Martin Locke of Solar fame has just landed a WR 94lb carp.

Pictures here.

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Jim

My only worry is that when I die,my wife sells my fishing gear, for what I said I paid for it :eek:

Thats a monster fish

it must have be some scrap ....... i caught this boy on a 7wt by fluke and it gave me the fight of my life on a fly rod......24lb 8oz from bangour

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" TRUE CHAMPION'S DO NOT GET JUDGED ON HOW THEY FALL......... BUT HOW THEY RISE".

Only a matter of time before the magic 100lb barrier is broken. Something, which i remember reading years ago, said will never be acheived. Great capture, definately one to remember!

Why do carp on the continent get so big? Also, why have carp in this country seemed to have become bigger over the past couple of years?

Carp in Europe historically have grown bigger due to having a longer growing season each year. UK carp feed throughout the year, but only sporadically during the winter. From November through to early March they are on tickover, and maintain weight without actually growing.

The fact that the UK record has increased so much in the last ten years is probably due to more efficient tackle and methods. The record is sixty-odd pounds now; fifteen years ago it was just over fifty. However, sixty pounders were known to exist in some UK waters as much as fifty years ago. Dick Walker netted a 58lb mirror from Redmire in the early 1950s, and the 'King' as it became known - a fish spotted by several anglers over the years - was reckoned to be 70lb plus. Had the anglers of the 1970s had the rods, lines, rigs and baits available today, those fish may well have been caught.

There's been a lot of nonsense written about anglers' baits causing the fish to grow bigger, but this is doubtful. Some of the biggest fish have been caught from large gravel pits subject to little, if any, angling attention. Until recently, the warmer winters - in conjunction with nitrates washed from agricultural land - have resulted in increased weed growth in many waters. Weed equals natural food in abundance, so the fish have waxed fat with no need for dietary supplements.

I think the increase in size of UK fish has far more to with the fact that far more waters are stocked with Carp than ever before; this results in a lot of waters being stocked with carp that suit the conditions needed for carp to grow. in addition, carp strains are available now that are much faster growing such as the "simmo" strain. a fine example of this in action being the fish stocked only a few years as 1-2 pound carp in bradleys lake (110 acres) these fish are already pushing 20+ pounds. There are also some additional carp (maybe a dozen or so) socked at similar weights around 2001 or so, that are mid thirties. however this same lake contains Leynee (spelling?) carp considered a great strain in the 1950s, most of these carp after 60 years of life have never excceded mid 30's and some stayed at mid 20's.

IMHO opinion anglers bait especially as part of a baiting campaign can increase the carps weight.

That is a big fish for sure, but there are a few in that weight range. and it will be broken for sure this year.

Rook, Nice fish on a fly,

Here's my UK PB on a fly, 36lb 12oz on a 6/7 wt rod.

My UK PB, on bait 51lb.

And another i had with a bit of meat on it, 57lb 12oz.

Threerivers, The fish Walker had in the 50s was a 44lb common, and at the time was the british record. they always say of the big one that was always see, but i never saw it at all when i was fishing Redmire. but what a great water,

Dai.

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Any day with a y in it, is a good day to go fishing

http://daijonesflies.blogspot.com/

nice fish there mate, some real lunkers

cracking fish mate........ pure power on a fly rod total fighting machines.

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" TRUE CHAMPION'S DO NOT GET JUDGED ON HOW THEY FALL......... BUT HOW THEY RISE".