Bailiff Comments

Week Commencing: Sat 20/09/2025

The Turn

After a week of relentless rain and a sharp shift in weather—from blazing daytime heat to chilly, damp nights—the lake still produced the goods in classic Gigantica style. Nine anglers took on the challenge, each managing to get amongst the fish despite the tough, unsettled conditions. By the end of the session, an impressive 48 carp had been landed, with all anglers on the scoresheet. The action was steady across the lake, but three swims in particular stood out as the top producers of the week.

Regular visitor Aaron Metcalf returned to Gigantica this week, and once again he proved why he’s become such a consistent catcher of our big residents. Starting his trip in Alcatraz, Aaron soon felt the need for a change and, after a couple of days, moved into Stink – a decision that certainly paid off.Fishing at 31 wraps to the left of Baxter’s, Aaron put together a brilliant approach. His rig of choice was the ever-reliable IQ D-Rig with a size 4 Wide Gape, presented as a snowman with a pink topper. This simple but effective presentation, combined with careful feeding of boilies and house hemp, soon had the fish responding.Over the course of his stay, Aaron landed an impressive 8 fish, with two specials ones amongst them one being Split Pec at at 62lb 8oz and the other being The Koi at 60lb 4oz, adding to his growing tally of Gigantica captures. True to form, he showed once again that patience, precision, and confidence in his methods are key to unlocking success on the Main Lake.

After years of visiting Gigantica and often being on the wrong side of the draw, this trip was different for Dan Cole’s. Fortune finally favoured him as he pulled out ball 1, giving him first choice of swims. Without hesitation, he dropped straight into Bob’s Beach, a spot he’d always had his eye on but rarely had the chance to settle in.

The session began steadily, with Dan starting off at 18 wraps. However, after a quiet spell with little reward, he made the bold decision to push out further, adjusting his approach to 24 wraps. That change soon proved to be a masterstroke.Dan opted to fish a combi rig presented with a 20mm Krill match-the-hatch wafter, a simple but deadly presentation. Over the top, he fed boilie and plenty of the famous house hemp in mass, creating a bed of attraction that kept the carp visiting throughout the week.The results spoke for themselves. Dan ended the session with an impressive 8 fish in total, including some of Gigantica’s most sought-after residents. Amongst the highlights were three true gems:

•Paw Print at 53lb 12oz

•Sasquash at 51lb 4oz

•Lennies at 52lb 12oz

It was another memorable week on Gigantica for Scott Larman, who set up in the famous Alcatraz swim. Fishing at 31 wraps to the right of Big Suv, Scott kept things simple but effective, presenting a spinner rig with a match-the-hatch wafter over a steady bed of boilies and house hemp.The approach proved deadly, and Scott soon found himself climbing the leaderboard with bite after bite. By the end of the week, he had landed an impressive 10 fish in total, earning him the title of Top Rod.The highlight of the trip came when Scott Landed Equalled the very last morning at 47lb 8oz, a capture that capped off a fantastic run. But the story didn’t end there—among his fish was the unmistakable Squeaky Clean at 45lb, a carp Scott had already caught just two weeks prior on his last trip. Out of nearly 900 carp in Gigantica, the odds of catching the same one twice in back-to-back sessions are staggering, making it a catch to remember for all the right reasons.

Toby’s trip to Gigantica was one to remember. He started his session down in Stink, but after a quiet spell decided to make the move over to CO’s Point—a decision that soon proved to be the right call.Fishing 30 wraps at the Tits, Toby presented a spinner rig with a match-the-hatch wafter, keeping things neat and reliable. His baiting approach was straightforward but effective: a steady mix of boilies and house hemp, which soon drew the fish into the area.Over the course of his stay, Toby managed to land seven carp in total, with some incredible highlights along the way. The biggest of the bunch was none other than Mad Max at 42lb 8oz, a stunning capture that set the tone for the session.On his final morning, just when it seemed the trip couldn’t get any better, Toby slipped the net under another special one—a cracking common known as My Bait, weighing in at 42lb on the nose. All in all, a brilliant week’s angling, capped off by two named fish and memories that will no doubt bring him back to Gigantica again.

After a ropey start in Co’s, Jag Jim made the decision to up sticks and move into the Stock Pond – a choice that takes a big set of pairs to do. From his new position, Jim worked a line at 27 wraps tight into the corner, presenting a tidy spinner rig topped with a match-the-hatch corn.His approach was simple but relentless: introducing 4kg of corn per day to keep the fish grubbing around. The tactic paid off handsomely, producing a total of seven fish over the course of the session.The highlight came when he caught – The Fiddler at 37lb 8oz, a stunning capture.Solid angling, a smart move, and persistence with the baiting strategy turned this into a session to remember for Jag Jim at Gigantica.

Lewis Power Stanard made the long journey all the way from Florida to the UK, where he linked up with Korda’s very own decorator and friend, John. The pair loaded the van and hit the road, making the trek across France to the famous Gigantica complex. It was a huge effort, but as it turned out, it was more than worth it.Setting up in the Alamo swim, Lewis soon found his range, fishing 30 wraps to the left of Bob’s Beach. His approach was simple but effective – a spinner rig tipped with a match-the-hatch wafter, fished over a bed of boilie and hemp.

Over the course of his session, Lewis managed to land two carp, but it was one very special fish that made the trip unforgettable. His biggest capture was none other than Classico, which tipped the scales at a new top weight of 62lb – a truly iconic Gigantica moment. From Florida to France, it was an incredible effort, and the rewards couldn’t have been sweeter. Congratulations, Lewis – Classico at 62lb is one for the history books!

It was a real pleasure to welcome Sir Peter Regan back on the banks at Gigantica, a man who has seen it all in carp fishing and is still as sharp and enthusiastic as ever. Setting up in Baxter’s, Pete quickly got to work and, true to form, soon had his spots lined out with precision. Fishing two areas, one at 17 wraps towards Alamo and another at 24 wraps left of Stink, he baited with his legendary homemade boilies – a recipe that’s put countless carp on the bank over the years. Rig-wise, Pete kept things simple but deadly effective, opting for the tried-and-tested spinner rig with a match-the-hatch wafter presentation. Over the course of his session, his approach produced three lovely fish, but it was his biggest capture that really stood out – none other than The Resident at 47lb 8oz, a stunning Gigantica character fish that has fallen to very few anglers.At almost 75 years young, Pete is a true inspiration to everyone who meets him. He’s still out there chasing carp at home and abroad, catching them with the same passion he had decades ago. Always armed with a smile and endless stories from the “old school” days of carp angling, Pete is as much a part of the scene as the fish themselves – a proper gentleman of the sport and a joy to have on site.

For his very first trip to Gigantica, Ian Sadler set up camp in the famous Pole Position swim. After missing out on a couple of opportunities in recent years, this was finally his chance to experience the lake for himself—and it turned out to be a truly memorable week in more ways than one.Ian chose to fish two spots: one at 27 wraps on the Stink, and another closer in at 16 wraps on the Alamo. Rig-wise, he kept things tidy and effective with a spinner rig paired with a match-the-hatch wafter, while his feeding approach revolved around a trusted combination of boilies and hemp.The reward for his efforts came in the form of a single, but very special capture—a cracking 44lb 8oz Kool Karp, a fish that any Gigantica angler would be proud of. But the story doesn’t end there. While Ian was on the bank, news came through that he had just become a grandfather—a first for Gigantica, and a truly unique milestone for both Ian and the lake. A big congratulations to him on such a special moment, made even sweeter by sharing it alongside his fishing adventure.

A week he’ll never forget—one fish, a new family member, and memories for life.

My self, I dont really want to talk about it but why not, one must share bad sessions as well as the good, so I fished Treeline again after last weeks success of a few I was confident but I walked away with a big fat BLLAAAAAAANNNKKKK! That’s karma for taking the piss out of mike last week. 

Until next time 

Tight Lines 

Ben