'Biography' of Chris Yates' Record Carp

[Shaun Harrison]

Have we had a U.K. record that was definitely born in the U.K?

[Nailbourne]

Nowadays, I think the whole 'Record Fish' thing is beyond its sell-by date. It was valid when all the fish caught were wild in natural waters, but there's too much artificiality around - breeding, feeding, habitat - for a record to be of any value.

It might be possible to rear gudgeon, or something similar, in a carefully contrived habitat to well over the present record, then 'catch' it. Valid? I think not.

[Snape]

Have we had a U.K. record that was definitely born in the U.K?

Albert Buckley's Mapperley 26lb'er was, I think, the only record carp definitely born in the UK....

[Shaun Harrison]

That's interesting, 5 miles from my door and I hadn't realised it was a true Brit.

[Gary Bills]

Have we had a U.K. record that was definitely born in the U.K?

Albert Buckley's Mapperley 26lb'er was, I think, the only record carp definitely born in the UK....

Yes, a true Brit - and the Andrews record from Cheshunt - the 20lb 3oz, - 1916 - certainly a Brit, as was the slightly earlier record by Otto Overbeck, his 17 pounder, from Croxby.

[Snape]

Is the Bishop considered to have been of the original stocking? I always presumed it was born in Redmire but I guess we'll never know.

[Gary Bills]

Is the Bishop considered to have been of the original stocking? I always presumed it was born in Redmire but I guess we'll never know.

It's possible that Clarissa, too, was Redmire born. At some point Leney stated that no commons at all were stocked...

[Shaun Harrison]

I was under the impression 'The Old 38' AKA 'The Bishop' was stocked as a juvenile in the 30's from Holland.

[Skeff]

The Redmire stocking was described as having a handful of all scalers (or similar) - so looking at dates and sizes I believe Clarissa would have been stocked as a fingerling. Similar for the Bishop.

I'm not sure you can state with certainty that even the Buckley fish, Cheshunt fish or Croxby fish were UK born? If you take a lifespan of up to 70+ being possible, what was the stocking date for these waters? I've got this noted somewhere because I'm a bit sad like that! I'm going to have to look.....

[Azur]

I think this is a can of worms here chaps . I do agree that the concept of 'record fish' has been blown out of proportion a little these days. I think the size of fish is more proportional to the water you're angling upon. Just an example, but if the biggest carp in a pool is 15lb and I catch one of 14lb I'm just as chuffed as if it were a larger fish from a pool holding carp of a greater average size. Its all relative me thinks