Mapperley Reservoir home of the one time British record carp finally produces its first 30lb carp

[Reedling]

I bet he was chuffed to bits when he realised the record he has set. Also nice to see the old Pudding basin has made an appearance again at the Barbers.

[Dave Burr]

Well done Mr Bongo, a great fish from an historic venue. But does it count if you just wade in and pick them out of the weeds?

[John Milford]

I fished one overnight session on Mapperley last summer.

The reservoir was extremely kind, gracing me with a personal best carp in the shape of this immaculate 23-04 common - before nightfall.

Not a particularly long fish, but as stout as a beer keg and with a very impressive set of paddles!

Landed on a 1¾ lb t.c. rod, belying the seemingly modern insistence that powerful rods are essential!

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[GarryProcter]

Well done John, that's a very fine fish. As it happens I'm reading (yet again) "The Carp Catchers Club", and Mapperley features a lot in the rotary letters, being regarded as an extremely difficult place to catch a carp of any size!

[Catfish.017]

Both Bongo and Herbert are great names! I wonder how recent the trend of naming carp is? I suppose it's only sensible to name the big ones that become sought after, otherwise the carpers wouldn't be able to say which particular fish they were trying to catch!

1952 with Clarissa nee Ravioli.

[Santiago]

Both Bongo and Herbert are great names! I wonder how recent the trend of naming carp is? I suppose it's only sensible to name the big ones that become sought after, otherwise the carpers wouldn't be able to say which particular fish they were trying to catch!

1952 with Clarissa nee Ravioli.

I don't know of names of any carp pre Walker naming Ravioli but I wouldn't put a wager on him starting the craze. Essentially because I've read several traditional angling books that pre-date Walker's capture by decades and more that reference the naming of big trout. "The Major ".and " The General " etc. , being very popular names ! Walker may well have pinched the idea from his trouting freternity mates.