Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 19/02/2022

Super Sam Smashes Records………

So as we left last week’s little report we had just had a work party and if you remember we had raked the entire Main Lake. We had some big old westerly winds due smashing straight into Stink, Alamo side of the lake and I have to say I was quite optimistic for the forthcoming week. The hope was that the weed raking would have disturbed any resting fish and stir things up. Make them move about and then hopefully decide to have a little munch. At this time of year we were going to try and tap into the fishes feeding spells and that’s just what the 6 guys that arrived on Saturday morning were hoping. A good walk round in the sunshine where they were inundated with every bit of knowledge I could give them to make an informed decision for the draw and then that dreaded event took place. You gotta love the draw, well…..i do :D haha and then........it was time to commence battle with those special water babies that lurk in the depths of this very special lake.

Now normaly we would start the catch report with the biggest fish of the week but this week I am making an exception as something very special happened in “The Alamo” and I feel it only proper to bring this to the forefront of the report. Drawing this famous peg was Mr Sam Fyffe. It was clear to me on the walk round that Sam was just the man to tackle “The Alamo” he listened and learnt that it was in form after producing fish the previous week. Tactics wise he went with what he was confident with which was his version of a D Rig incorporating shrink tube onto the shank of the hook. He baited with 15 spombs on one spot which was bang at the big tree left of Beach At 27 ½ wraps, spombing at 27 wraps with chopped Mainline Cell, hemp and sweetcorn with a good amount of Cell smart liquid and fished double SSM over the top. It didn’t take long for his first bite which came on the first evening. Unfortunately, this resulted in a hook pull which isn’t great for the confidence but after chatting in the morning with him he wasn’t down hearted. A bite on the first evening is mega results, it means there’s fish in the area and he straight away applied another 15 spombs out and re positioned the rig. Then at 1.30pm in the afternoon the rod was away again!! “Woods Common” at a new top weight of 47lb decided she wanted a Sam cuddle, this fish is actually one of our original home grown stockies and tipped the scales to 47lb. What a start, you would take that for the week in the wintery cold but alas no. Rebait, repeat he wanted more. Greed is Good as DF always says and just before Tea his receiver was away again this time with another character fish “Bilbo Baggins” at 33lb 8oz. Was this going to be a red-letter week?? It certainly seemed that way. Another 15 spombs of bait and in the morning another 2 fish to weigh and photograph. 2 of our up-and-coming fish into their mid 20s this time. There was certainly a pattern with the bite time through the night so surely it was only a matter of time before something a little bigger turned up. The next bite came allot later than the others at 11am a fish named “Off the Top” aptly named as it’s the only fish to ever be caught on a floater off the top (by yours truly :D) but it was almost 10lb bigger than its first capture 8 months previously, what a weight gain now into the 20lb bracket. So that’s Sam on 5 fish in some very cold evenings and very strong windy conditions during the days but he was saving the best till last. Before light on Wednesday morning, he received his final bite of the week but what a bite it was. One of our original 2016 stockies that was put into the lake at 7lb now bent the weigh bar to 53lb!!!!!!! Our first ever 50lb stockie Common. A massive milestone for the self-sustainable fishery that is Gigantica. This fish looked absolutely stunning and goes by the name of “La Boheme” Sam makes his way onto our wall of fame in the clubhouse and into the history books!!!! A solid weeks angling was a pleasure to witness and he made the most of the feeding spell that the fish had this week. Well done pal keep in touch and we shall wet a line together one day!!!!........

Just to Sams right was his friend Wez Rowley, now Wez didn’t actually draw himself in “Stink”, he originally went straight into "Co’s Point" but decide to move. Whats that I hear you say? Move out of Cos to go in Stink? Lunacy!!! Crazy!! Why would a man do such a thing????? Well……it wasn’t such a bad move when you think about it. The wind was seriously hacking into that side of the lake, it was clear from how the week was going that there was fish to be had braving the winds and guess what? Fish he did have!! All be it only the one for the week but at least it was a blank saver. Wez landed a lovely little mirror named “The Naked One” and no….i didn’t name that one lol. That SSM yet again did the business on D Rigs. This fish tripped up from the 16 wrap spot that you aim bang in line with the 2 popular trees just to the right of Treeline, those that know this spot know that its probably the hardest crack down you can get anywhere on the lake and Wez cracked it by landing this little future beastie. Well done mate, in the wintery cold your commitment to move and then execute a capture has to be applauded and she was well deserved!!......

We have one more gentleman to write about this week and normally he would have come first so I will try and make it up to him by boosting the ego a bit in his writeup :D. Nick Daffy fancied a dabble in “Big Southerly” this week. The peg was chosen as it played entirely into his strengths and had all the features that excited him to fish. You have a sexy little 12 wrap spot casting at Stink towards the snags and then a decent open water area to the drop off at 25 ½ wraps aiming towards the left edge of “Alcatraz”. Nicks approach is one of the most unique I have seen in all the time I have been here. I don’t think I have ever seen anybody else catch a fish on the method he used. Hook bait of choice was a 15mm pellet tipped with piece of plastic corn with a small pva bag of matching pellets. The pellet was mounted on a Multi Rig for the perfect presentation. It certainly didn’t take long to kick into action either as Nick was the first to score for the week. On the first night he had what he thought was a mid 40 in the sling. We all know the rule on Gigantica, if we think it’s a mid 40 possibly bigger give us a shout as we will decide how its weighed as nothing over 50lb ever leaves the safety of the water. Well…..sure enough on closer inspection I could easily see that she wasn’t a mid 40 but a definite 50lber!!!! On his first bite!!!! On his first night!!!! IN THE WINTER!!!!! With assistance of Bailiff Paul, we hoisted her up in the water and she bent the bar to 57lb on the nose. “Lennys” new top weight and hey guess what, hes on the wall of fame in the clubhouse on his first ever visit to the complex. It was also a PB which was amazing. We got some lovely shots and slipped her back to eat a bit more so that she will next be a 60lber hehe. The following evening was quite an evening. As I lay there in my nice warm bed dreaming of unicorns and pink and yellow fish (my dreams are great) I was rudely awoken by my phone going off. Nick was on the other end. Phil I’ve got one in the net and I’ve got another on. I said nice one mate you have 2 in the net? No he said I’m playing another is there any chance of another net. Well to say I lived up to my name “Swift” I managed to get dressed and be in Big Southerly before Nick had even got the fish near and then I duly netted it for him haha. We popped them in the sling for an hour or so to get some nice morning shots. 2 lovely fish in there mid 20s. Nick decided not to put the 2 rods back out as it was horrendous wind and so when I took around his breakfast to him in the morning to my shock he was bent into another fish. 3 rod challenge complete. 1 from the 12 wrap spot and 2 from the 25 ½ wrap spot haha job done. This was another fish of similar stamp and the last of the week as Wednesday seemed to be the day that the fish shut up shop for the week. Top weeks fishing mate, you opened my eyes to a new tactic and congratulations on your new PB. I wish you all the success with your fishery and I’ll get down to bag some of your beauties one day too!!!!.........

Well, that’s all she wrote really for this week. We produced 11 fish in total and there were really mental moments but the most important thing was that everyone was awesome this week. We had a great laugh, the guys were well fed, kept warm and spirits were high all week. You have to expect it’s going to be difficult at this time of year and one thing is quite clear for a winning method. Find your spot, stick to it and bait sparingly. This is the recipe to success in the winter months as it is all year round here at where dreams become reality.

Till next time guys n gals, tight lines, be lucky and bag a chunk!!........

Phil