thought we might be up against it a little this week.

First of the mark though out of Alcatraz was myself with a gorgeous 37lb 14oz fish caught on a "D" rig, snowman style hook bait at 4:30am, followed shortly afterwards by "Apache" at 27lb 4oz using the same tactics.  These were over a baited area of 3kg of Hybrid boilies and a sprinkle of tigers.

The following night a 27lb 15oz scaly mirror, which was a hard fighting fish came on a snowman rig on the right hand rod.  This was soon trumped big time with a dawn take and very slow plodding fight.  At a distance we could see she was a big, big, big fish  and it turned out to be "Sparky" at 71lb.  That's right 71lb, it's always nice when one of our seldom caught lumps grace the bank at Gigantica.  Again this one sliped up to a "D" rig fished over the Hybrid boilie.  We managed some great water shots and then slipped her back.

All went quiet whilst the fish were enjoying themselves spawning, until Friday at 6am and my left hand rod melted off, this carp was bloody angry and for the next twenty minutes put up a gladiatorial battle but then rolled on the top at fifteen yards, I could see it was Cut Tail, a fifty pound common for sure.

Knowing which fish it is our clear water adds to the tension and excitement.  The prototype barbless Krank hook holding firm, which was fished KD style.

Eventually in the net we set about weighing her and came in at 50lb 12oz, wow what a fish.  Perfect in fact.

Does a week at work get any better?  Had I found my Graceland?

Brad and Dan fishing together out of The Alamo had to wait for the evening when it went flat and windless for half an hour to hit their 28 and 31 wrap spots.  Both baited and fished tight to there spots well, but it was the short rods that they had takes on.

Dan had a nice 23lb carp mid evening on his short rod, which he was aiming at the Gigantica logo on the lodge for casting.  Brad unfortunately lost a fish on his short rod spot.

Kev fished out of Co's Point at 28 wraps baiting with the boat and again fished tight, but it was not to be his week.  I'm sure your already looking forward to your September trip.

Kev had the joys along with Simon Scott of constant liners due to spawning.  Absolute mayhem with fish boshing and hurling themselves around.

It was fair to say both looked worse for wear in the morning when I delivered breakfast to their swims.  In the morning Simon was out with DF solely for the stripping and collection of eggs to go in our Gigantica stock ponds. Lady Luck was on our side again as it was simply a case of collecting egg laden weed.

Under the microscope we were able to see the future ... Yes it's bright for sure.

These fish have since hatched and now we have literally thousands of Gigantica baby carp's.

Thursday saw the arrival of "big" Rich Stewart and his bag carrier Jake Wildbore to film more of the ongoing Korda series Session Victim.  An apt name for this trip would have been Manic victim.  Check it out on the Korda website. Thanks Jake for some great shots, your worth your weight in gold with a camera.

Also this week our new bailiff Steve Rock arrived, welcome to the party my old friend.

Be lucky, come and dangle with us some time .

       Barty and Mike