Carp Fever

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I’m rambling! I agree with you, the progeny have often not lived up to the original. The chance was missed. I mentioned before,once or twice,I'm well into history,ive been privvy to stuff,that no one will ever know about..ie BM

Was interested to read your comments - love this period of Carp fishing history and am currently re-reading Pete Springates book Carp side of the Moon - reading his chronology Yeoveney was drained down in the close season of 1978 they netted it three or four times with the majority of the fish going into Longfield (including the two fish in the famous brace pic of Pete that ended up in Carp Fever) and eventually about 15 fish into Wraysbury - in the book Pete says towards the end of the ‘78 close season him and Kenny netted the last 2 fish from a muddy puddle in the drained Yeoveney and slipped them into Wraysbury they were 2 mirrors about 14lb each. As said previously don’t think Pete had access to redmire until early 1980’s So not saying fish did not move but they weren’t from Yeoveney Many years ago now i was a member of a three man membership lake,that lake formerly known as Shillamill,nr lanreath.Before John Facey sold it to Christine and John,I was told the fish were of the same heritage as Bernithan carp,leney fish....now,I fished there pretty much solo for seven yrs til it was sold to'they party'...upwards..,I caught a lot of fish,fish that were not like any other carp I caught before..I have ALL the pics in 35mm,blind taken using a cane for focusing,and air release system.... There's a saying ,where there is a hole in the ground you'll find a Cornish man,not forgetting the Cambourne school of mines, and the world famous blue slate quarry, which members of my family worked down,including Prince of Wales, quarry nr Tintagel..I remember a conversation with Roger Smith in the mid 80s where he recounted tales of sml carp coming from Redmire and some of the lakes that they ended up in. Thanks for that Goose - I think of Redmire these days as being like a National Trust property (I worked for NT for fifteen years). It's a pastiche in many ways these days of times gone by and the impacts of that time are painfully evident, from the built swims to the new otter fence and the changes in landscape management around the pool that made the restoration work necessary.... But there is still an underlying magic there and that sense of history. Makes me wonder places like these. I know a few Stately homes, one of which is dear to my heart, fished it as a kid. Used to catch tiny carp in the early 80s on maggot which had to be from successful breeding contrary what people believe because until a fish kill from effluent in the early 90s to my knowledge nobody had ever put anything into it. Makes me wonder the bloodline of carp and how long they could actually survive for if they are breeding. Lake mentioned had no pike in it either which is surprising really so not such much predication other than herons etc.

If you consider how many places received his fish, how many went on to become the sought after lookers? How many of these went on to spawn successfully? I know they belong to Chris Yates, some time ago I spoke to Chris Ball at an event and he had them there, he has quoted from them so assumed he still had them. I could fish for two now, have not got the time or the will to fish there, get quite a few people walking round and when you fish places like this, everybody is an angler all of a sudden, pain in the arse

The footprints in the leaves, Elias and his suicide,plus others all add to a very special atmosphere... Have fished all the known swims,even during the day,you know BB is watching,making sure you respect the place... Yes. The reason we have the fish we have today is purely through unnatural selection. Left alone all lakes would be full of long skinny 12lb Wildie commons. All have a huge dollop of poetic licence as well, would take everything he says or writes with a large pinch of salt.