Comparisions

[steve2]

I was thinking yesterday about my fish PB’s, all are now from years ago, most would now be considered run of the mill fish compared with now.
Carp, it took me years to catch my first double now if I wanted too I could go almost anywhere and catch one bigger.
Chub, my best chub won me a prize but at that time the record was only 8lbs. Now 5/6/7 lb appears to be the norm.
Tench, when I stated a 6lb Tench was a monster now it’s only average size.
Barbel, again took me years to catch a double now they are caught every day from waters all over the country.
Bream, my best is now less than half the record.

Fish on my list that have stood the test of time are Pike at over 20lbs, Crucian Carp to near 3lbs, caught way before F1 and brown gold fish were stocked. Rudd of near 3lb caught on a dry fly when fishing for trout and big Dace, which locally now don’t exist.
So I suppose what I am saying is that big fish wise we have never had it so good.

 

[no-one in particular]

Really, I am still trying to catch the old weights..

 

[john step]

Yes funny thing about weights. That 6lb tench would still be big up here.
An interesting fact is that I read that Richard Walker never caught a 6lb chub.

 

[mikench]

I blame boilies , spodding and the clowns who use and do both to excess. Every carp over 30lb I've ever seen( not at the bank) is fat, distended and , frankly, ugly. The same description isn't out of place with double figure tench and bream which no doubt gorge themselves on the free offerings.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Yes funny thing about weights. That 6lb tench would still be big up here.
An interesting fact is that I read that Richard Walker never caught a 6lb chub.

Walker had 6lb chub but not 6lb tench.

 

[108831]

Funny though,D-i-c-k (?)Walker's home is on the the banks of the River Ivel at Biggleswade,his wife still lives there(a lovely lady),hope she is still ok,up until the past year or so chub were regularly being caught over six,I know of one authenticated seven....

 

[tigger]

I blame boilies , spodding and the clowns who use and do both to excess. Every carp over 30lb I've ever seen( not at the bank) is fat, distended and , frankly, ugly. The same description isn't out of place with double figure tench and bream which no doubt gorge themselves on the free offerings.

Mike, most people trying for record weights target tench (as they do with pike) when they are full of spawn, that's why they look fat and distended. Tench can be 3 or more pound heavier when full of spawn!
Imo, fish full of spawn should not be counted as a record weight.
The carp you see with the big guts are actually bred to be of that build.

 

[mikench]

I hadn't thought of that but I'm sure kilos of boilies and particles play a part.

 

[steve2]

Mike, most people trying for record weights target tench (as they do with pike) when they are full of spawn, that's why they look fat and distended. Tench can be 3 or more pound heavier when full of spawn!
Imo, fish full of spawn should not be counted as a record weight.
The carp you see with the big guts are actually bred to be of that build.

The pike season and the PAC and clubs always puzzles me. Just why are they in some cases against summer pike fishing when they are at their fittest and then say it OK to chase after the big females on their spawning grounds. I assume it's because they are at their heaviest and the same with all fish.
Like you I don’t think spawn filled fish should count for records.
I assume the big gutted carp are bred just to boost carp anglers egos.

 

[rayner]

Big fish pftt. Give me numbers anytime, sitting waiting for bites does nothing for me, I'd sooner be busy catching any fish.
I'm of no doubt some will roll their eyes at my statement but who cares certainly not me.
If anglers want to catch bigger fish I can live with that, after all, it's their choice.

 

[108831]

Well,I for one would rather catch a bag/or several reasonable fish than one record nearing one,bites keep the heart and soul going...

 

[bullet]

There are fish and fish, mind....I'd rather catch nothing than a load of tiny stuff...

 

[no-one in particular]

The thing is with the small fish, they are not as much fun as the big fish but the bites still get me going, even big fish give small bites. So it is still something, better than a blank.

 

[108831]

There are fish and fish, mind....I'd rather catch nothing than a load of tiny stuff...

Absobloodylutely....

 

[rayner]

There are fish and fish, mind....I'd rather catch nothing than a load of tiny stuff...

That should be easy to achieve if that's your thing. For me, a fish is a fish no matter what size. I'm past the stage of waiting for bites, with time left for me to fish limited.
I just think waiting for a fish to decide to chomp my hook bait would be and is time wasted. Give me regular bites anytime.

 

[Philip]

Thing is I dont think allot of UK anglers really appreciate how big the fish there are on a global scale. I get this feeling that there is this idea that you only have to skip across the channel and you have monsters climbing up the rods on every cast. Its simply not like that. While for some species it may be easier (Carp and Catfish spring to mind although even for Carp the gap is closing rapidly) for many of the other species the UK fish are seriously big.

Barbel are a prime case in point.....the UK record now over 20lb..thats just ginourmous by anyones standards. A double is still a very big fish over the pond & not many anglers will have caught one. For sure some huge fish exist but the UK is throwing them up in much greater numbers.

Chub is another example..6lb fish are common place now in the UK...a 6lb Chub is a very big fish and there cant be many better places to fish for them than the UK right now.

I suspect the amount of bait going in plays a part and also just the quality of the anglers fishing..there is no doubt whateoever in my mind that the UK leads the way in terms of specialist angling and the anglers there set the standards others try to follow.