Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 17/05/2025

The Dawn Of The Spawn

Thats rite guys spawning is very very close, It wouldn’t surprise me if they went this coming week. The fishing hasn’t so much as fell of but it has halfed compared to the previous four weeks or so. Week before last we had 56 fish and this week down to 27, now I was expecting the carnage of mutable carp to slow down at some point but just didn’t know when. But 27 fish is still a good week, its been up and down all week with all bar two anglers catching. 

First off we have Pete in Baxter’s, Baxter’s has been a swim that hasn’t done much action this year but Pete managed to finally break the ice. First time on the Main Lake for Pete and with coming out 2nd in the draw he really fancied his chances in this swim. After a chat with myself he opted to start in short at 16 wraps to the left of Stink and feed the same line at 25 wraps for a back up plan later in the week. Well the long spot at 25 wraps was not needed, after a few days with no fish the short spot at 16 wraps was away. A very suttle message was put in the group with “Ben I have one”, me not thinking anything to special because of the lack of vibe that came through, any way as I entered the swim the vibe soon changed “its big” came from the mouth of Pete. Opened the sling to have a sneak peak and there she was, our 2nd biggest common in the lake “Lippy Common” at a new top weight of 71lb 4oz. Not a bad first ever carp from the Main Lake thats for sure. With the soft ground infront of Baxter’s Pete decided to fish with a heli lead system with pushing the bead up only a few inches just to compensate the lead plugging. Spinners with snow men over house pellet and boilie was his bait of choice for the week. As the week past Pete did manage another two fish from the same spot “The Rudder” at 49lb 12oz being one and the other being “Think Positive” at 40lb 12oz. 

Dave Armitage one of our once of twice a year visitor’s got himself into Bob’s Beach, a swim Dave’s never fished before so he was happy to set a new challenge. Starting his stool out short at 17 wraps towards Alamo, half the week went by with no joy, but the fish did move in and moved in very short, Dave soon clocked onto this and brought his rods in to 9 wraps, and still with being that short he still saw them shorter than that. Dave managed two fish for his quick thinking, first one being “Nathan’s” at 43lb 12oz, then “Sovereign” at 60lb, a new top weight and a new 60 for the lake, also a P.B chucked in for good measure. Dave similler to next door in Baxters fished with a Heli Lead system to compensate for the soft bottom with spinners and little yellow hook baits. Feeding the go to mix at the moment, house Pellet with Boilie. 

Top rod for the week was Brett Cork in Pole Position, Brett fished two spots and managed to have fish off both of them, one towards the scary tree right of big suv, short at 19 wraps and the 2nd being just to the right hand side of stink at the end of the rushes at 28 wraps. Brett caught fairly steady throughout out the week, landing 5 fish in total but all spread from the Monday through to the final evening. The biggest being “Cookies Common” caught on the final evening, a very nice long common and a fairly rare one to, “Big Tit’s” was another at 36lb 8oz. All bar one was caught off the bottom on spinners over a bed of boilie, and the one that was caught on the zig was at 18ft.

Adrian Whitney started his week doubled up in Alamo with mate Danny, but his hart with in Scotties Corner and after a couple days he dicided to make the move, the fish were in there from the off so it was a great move to be fair to him. Adrian caught from the off, I think it was only a hour or so he had his first fish a very nice common known as “ Bobbins Dancing” at 42lb. Adrian went on to catch a couple more then on his final evening his 2nd biggest fish “Bite Mark” was in the net at 37lb 4oz, a proper old carp that has been around the block a few times. Adrian was on the ever faithful Cell, feeding with a catapult or throwing stick, two spots he fished, one towards Traz at 17.5 wraps just off the corner of the famous Co’s Tree, and 15 wraps in open water towards the headland. Catching off both spots with his go to method, solid bags with a match the hatch cell wafter as a hook bait.   

Talking about moving from Alamo, lets talk about Danny Armitage who stayed in Alamo. This year marked Danny’s 10 year anniversary of coming to Gigantica, a whole decade twice a year, im sure he could tell a funny story or two. Anyway over the years Danny has done a great job at working out the zig and he seems to do it very well here. Four fish in total all from the zig casting around and changing depths, all came at 18-19ft off the bottom, Danny did feed a long and short spot with two rods on the deck but to no luck. Biggest for Dan was Flair’s at 31lb 8oz, he also caught a really pretty old one called “Monster” at 26lb. 

Chris Irvin over in the Lordy Co’s Point, Chris is probably one of out most regular visitors, 12 trips last year so he certainly knows his way around the pond a bit. But even the top dogs do struggle when its not on but Chris managed a total of three carp, all from the Tit’s at 31 wraps. Chris did start of short at 17 wraps towards the flat oak but saw them long and started with chucking solid bags at the showing fish, this worked with two very quick bites. “The Runt” at 38lb 8oz was Chris’s biggest for the week, and a re capture for him. Solid bags with spinners, wafters with red toppers done the bites for Chris. 

Robert Burrow’s was the guy who kick started the week over in Oblivion, with plenty of fish coming out on the zig’s the week prior he spent no time getting a zig out before setting up. I was only on my 2nd walk around and as I walked into the swim his rod was on the floor with a zig out long, mid conversation the rod was away with “Mad Max” at a new top weight of 46lb, a great bit of angling! But the fun stopped as fast as it started, Rob struggle for the rest of the week, landing only one more named “Tea Leaf” at 33lb 8oz. Tea Leaf came from off the deck at 24 wraps towards Bob’s Beach. Spinners over hemp and CCMoore boilie. 

Shaun Henry next door in Big Girls started the week off strong, landing a small mirror on the first morning and “Cripppen” at 36lb 12oz on the 2nd morning, fishing towards the inlet from the stock ponds at 17 wraps, which is shorter than the going spot but still produced fish for him. Shaun did manage one more for the week, a 34lb 8oz mirror. German rigs with little white wafters over a bed of iso fish got him his bites. 

First timer Ian Jarrold made his way to stink, a swim that has had a bit of form of late but again, if there minds are else where any swim can be tricky, Ian fished well all week nothing I would do different but struggled until the very end of the week, landing two fish from the 28 wrap spot towards right of baxters. “Brillo” being one at 29lb and “Strap on Sally” being the other at 37lb 4oz. Multi Combi rigs over a bed of boilie and house pellet.

And last but no means least we have Andrew Parker, Andrew fished from Big Suv all week to no joy then on the very last morning just before packing up he managed one a fish known as Petal 44lb 12oz, a very punishing week but it just goes to prove, its never over until that last rod is brought in. 14 wraps towards Alamo with a single solid bag.

Thats it for this week guy’s, a very scratchy week for the lads but still a few came out and three P.B’s. I would say next week we will see true signs of spawning and hopefully, and with a bit of luck they get it done quick so the good times can continue. 

Until Next Time 

Tight Lines 

Ben