Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 24/05/2025

There’s A Leek In That Bivvy!

Well there wasn’t any setting the world on fire this week and that’s due to spawning, as you can all well of guest by now from the last report with the great weather we’ve been having, spawning was almost guaranteed. This defiantly happened this week, Pole and Stock Pond was kept awake through the night on the first couple of nights before they decided to calm down a bit. Then the fishing after that was a bit up and down to say the least, the bite time has done a complete 180 and now the bites are all coming at night with the odd early morning one. But interestingly the average was good this week with a few 50’s coming out and the cherry on the cake being The Dustbin. A total of 19 fish this week, so all being said that’s still a great effort. 

First off we have Neil Quilter over in Alamo, Neil’s first time to the lake and he certainly made the best out of a tricky situation, three fish landed in total with two being very impressive. Starting his week very slow for obvious reason, then on the Wednesday I had the late evening phone call. Got to the swim to see a lovely orange mirror carp in the sling, and there’s only one like this in the pond “Baby Brutus” at 52lb 12oz. The Thursday day past with no joy but the hope was there for another in the evening, well nothing happened that evening but on the morning at just before first light he managed to land our biggest stocky “The Dustbin” at a matching top weight of 67lb 4oz, nicely done! Neil decided to fish short this week with only going up-to 15 wraps, two rods at 15 to the right of Baxter’s and the other rod at the lodge at the same range, feeding a mixture of everything, Hemp, Maize, Boilie and Pellet with Multi Combo rigs over the top, match the hatch wafters tipped with a cut down peace of pink popup. 

Scott Binczyk in Bob’s Beach, Bob’s has been a great area to target of late with plenty of fish coming from all along this bank and Scott defiantly proved it this week not loads of fish but definitely some nice one’s. Scott managed the two Pawprints back to back, first being “Pawprint” at 56lb 4oz then followed by “Baby Pawprint” at 48lb 12oz, I don’t think Baby Pawprint is much of a baby anymore! He also landed a nice 31lb common and a couple throughout the nights that I wasn’t there to see. Again same as most fish being caught at the moment, short at 17 wraps towards Alamo and even shorter at 9 wraps towards Traz. Feeding wise same as whats being doing the do at the moment, fishmeal boilis bulked out with our house pellet, D-Rig spinners over the top with match the hatch wafter with a washed out pink topper.

Then we have Josh Crook in Stock Pond, now at the start of the week it was a tricky one, not knowing where to put a rod because there was so many fish showing all over the swim. It didn’t take long for us to realise that they were spawning out in front, out in open water, once realised the following day Josh was kind enough to let us run the rake through his swim a couple of times to collect some eggs for our stock ponds, and believe it or not as I write this them eggs have already hatched and we have plenty of little eye lashes swimming about up there, the future is looking great, Thanks again Josh. Once the spawning slowed up, josh did manage to get amongst a few with the biggest being “The Centurian” at 55lb 14oz, again this common must be one of the best looking commons in the lake, almost like the Burghfield. Josh was fishing to his right hand margin at 17 wraps and also out infront towards Oblivion at 18 wraps, both spots producing. Feeding house pellet with boilie and multi combi rigs over the top.

Steve Pinn one of our once or twice of year customers found himself in Scotties, also coming out early to. But this is Steve’s type of fishing, close in, keeping things quiet etc and I must say I learnt a thing or two this week from Steve. Steve only managed the one for his troubles this week but it was a very special one not only a absolute banger but also a P.B “ Mr Chow” at 50lb 12oz. Caught from the far margin spot, using a bait spoon and dropping his rig or casting over the bait spoon then dropping his rig by hand, two great tactics for this swim. Boilie, Maize, Hemp and pellet was all used over his spots with Noodle rigs over the top. 

Simon McMillan in Treeline scratched a couple of fish out from the margin. Using the baiting pole and help from son Lewis in Co’s, it was a simple case of pushing the pole out, casting over the top, dragging it back in then hooking a bigger lead on and a rig, simply lowering down onto the spot under the canopy. “Pixles” at 47lb 4oz was his first fish then randomly in the middle of the day on Friday he managed “ Bite Mark” at 36lb 12oz, two great originals. Combi rigs with two peaces of real maize and one peace of fake maize got him his bites, feeding maize and iso fish boilie.

Son of Neil’s, Lewis spent his week in Co’s Point, a great struggle all week but did manage one at 5 wraps towards the corner of Big Girls, not a bad one either, “Tank” at a spawned out weight of 45lb 8oz. Lewis did put the effort in this swim all week, played with the zigs, fed long and in short for backups but to no joy, just goes to show if your in Co’s in the future never ignore the margin, this was a saviour for lewis. Its not all about range on the big lake! 

Thats it for this week guys, very tough indeed but its to be expected. A lottery this time of year, but it can’t last forever! Its my turn next week, I have the pleasure of having 12 of my mates on. Im not feeling to optimistic for us, I feel like there’s definitely another chance for them to spawn again but we wont let that put us down, im sure we will all have a great laugh none the less. I will certainly feel sorry for whoever bailiffs us next week! Good luck Tom or Gino. 

Until next time 

Tight lines 

Ben