Angling Lines Blog

Hi Danny,

If you have a moment or two free I’d like to ask a few questions about your lake in France, Gigantica.  My name is Kevin and I live about ten minutes drive from Blackpool in Lancashire.  I’ve been course fishing for around 28 years now but moved over to carping when I was about twelve years of age.

I’ve always wanted to go to France for a week or two’s carping but only when I’ve caught a 30Ib’er from England.  Sadly this has still yet to happen as the number of “big fish waters” located near me are very few and far between.  My current PB stands at 25Ib and has stood since May 2004.  This was caught from the River Lake at Wyreside Lakes, Forton near Lancaster.

Recently I had a rather nasty fall of a ladder at work which resulted in a smashed left heal bone, an operation to try and fix it and many months of non weight bearing.  I’m only three months into the healing process but I’m hoping I’ll be back “up and running” before October/November this year.  My foot will never be the same again and in the future I will require a fusion operation as walking will become to painful.  With this in mind I have decided to take the plunge and go to France next year for a week as life is just too short.

My first question is: where abouts in France is your Gigantica lake and is it within driving distance from where I live ?  I’m not to fussed if it takes me a while to get there but I would like to go fishing with all of my own gear.

Is it possible to buy a Garmin/TomTom sat nav and it lead me to the door step if a “drive and survive” package is available ?  Maps were never my strong point.

Finally I make from scratch all of my own baits and have done for many years now.  What size boilie would you say is correct for your water ?  I ask because I don’t want to roll X amount of bait in say 16mm only to find I’m being pestered by Roach, Bream etc as is sometime the case on some of the waters I fish around me.

Thank you for your help and I look forward to your reply.  If you don’t reply, I’ll not take it to heart as I know your a very busy person and probably won’t have much free time.

Kind regards, Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks for the enquiry. To answer your questions….

I can give you the Sat Nav details to get you too the gate, its a very easy run from Calais, under 250 miles from the port, 2 roads and takes 3.5 hours.

Bait wise, I’d bring larger, than smaller. we sell 20mm boilies  generally here, I do use smaller but a percentage of the smaller baits are eaten by bream, which we have been actively removing for several years now so they have had less of an impact than previously. I like, and prefer to use larger hookbaits and have caught very very well here on 22, 24 & 26mmboilies so dont be afraid to experiment. For a starter, 20mm would be my starting point.

One point I will raise, something I bring up too all perspective clients. Gigantica is NOT an easy water by any stretch of the imagination. Many angler blank,an average week for most would be 1-2 fish throughout the week. However, if you fish well, you can catch very well, as per any lake. Precision fishing and the correct baiting is the key. We are certainly not a runs type water, we have very specific rules regarding the fishing, the boats and of course, our fish.

I hope this has answered the majority of your questions but feel free to contact me at anytime should you require further information.

Ilook forward to possibly meeting you in the near future.

Danny Turley, Gigantica Fishery Manager.
Gigantica-carp ltd.
0033 672221535

Tags: Gigantica

Hi Dan I’m book on a trip to Gigantica in August.  Could you give me some tips for the lake.  How does the hot weather effect the fishing?  What amount of bait would I need as I’m trying to work out a budget for the trip?  Do you allow tiger’s?  What is the cost to hire a boat?

Thanks, Paul

Tom,

Thanks for the enquiry. The fishing in August can be prolific,so long as you fish well….as per any lake really. Zig rigs can be a real wonder throughout the day and bottom baits through the day and night.

Bait wise, Id work on a minimum of 3kg per night, but if your catching you could use a lot more, not that you’d mind if your catching !?

Boats are 30E per week or 50E shared with a friend in a swim close to you. Tigers, you are allowed them, but they have to be bought from us so I know they are prepared properly and I only allow limited quantities ( please dont bring your own, Im very specific about the prepared by me rule, I have to be sure they are safe for my fish ). To be honest, if they were that good, Id use em but I dont, boilies rule here for sure.

Please make sure you have sufficent sun tan lotion and sun tan after care cream should you get burnt. There are plenty of trees here but getting out of the sun is generally difficult and it will be HOT. Im expecting 40degrees so please be careful for your own health.

I hope this has answered your questions but feel free to contact me at anytime should you require additional information regarding the lake, the fishing or general information.

I look forward to meeting you

Danny Turley,

Gigantica Fishery Manager.

Gigantica-carp ltd.
0033 672221535

Tags: Gigantica

Hi Dan, just a query about the usual sort of “pests” we have to endure.  Are mosquitos something we should prepare to have to deal with? You know sprays and lotions type of stuff? Also I hope to bring about 60 or 70 kilo of frozen bait is this amount ok?

Many thanks, Ron

Ron,

We sell Mozzy coils on site but to be honest you won’t really need them. I fish without a brolly and only the stillest of nights would I even bother with a coil. The past years we have had very little mozzy activity. Some horse flies but that is on for around 2 weeks or so as the females need blood for their eggs. There doesn’t seem to be anything you can do to deter the horse flies.

We have no rats, but like every water, we cannot stop mice… but I try. We have poison out continually to ‘nuke’ the little buggers. Other than that, you shouldn’t have a problem.

No worries on the bait.

Danny

Tags: Gigantica

Hi Danny,

Me and a friend are coming over in June for the week. After watching the DVD’S we wondered if it was true that you have to use such a massive amount of bait.  I’m not used to using that amount of bait on a fishing session in the UK and it’s my first time to France. What is the best approach to use when visiting in June?

Any help would be appreciated.

Dan from London

************
Dan,

Thanks for the enquiry. Massive amounts of bait……..it’s like any other fishing situation Dan, if they’re scoffing it, you’ll get through it, but on the plus side, if they’re scoffing you’ll be catching !

We have a big head of big fish here and they aren’t big from not eating. In June they, hopefully, would have spawned and you’ll be getting amongst them if you fish well. you’ll get through more bait than perhaps you will on your normal water, as I guess your normal water hasn’t got similar stocks.

Massive beds of bait do work but it’s not regulation, and when you’re fishing you’ll know if your gonna need more as the fish show A LOT when they’re in front of you eating. I have got through 20kg in a night before, but then I did have 11 fish that night so I’m more than happy to use that amount. Other nights I generally get through about 2-3kg.

It’s all about what’s happening in front of you and what you do with that situation.  Sorry if it hasn’t answered your question, but it is unanswerable as I don’t know what will happen in your swim the week you’re here.
What I do know, if you’re hauling, you won’t mind the heavy baiting!

Look forward to meeting you.

Danny

Tags: Carp Bait, Gigantica

Here’s the video of Shaun Harrisons 54lb’er caught at Gigantica in 2009

Tags: Gigantica, Monster Carp