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!
Two cracking fish Bri what a return . Roger
ReplyDeleteCheers. 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!
DeleteJust realised this is a new river carp PB, beating the eleven from the Wye... That must have been 15 years ago.
DeleteThat bigger Mirror is an absolute beauty. Top fishing.
DeleteWell 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
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie, been out? Been catching?
DeleteThanks, 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!
Well in Bri, bet you're chuffed. Great looking river carp!
ReplyDeleteVery 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.
DeleteThose river carp look like great fun. Well done on a new river PB. Not long now till piking time!!
ReplyDeletePaulos
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..!
DeleteHave to agree with Stew, the larger Mirror is a very nice looking fish, well done Brian.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't have designed a nicer looking fish. In the second photo my gf said it looks like a stubborn punk!
DeleteWell 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,
ReplyDeleteWell done again,
,,,Paddy,,,
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...
DeleteI think I'll do a bit of internet research on this...