Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 23/09/2017

We suspect climatic conditions have caused the lake the slow down unusually early this year. Temperatures were a pleasant 20 degree’s during the day, and 15 degree’s at night, but high pressure persisted all week and there was literally no wind. The fish hardly showed in daylight and bounced around the lake pretty much all night, every night, yet very few bites came and what did were between midnight at 5am. We hope the big winds due next week will spark the lake back into life; at 430 fish landed so far in 2017, we are almost double the number of fish landed last year. Although the slow down has been unexpected, unfortunately we cannot control the weather, although we are working on it, #GiantGiganticaWindMachine…….

Jon Sissons fished the 27.5 wrap spot towards The Stink in Alcatraz and was rewarded with one of the amazing stockies that are set to be the monsters of the future. Banana Split was named after the totally unique round scales down its flank that literally look like a banana cut in half. It went 22lbs 2oz, amazing growth for the fish that was 10lbs 8oz when stocked in November 2016! Jon fished Baitworks Royal Marine freebies and our own Hemp and Maize mix, with a snowman over the top on a running lead clip and 10” IQ2 D-Rig incorporating a Size 4 Korda Krank. He fished really well all week and would have undoubtedly caught more if the lake had not been so quiet.

Our bailiff and expert chef James decided to fish in Pole Position when no one chose it in the draw. He opted to fish singles all week as an experiment, and unfortunately he lost a good Common fishing at 28 wraps towards The Stink on Sunday morning. He was using a Mainline Link Wafter and failed to get another bite. Proof that singles are still not the one at this time of year, except on the first night, maybe……

‘Magic’ Mike from Danson Angling drew number one in the draw and went straight into Co’s Point. It had seen 30kg of bait and produced no bites the week before so he fished singles the first night without success, but good skills for trying it. Once he started baiting at 25 wraps he had his first bite in the shape of the truly awesome King Fully at 39lbs. The fish came to a 12” Korda Kamo Combi-Rig, with a Size 4 Korda Wide Gape B and a Mainline Indian Spice topper over a Sticky Baits Krill bottom bait. Mike fished helicopters on Safe Zone leaders to get the range and baited with the throwing stick using about 2kg per night over all 3 rods. A good ploy when the lake was fishing slow.

He had an aborted take later in the week that stopped before he got to the rod, again in the middle of the night. He wound in the rig minus the lead which is common here, that's why we recommend running lead clips so the fish cannot eject the lead and throw the hook. The runner keeps some tension on the hook whilst the lead continues to slide away as the fish shakes its head.

He then followed this up with a Mirror known as “The Buzzin Fish” on Wednesday night at a high of 43lbs, this time on a 10” Spinner/Ronnie rig with a size 4 Kurv and a Krill pop up. He craftily moved out longer to 26 wraps to get the bite. The fish looked awesome and was a major result for Mike who fished well in between getting naked at the clubhouse!!! Mike sadly lost one on the last night when the weather changed and the lake came alive with fish boshing out everywhere. Confirmation that the complete lack of wind and super high pressure had just knocked them off the feed compared to a normal September.

On reflection Mike’s tactics of spreading boilie's with the stick at a sensible range and fishing longer links over the top really paid off with as many bites as the rest of the lake combined. Co’s is a mega swim but you still have to read it right and he did. We advise longer links (8-12”) for a spread of baits and much shorter ones (3-6”) for tight baiting with the spomb, if you spread the bait with the spomb then go a little longer but always tailor your rigs length and hookbait size to your feeding approach, if you feed bits, use small hookbaits and visa versa.

Dalton in Tree Line left it to the last night again (he does it every year) for his first bite. Sadly this year it ended in disaster with his rod nearest the fallen tree ripping off and then cutting him off at 6am Saturday morning. He baited consistently putting some in every night and when the weather turned he had his chance just a shame it made the trees before he could turn it!

Paul Harris in Big S lost one on Sunday night opening up a Size 4 Korda Kurv on a huge fish after a long fight. We advise all anglers to use thick wire hooks or Size 2’s for this very reason. Paul changed to size 2’s but didn't get another chance, cruel times that made his loss sting all the more. It came from a spot 15 wraps towards Co’s which can only be fished if no one goes into Scottie’s Corner. Please heed this warning, playing huge fish in deep water at close range puts enormous strain on your kit, that’s why we have 0.40mm mainline as a minimum, and advise on big strong hooks and hooklinks so you land what prizes you hook. Size 4 or 2 Wide Gape X or Krank X are brilliant patterns that will not open or pull out easily.

On the very last morning Andy fishing in Big Girls persistence finally paid off in the shape of Classico the Common at an all time high of 46lbs. It looked immense and was a just reward for Andy who chose the swim because he fishes intimate waters back home and so it suited his style. A great choice from a level headed and super nice guy who played to his strengths and was justly rewarded. They had been on him most of the week and with steady but light baiting, and sticking to his spots of one in the corner, one at 14.5 wraps along the tree line (produced the fish) and one out at 21 off the headland he managed to extract a fish in tough conditions, top angling sir!

The rest of the gang had a great time in spite of the tough fishing, which still cannot easily be explained. We are back next year for the revenge trip and with 60-80 new stockies going in this November the run rate is set to sore again…..

Check out the Road Lake report for the full antics on the cheese and wine party for our office based booking agent Mark ‘Riggers’ Rigby’s birthday. A great night with a few sore heads the next day…….