Gigantica Catch Report week commencing 24/08/2013

Water Temperature 26 degrees… on the bottom!

 

Wind southwesterly at start of week turning northerly for the last five days. Cloudy with heavy rain at first then constant sunshine later in week. 

 

Average air pressure 1015 

 

Mozis - fading fast, only a few around at dusk now.

 

A week brimming with anticipation as 21 Korda employees descended on the complex.

 

Due to its popularity every swim on the main lake was used, putting 13 anglers on the lake for the first time in five years! 

 

The entire group got absolutely soaked in a massive downpour as they set up, hopefully this was to be the last of their bad luck!

 

After a quiet first night Girth Ecclescake got off to a flyer with his first-ever French carp, the mighty Pips at 51lb 12oz. His shout of 'Come On!' scattered the birds from the trees for miles around. The amount of flash guns in the swim made it look like Oscars night in Hollywood. Garth was pitched in the sociable Pole Position, aiming just left of The Stink to a nice clear area at exactly 23 rod lengths (RL). A simple eight-inch N-Trap Semi Stiff blow back rig did the trick for Girth. His bite came on a super-smelly crab white bottom bait over darker, spicy fishmeals. Pips was soon followed by an immaculate 28lb common and then a lost fish as the bite came while the remaining rods were laid in the edge out of the way, d’oh! He then lost two more to hook pulls. After advice from Gigantica veterans he played the next two much harder and landed them both, a 25lb common and 26lb mirror. Seven bites in your first day at Gigantica is an awesome achievement, well done Girth. He had been baiting little and often with 40 baits almost all day and kept the fish coming back to the spot, good angling! 

 

Bell in Alamo and 'Nutty' Jon Mann (who does all the bookings for Gigantica) in The Stink got off the mark Sunday Afternoon with a fish each to mid-twenties. The first bite is always the hardest to get!

 

Fish have been very active all round the lake during the night and then again from about 7am, Girth’s first bite came at 8.30am. Delivery of the huge breakfast rolls to the swims means everyone can now sit on their rods out at THE best time of the day, maximising your chances through the week.

 

Darrell 'The Terminator' Peck arrived a day late after a friend’s wedding in the UK and promptly banged out Two Time at 48lb 8oz at 2am on Monday morning. He fished 'Looooonnnngggg' in Co's Point; 33RL at a bald spot. Why we hear you cry when all the bites are coming at 16.75 RL? The answer, as always, was, “Because I can.” Spodding Hybrid boilies and fishing the Gigantica Banoffee Wafters produced the goods on a seven-inch Supernatural hook links and size-six Wide Gape B, sharpened to feel 'sick'!

 

Jake 'The Swede' Wildbore got off the mark after baiting Scottie’s with Hybrid and a few tigers for 24 hours and not fishing, very crafty! His first fish was only a 17lb baby common but top angling all the same; it was caught just to the left of the large weed bed that is round the corner from Co's Point. Simple lead clip setup and eight-inch N Trap Semi Stiff hook link and a single Banoffee Wafter did the trick. Uncomplicated rigs with sharp hooks in the right spot is the way here, there is no need for super ‘fandango’ rigs if the spot is right; pick the bailiff’s brains on Saturday for the best spots. 

 

Darrell continued to work his area and had 'The Punisher' at 36lb at 7am. After no more bites came, he re-baited with 25 more spods of Hybrid boilies and turned the swim back on. Shortly after taking a long, scaly mirror of 31lb and a 20lb common in the afternoon, all coming to the now infamous Banoffee Wafters made especially for us. These hookers have made a huge difference this year as the catch reports prove.

 

Fish continued to show heavily in front of Pole Position, Alcatraz and Baxter’s at night and in the morning. Al Perry got off the mark in Baxter’s during the second night, with a nice mid-twenty common. This was the first bite from a swim that has had little interest from anglers recently, but is definitely not an area to ignore. If Alcatraz is on fire (which it has been) Baxter’s is a short-range swim that feeds off Alcatraz, especially at night.

 

In Alcatraz Petal continued to put the effort in and concentrate all three rods on the 20RL spot aiming at Big Southerly. He was rewarded with a resident of the area, Starburst at 45lb, a new French PB for Petal, bless him. He noticed his slow-sinking Hybrid on his favourite KD Combi rigs weren’t presented exactly how he wanted it. So he played around until they were perfectly balanced. Darrell continued his run of form on the long spot in Co's, taking three to 37lb in the shape of 'The Clean Fish' on his second night after introducing another 4kg of Hybrid and a few tiger nuts at dusk. The bites continued steadily through the night across the lake. 

 

Man of the match must go to Jake Wildbore for the way he fished Scottie’s. Intensive markering on the first day revealed a small, but super clean, area at 17RL. Just off the weed bed at the back of Co's swim. At 10am on Wednesday morning he got a savage take off the middle rod. The fish came to the surface quickly and wallowed in, probably unaware of how to fight as it hadn't been on the bank for four years! “That's a forty all day long” said Dan. It wasn't until Jake lifted it out then they realised just how big it was. The mighty Immaculate went 59lb 4oz, it had been seen many times estimated at 65lb.

With average size of all our fish being 10lb down after late and successful spawning, the guessing was probably right. A very odd fish from a very unusual spot, absolutely top angling Jacob! All shared in the capture, a truly special moment for everyone involved. Same N-Trap and size-four Kurv Shank combination with, you've guessed it, a Banoffee Wafter.

 

Jonnnnnnnnnnny Jonnny Mann fished a solid week, working his areas and wading through bream. Hard work sometimes pays off and in this case it did; he was rewarded at his strange bite time of 1.45pm, which became quite frequent through the week. Jon’s first bite was a new fish that Danny F and the bailiffs had never seen before. Now named Sovereign by Jon on account of its colour and shape. At 36lb 12oz it looked all body with a tiny head, a very impressive fish indeed and great to see a new one. Six inches of Hybrid stiff and size-six Wide Gape, fished blowback style led to its downfall. Cut down Hybrid tipped off with a Perfect Peach Goo pop-up and fished at 40 yards to his right at the double poplars completed the scenario. This shows you don't have to fish long to catch ’em! 

 

That evening a few beers in Girth’s swim escalated into a Techno party over another fine BBQ. The afterparty moved to a secret location… Dan’s swim! After many, many more beers the bailiffs (the only sober ones) were cajoled into driving back for more beers, which gave some an opportunity to sit in Damo's new boat in the back of the truck, chanting various colourful songs about many of our colourful characters 'Alan is a .............' Could be heard for miles around. We also answered a lifelong conundrum, Does Girth bounce? NO he does not! Sharp acceleration in the truck saw Garth literally fly out of Damo's boat and onto the track. I think the term is high jinx! 

 

After hours a pumping Techno from Tale of Us Dan's swim produced its first bite in the shape of a 23lb common. Dan did his best to appreciate the capture from a tough area in spite of his thumping hangover. Fish had continued to show in the snags to the left of Big Southerly but very few had ventured out. Resting his swim for a full 24 hours led to massively increased fish activity and then the bite, in spite of the raucous events of the previous night. Dan’s spot was 16RL straight at the toilet lights in the distance, it is a super-clean area and one the carp will visit. 

 

After a solid start, Bell in Alamo decided to follow Darrell’s lead and go looooonnnnnnggggg. He found a super-clean spot at 30 RL, halfway between Alcatraz and Baxter’s and after some impressive spodding got two rods on the area. Success on his first night in the shape of Quazimodo at 38lb. Sadly he lost what he described as 'a proper chunk' at first light.

 

Darrell had one more fish off the long spot in the shape of The Nude Fish at 44lb, and then had a nightmare losing two in a row to cut-offs. There must be some woodwork out long in that swim that is obviously covered in zebra mussels. Darrell did the right thing and found another area slighly right and a little shorter at 28RL. Starting afresh halfway through the week is not ideal, but after 4kg of boilie and three proper 'crackdowns' with the leads he was sure to get more! 

 

His next fish didn't come till 8am the following day, as he stressed about doing the wrong thing! Another fish soon followed, and it was clear the carp were willing to feed short of his original spot. After three more hours with no action, another 2kg of boilies went out to kick-start the area but no takes came until the following night. 

 

You never know when bites will come here. Even when it was flat calm, red hot and looking rubbish Dan’s rod roared off! A mega tug of war ensued and Dan netted an old friend, 234, which was well up in weight again at 46lb 12oz. Dan was well chuffed to get bites after resting his swim totally for 24 hours, he is convinced that's what started his action. We all want to be fishing 24/7 but isn't prepping/resting still fishing?

 

Jon Mann was in again on his long rods 22.75RL to the poplars to the left of The Beach. An amazing fish of 25lb named Pebbles on account of Jon’s collage that kept him sane as they jumped all over his spot and gave him liners. Not many lakes in France can boast such beautiful fish with perfect mouths, this is a lake for proper carp anglers who care about their quarry, and love every one!

 

Thursday night saw Co's Point turn into Party Point again. The minimal techno could be heard across on the road lake and slowly but surely the anglers kept arriving. We don't think many cast back out on their return as a result of being in 'an advanced state of refreshment'! Only Jonny Mann and Darrell remained and beer switched to tea! Five cups later and a sobering Darrell was away with a little mirror of 17lb, closely followed by a not-so-little mirror… The Galaxy at 63lb 12oz! Get in Darrell. Many sore heads were awoken again to witness the beast. A roar came up from Bell’s swim on Friday morning and no wonder, it was his first ever 40lb common and a cracking fish it was too! After measuring he found it was 26RL at and just left of Baxter’s, a large clear area that will produce a lot more fish over the next few weeks. 

 

10am saw Jon Mann into a lump on his long spot at 22.75 RL at the tall tree left of The Beach. After a dogged fight it amazingly turned out to be The Immaculate again! Not out for four years then out twice in three days. Darrell said this sometimes happens when a capture disorientates the fish. Jon didn't weigh it settling for Jake’s weight. 59lbs 4oz to help minimise stress, well done Jon. The fish stayed in the water the whole time. Dan F managed to get some banging shots too! A fish of a lifetime for Jon as you can see from his semi-naked superhero poses. Balanced Hybrid on a six-inch Hybrid Stiff hook link and Hybrid lead clip, Hybrid all round then!

 

Pecky continued ’till the very end with an unknown forty-one pounder minutes before winding in. His opinion changed during the session. At the start it was “Get in their living room, go as long as you can.” In the end it was “Get in their front garden and let them have some room to play!” He had just as many at 28RL as he did at 33 and didn't lose any closer. He reckons he would have had as many bites and landed more if he had started at 28. It was obvious they showed a lot closer to him when he gave them some room to play. He finished with 16 bites and 13 fish in six nights, top angling and an education to us all. He also now holds the highest personal beer tally at 162 bottles! Maybe not all drunk by him as he turned Co's Point into Party Point but impressive all the same. 

 

Last, but by no means least, was Andy keeping things quite in the Treeline swim. The fish didn’t visit the area much through the week, and proved very difficult. However, he continued with his original game plan and finally got his reward. Everyone round the lake had an early morning pack-up, so it was unexpected to hear a shout of  “Get In!” so close to reeling in. A beautiful old scaly mirror was sat in the net, waiting to be photographed. It went an impressive 37lb 4oz, normally a good 40lb but as you can see it’s well spawned out.

 

Co's will probably be everyone’s first choice from now on. The swim is a good one for sure but Darrell made it special. He would have caught as many from Alcatraz, Alamo, Stink and Pole. 

 

All in all, an amazing week for the Korda Boys, many, many wind-ups, laughs, tears and sore rears...

 

Tom Burns - Great week with lots of great food! I'll be back

 

Jake Wildbore - Scotties Corner 0 - 2 Jake Wildbore