Wednesday 15 August 2012

Queen Of The River


When me and Darren went stalking carp on Saturday morning we saw quite a lot of fish - but there was one that was quite a bit bigger than the others, a blond mirror carp. Darren managed to put a bait to her a couple of times but she didn't want to play... Can you see where I'm going with this?

I've been away for a long weekend in the Lake District, no phone, internet, no sketch pad or fishing rod - a break from everything I normally do - but that big carp was always in the back of my mind. Darren went out on Monday night but 'only' managed a roach, over a pound and the battery in his camera died... Agghhhh....

So this morning I got up at stupid o'clock and had a blast before work - and I didn't have to wait long. No messing about today, 8lb line straight through and a size 12 hook - but it still went like stink - and my knees started to shake when I saw what I'd hooked.


A beautiful 14lb 7oz mirror carp, I'm pretty sure it's the same fish that was teasing us on Saturday. I was so pleased I photographed both sides! With about 50 minutes left on the clock I had a few more casts... And a 7lb 14oz mirror to finish on (I thought it was a leather until I got it to the net).

Not bad for a couple of hours fishing, and back home for breakfast!

14 comments:

  1. Two cracking fish Bri what a return . Roger

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    1. Cheers. The light was wrong so I couldn't sight-fish for them, just a fluke I hit the fish I was chasing... But they all count!

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    2. Just realised this is a new river carp PB, beating the eleven from the Wye... That must have been 15 years ago.

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    3. That bigger Mirror is an absolute beauty. Top fishing.

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  2. Well done Brian, not commented on your blogs for a while. That really is a fantastic fish (size and looks) for the Wandle. Great to see a bit of variety in your blogs this year. You seem to be fishing a few different swims for different species which makes for much more interesting reading. Jamie

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    1. Hi Jamie, been out? Been catching?

      Thanks, I do want to complete the barbel challenge, or at least give it a good try, but I do keep getting distracted - feel I'm getting closer to a pound plus roach. And those carp were just far too tempting!

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  3. Well in Bri, bet you're chuffed. Great looking river carp!

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    1. Very chuffed! I think I'm right in saying it's a stocked and long forgotten river carp - not a wild one (which might explain why it's bigger than its pals) but a lovely looking fish.

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  4. Those river carp look like great fun. Well done on a new river PB. Not long now till piking time!!

    Paulos

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    1. The carp and roach are distracting me from the barbel challenge - but I don't care it's all great fun... Until the real season starts on October 1st..!

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  5. Have to agree with Stew, the larger Mirror is a very nice looking fish, well done Brian.

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    1. Couldn't have designed a nicer looking fish. In the second photo my gf said it looks like a stubborn punk!

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  6. Well done Brian they are cracking fish but unlike the others i think the "Almost Leather" mirror carp is a stonker theres just something about it, I think when it fills out it will put up a great fight, May be one of those that fight like a grass carp as the shape looks right,
    Well done again,
    ,,,Paddy,,,

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    1. I don't know a great deal about carp but I was thinking the 'almost leather' might be a first or second generation wild fish, one spawned in the river. They soon lose their bulky shape and get a shape more suited to running water. And become stronger fighters...

      I think I'll do a bit of internet research on this...

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