Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 24/08/2024

Tom Dove’s Mates Trip

This week we welcomed Tom Dove and his close friends on their annual trip to us here at Gigantica with some very impressive results in recent years, let’s see how they got on this time round. 

Only one man we can start with this week and that is with Warren Dolan. Warren pulled ball 9 out of the hat this week and decided to go in to The Stink but after Big Southerly became available made the move Sunday morning. Warren decided to fish 27 wraps towards Alcatraz with two rods and one to his left towards The Alamo at 14 wraps and took advantage of the new baiting up via the boat service we have just introduced, putting out a mixture of fishmeal boilie along with house hemp and maize, fishing spinner rigs with matching bottom baits topped with pop up corn. The move certainly paid off with Warren landing his first fish come Sunday night, one known as ‘Strauss Family Common’ at 51lb 14oz. Putting about 5kg out a day Warren rebaited on the next boat drop, asking for a good spread around his marker and was soon into his next fish after dinner catching ‘Buster’ at 40lb and ‘Rob’s Rig’ that night at 55lb, one of our stocked commons that went in in 2017 at just over 10lb. The spot was certainly going now so another top up on the bait and he was in again come Wednesday in the high heat, ‘Bite Mark’ this time at 35lb 8oz and another big common in the afternoon with ‘Gums’ at 45lb. Come Thursday afternoon, like clockwork, he was in again this time ‘The Weld’ at 58lb. Rinse and repeat for Warren, this time getting ‘Starry’ at 47lb in the morning backed up with a couple of our smaller residents. It was then Saturday morning, 01:23am I got the call “I’ve got the Immaculate” word soon spread and we all got together in Big Southerly to witness the absolute giant that is ‘The Immaculate Common’. 98lb she went and what a way to do it, on a trip with your close mates and being able to share that moment with them all was something I was proud to witness. No one could believe it and once she went back, all got together to enjoy the moment and share a beer or two. He wasn’t done there though there was still time for one more and he did just that managing to catch another common at 42lb upon first light. Ending the week on 15 fish with 9 of them being over 40lb, there’s a reason they call him “Tidy Woz”

Over in Co’s Point we had Michael Isted, who drew ball 1 in the draw. Starting off light on the bait Mike put out a couple of kilos of fishmeal boilie with a dashing of maize then fished spinners over the top with double slow sinking IB maize, all at 28 wraps towards the famous tits. Soon off the mark come Sunday, Mike had managed to beat his PB landing ‘Danish Bacon’ at a new top weight of 73lb 12oz, a very sought-after carp in Gigantica. Mike then went and added the cherry to the cake landing another rare one this time one of the original scalies that hadn’t been out in over a year called ‘Smartie Pants’ at 50lb 4oz. Mike did manage one more before having to cut his trip short come Thursday, being one of our recently stocked fish for the futre.

Next up we have Darrell Peck who was here with us for his second week after the CarpFix social, this week going in Baxter’s Hole. After using the boat service on his first week to great success, he used it again this week to bait up his spot at 26 wraps to the red tower with a mix of fishmeal boilie, house pellet and house particle. Opting for about 10kg to start, Darrell requested a tight area to be baited and fish two rods on it fishing his other tight in the right-hand margin. Darrell was off the mark within hours catching a couple of our recently stocked fish on the Saturday soon followed by ‘Broady’s Mirror’ at 53lb, then managed another Sunday before having one known as ‘Chateau Latour’ at 41lb. Wednesday came round and Darrell was on 10 fish before having one known as ‘The Urchin’ at 44lb all coming on his famous combi rig fishing with a yellow IB 16mm dumbbell. It was that night he managed ‘Soveriegn’ at 55lb a lovely golden common. Darrell ended his week on 16 fish with the last one being one of our 2018 stocked fish know as ‘Tiger Fish’ at 44.04lb.

Over in Alamo we had Jake Wildbore who got an early draw and after previous success in Alamo revisited his old spots fishing 30 wraps towards the W in the treeline between Baxter’s Hole and The Beach. Jake was another guest who took advantage of the baiting up from the boat service putting out Krill boilies some whole, some chopped and also crumbed some up with a bit of glug. Putting a good spread out, Jake fished all three rods out there with pink topped bottom baits. Sunday was Jake’s first fish landing an old original scaley known as ‘Maddie’ at 43lb along with two smaller stockies. It then slowed up for a couple of days until Wednesday, Jake decided to put a chod rig in the light weed just off the left-hand side of his spot which then turned into a very busy afternoon landing 5 fish including a big common called ‘Parker’ at 58lb, ‘The Windy Common’ at 47lb and ‘Pixles’ at 43lb. That was it for Jake as he had to leave Thursday afternoon.

Next up, Tom Dove over in Pole Position after a late draw. Tom started his week fishing towards The Stink at 33 wraps and also had a closer spot at 19 towards the scary tree. Using a mixture of ISOFish and house particle Tom used the boat service to bait up tight to these spots. Fishing spinners over the top with the trusty old pineapple and isotonic hookbaits, Tom had to wait until Monday for his first bite where he managed two fish being ones for our future, and had several more throughout the week before managing to get amongst the bigger fish on Wednesday when he had ‘Scratches’ at 53lb and ended his week on 11 fish in total. 

Next door in Alcatraz we had Kev Atkinson who started fishing at 30 wraps to the left of Stink and was another angler who took advantage of the boat service. Using house particle and a fishmeal boilie, Kev was fishing spinners over the top trying a variety of hookbaits and was into one his first night having ‘Galician’ at 33lb a cracking original scaley. After picking up a smaller resident of the lake the next day Kev also managed a 40lb common, but we didn’t manage to get photos. He then stuck to his spots a kept the bait going in via the boat, and come Wednesday had another original in his net known as ‘Black Scale’ at 36lb, a fish that hadn’t been out in over 18 months. Unfortunately, that was it for Kev this week.

Fred Jewsbury pulled ball 7 and plotted up in Stock Pond this week a swim that has been on good form this year, one where you are very likely to get action and does chuck up the odd big one too. Fishing the going spots, Fred fished 17.5 wraps at Oblivion, 26 towards the corner and 9 to his right-hand side. Fishing with fishmeal boilie and house particle Fred didn’t go too heavy on the bait fishing for a bite at a time and managed his first fish from the 17.5 wrap spot on the first evening being an unnamed 38lb common. Fred then managed several bites through the week managing 9 fish in total.

Last but not least we had Pat Goodwin who was here with us for his second week after doing a week on the Road Lake last week. Pat started his week in Big Southerly but after seeing fish in numbers the first night, moved into Treeline. Fishing two rods at 21.5 wraps towards Stink and one at 21 up the treeline, Pat was using a mixture of Krill boilie and house particle, fishing spinners with IB dumbbells over the top. Pat was soon off the mark with a 28lb common then had to wait a couple of days for his next bite where he managed two originals one knows as ‘The Sutton’ at 34lb and then ‘Kenny’ at 32lb, these both coming Wednesday morning just before breakfast.

A total of 79 fish coming out this week one of the best weeks of the year and of course the king of the lake ‘The Immaculate Common’ until next year gents.

Tight lines,

Greg.

Team Gigantica.