Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 02/08/2025

CarpFix Social

This week we welcomed the CarpFix Social for their annual trip to see us, and with a collective target of 50 fish including a 60lber, let’s see how they got on. 

First up this week is the man himself, Darrel Peck. Darrel was ball one this week and after recent form, put himself in Bob’s Beach. Spending the first night fishing “the going spot” with just a handful of spombs over the top, Darrel fished just two rods at 18 wraps towards The Alamo and spent the first night watching the water and observing what the carp were doing. Darrel was off the mark the first night landing a 40lber coming off the 18 wraps spot. It was then Wednesday when it finally happened, after so many years of looking at him on the wall, at first light Darrel had the incredible ‘Fred’ in his net. Weighing 66lb it was only right everyone came round to witness such a beautiful carp and one that had not been seen yet this year and it was good to see it at a new top weight even at his time of year, what a way to start off wonky Wednesday. Fishing a Mainline ISO Fish hard hooker tipped with a spicy crab pop up, Darrel was using his ever faithful multi combi rig. After all the fun and games, it was back to the fishing after the barbeque. Darrel then went on to finish the week on 5 fish

Bart is next up who found himself in The Stink this week and you might recognise him from last year’s trip where he caught ‘The Armadillo’ after its 10 year stint on the missing list. Bart was off the mark Sunday night with two stockies at 18 and 23lb but then it all seemed to go quiet, but keeping a steady amount of bait in on his spot with no signs given for him to change anything, Bart stayed consistent fishing 24 wraps to the left of Bob’s Beach using straight Mainline ISO Fish boilie soaked in the matching Smart Liquid. It was then Friday when it kicked off in The Stink, first light he landed ‘Pearly Lin’ at 52lb 8oz then just after lunch his new PB, ‘Alcatraz’ one of the big original scalies at 59lb, both coming on spinners on Black Spot hook baits and one tipped with white. See you next year Bart!

Over in the famous Co’s Point was one of our own, the Welsh Wizard, Ben Morgan. Ben came second in the draw and at last minute changed his mind to go in Co’s. Ben started off fishing solid bags short at 18 wraps and baiting long at 30, but then after seeing a lot of fish show long decided to go out towards the tits at 30 wraps. Fishing a fishmeal boilie soaked in its matching liquid along with house particle and fished spinners over the top, with match the hatch wafters on two and a brighter orange hook bait. Ben was off the mark the first night catching a 32lb common in the early hours and was getting plenty of fish traffic all over his swim the rest of the week, with some being right under his rod tips so he decided to bring one rod back short at 18 wraps towards the flat oak and keep two out long. Picking up a few fish in the night time throughout the week Ben had fish to 38lb until Friday when he managed two in the afternoon coming off his long spot, being ‘The Hulk’ at 23lb 4oz and ‘Wayne’s World’ at 38lb and with his great knowledge of the lake and seeing time and time again the last night producing fish and sometimes the biggest fish of your week he fished solid right until the end, and was rewarded with a 50 plus just after 1am Saturday morning when he managed to catch ‘The Bean’ at 51lb 8oz. Well done lad!

Jon Brookes was in Oblivion this week for his first trip with us and got off to a flyer catching two straight away the first evening one being a double and one a mid twenty. Jon was fishing 26 wraps towards Bob’s Beach with two and one to the left at Alcatraz using a fishmeal boilie with white hook baits doing the bites. It all went slow from there for a couple of days for Jon until he picked up an original on Tuesday known as ‘Looking Busy’ at 30lb, then followed it up on Thursday with ‘Apple Slices’ at 49lb 4oz, another old original. Unfortunately, that was it for Jon but a good few fish none the less.

Justin is up next over in Scottie’s Corner. Scottie’s isn’t everyone’s cup of tea due to being tucked away in a corner but that’s just what Justin was after a more intense and personal swim as that suited his style, which is always good for us to see that type of angler in there. Justin started off short and after seeing them in there on the walk round and the water being milky, he fished one to his right over a bed of weed in the margin and two out in front at 12 wraps. Going in at the start with straight boilie, it wasn’t until a couple of days in he added a bit of the house mixed particle into his mix. It was then on the Tuesday he was into his first fish, and as he said on arrival, he just wanted a 50lber and that he had done, having ‘Woods Common’ at 56lb that was his trip made. It then slowed up for Justin until the Saturday morning when he had his second and final fish a 32lb common. We look forward to seeing you again Justin.

Jamie was next door in Big Southerly, which was another swim the fish seemed to be in from the get-go on the walk round but seemed to push out in the afternoon. Jamie spent the week fishing 16.5 wraps to the right of Alcatraz with two rods and one to his left 14 wraps at Alamo where the snags are. Using Cell and house particle with tipped wafters on spinners, Jamie’s first fish came on the early hours of Tuesday morning landing a 28lb mirror. Come Wednesday morning Jamie had another two fish in quick succession before the social started where he had ‘Little Kicker’ at 46lb and ‘Penny’ at 34lb then reeled in for the social. Jamie picked up one more in the nighttime Thursday after that, ending his week on 4 fish but will be back next year for another session. 

Over in Pole Position this week, we had returning customer Gary Morrison who again was another one to get off to a quick start the first night landing ‘Digits’ at 47lb 8oz just after midnight, coming on one of his mates’ black spot hook baits. Gary was fishing 16 wraps towards The Alamo with 2 rods and one longer at 27 towards Stink, using house hemp and fishmeal boilie. Gary went on to have another 3 more smaller residents later in the week all coming off the same tactic and during the night and managing bites off both spots. See you in 4 weeks Gary.

Next door in Alcatraz was the entertainment, Jack Link. Jack’s a regular visitor to us here at Gigantica and has also helped doing a lot of work around site. This time though he had a week’s fishing ahead of him and was surprised to get in Alcatraz with ball 10. Opting to fish the right hand size of his water after seeing most of the shows that size, Jack fish 28 wraps towards the left of Stink going with a 3 on the spot tactic, fishing spinners on a lead clip system, over a bed of Atlantic Heat and Creamino boilie with house particle and a touch of hot fish liquid. Jack kicked off his week daytime on the Sunday when he had ‘Bazza’ at 38lb and picked up a smaller mirror on Monday night. It was then Thursday when Jack managed to catch ‘AWOL’ at 45lb. Unfortunately, that was it for Jack this week, but we look forward to your next trip mate!

Carl Petitt was in Stock Pond this week, the same swim he fished on the last CarpFix social with great success. Starting off with two rods towards the corner of the bay at 20 wraps and one 17.5 at Oblivion, Carl was fishing D rigs with his very own Black Spot hook baits over a bed of fishmeal boilie and house hemp. Carl was another one off the mark the first night when he had ‘Phillip Schofield’ out at 25lb 8oz. With the fish seeming to turn up of an evening and stay until breakfast Carl knew he had to ensure he had all his work done and rods out before dinner. Carl went on to have 4 fish by the end of the week all on his own hook baits including ‘Black Scales’ at 36lb and ‘Yorkie’

Target achieved, and what a week it was some great laughs and just a genuinely great group of lads. We hope to see you all here again.

See you in the spring,

Greg.

Team Gigantica.