Richard Walker - Fisherman's story of the year

[Tee-Cee]

On holiday in the area some 10years ago(and looking for Redmire-if only to drive past!)my wife & I went into a local Information Centre and asked about its location.They knew exactly where it was and suggested we do a Berthinian House Tour(available at the time but I know not why!)and we jumped at the chance.

Arrived at the house and was met by the housekeeper(I think)and she took us around the house-room by room.Nothing special internally as houses go(but beautifully located) but I do recall the large staircase moving(a lot!)as we walked up it!!(It was in need of some attention as I recall....)

More weird to me was the fact that I was walking up stairs that Walker et al had probably walked before me......

On leaving we asked if we could walk around the lake-again no problem but I could not remember all the swim names and locations as we did the walk...

We took many pictures of house and lake and to this day I'm still amazed I actually visited Clarissa's home.......

.....sentimental old fool...............................

 

[Shine]

Daily Mirror, 22 August 1972
Clarissa, Britain’s record-breaking 44lb carp, now sits in a 43in. by 22in. glass case in Chubbs tackle shop in London.



Anyone know where she is now?

 

[dezza]

There was something unique about that lake in that it was able to grow on carp, naturally up to very large sizes. The carp came from Holland by the way, they were not English bred stock.

However Walker told me that ca 1956, he netted a common carp that was having difficulties and had beached itself in the shallow end of Redmire. He took his large landing net and lifted the carp out, and carried it to the dam, but before releasing it, he weighed it in the net. It went approx 53 lbs and was heavy with spawn.

There were people who claim to have seen a monsterous carp, a mirror that was never caught. Walker did try to estimate the weight of this fish and suggested over 60 lbs.

Redmire in those days was solid with chironomids and daphnia. There were hardly any other fish, except a few gudgeon and a chub called Popeye. Walker caught it at over 5 lbs.

Chris Yates Record of 51lbs - The "Bishop", had been caught several times in its life and by the time Chris caught it, it was a tired old lady and was found dead shortly after the capture.

Today, there are no big carp in Redmire I am told. It is only a shadow of what it was and many of the great trees, including the famous willows have been cut down.

The infamous ghost of the "Evening Pitch" has not been seen for some time either.

Perhaps Walker's indomitable spirit still stalks the banks of Redmire, but perhaps not. I don't think he would approve of what has been done there.

There is only one man left alive who was a member for any length of time of the Carp Catcher's Club, and that is Peter J Thomas of Hitchin who is now 91 years of age. I met this fine angler in 1965 when he was a rep for Hardy Bros.

Bob Reynolds was a member of the CCC, but of that, the less said the better.

---------- Post added at 11:11 ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 ----------

Daily Mirror, 22 August 1972
Clarissa, Britain’s record-breaking 44lb carp, now sits in a 43in. by 22in. glass case in Chubbs tackle shop in London.



Anyone know where she is now?

For a period, she resided at Billy Lanes shop in London Road Coventry. I'll speak to Kevin Clifford, he should know.

 

[Shine]

For a period, she resided at Billy Lanes shop in London Road Coventry. I'll speak to Kevin Clifford, he should know.

Please do Ron. It would be interesting to know of her whereabouts.

 

[dezza]

Clarissa is still in Lanes Tackle Shop - London Road, Coventry.

On loan from Fred Buller.

 

[Tee-Cee]

.....its a pity someone cannot get Peter J Thomas to record his thoughts before its too late....perhaps Piers Morgan could do a prog....I'd watch it anyway.....

...and perhaps Clarissa should be taken back to Redmire and buried.....if I ever win the Euromillions thing I will buy Redmire,restock it with proper carp and close it down for a few years to let it grow wild again........then fish it on my own...a bit selfish,but what the hell!!

 

[Frothey]

I will buy Redmire,restock it with proper carp and close it down for a few years to let it grow wild again........then fish it on my own...a bit selfish,but what the hell!!

surely Redmire is already full of "proper" fish? they are the progeny of the origionals. And you want to get rid of them and stock it???

Much better to take a load out and leave 20 or so in there......

 

[dezza]

Much better to take a load out and leave 20 or so in there

Frothey is quite right, there are most likely too many fish in Redmire. Due, I am sure, to warmer winters, the carp in there have spawned too successfully. During the halcyon days of the pool, there were no more than about 25 carp in it.

I seem to remember whan Redmire was netted, sometime in the 80s. It caused an absolute furore amongst the Redmire faithful.

But I am told that Redmire is not as rich as it used to be. There used to be a large area of marshland upstream of the lake that was left alone save for a few horses and cattle that used to drink the water and leave their dung - thus fertilising the tiny stream.

But it looks like the tiny stream does not exist any more.

---------- Post added at 02:12 ---------- Previous post was at 01:39 ----------

All that looks to be left is the remnants of a ditch between two fields. And close to that are some "modern" farm buildings. The whole atmosphere has changed without doubt.

Where Walker caught Clarissa there were two large willow trees.

As Walker once wrote: "It is a mistake to return to the site of an angling triumph many years later."

 

[Tee-Cee]

Frothey/Ron.....I stand corrected,and NO I wouldn't remove the existing fish.....far better to improve the lot of the existing fish and if that means taking out some of the smaller fish then thats okay...

I still think it could do with a rest though(it must be hammered for such a small lake)and the surroundings allowed to grow back and maybe plant a few trees......The last time I saw it it looked terrible but it was late in the year.

As I said,I'm just a sentimental old fool probably trying to relive the past....

I do agree with Walker-it is a mistake to go back to scenes of triumph-how many times have I spoilt memories by doing just that!!

 

[Frothey]

I don't think Redmire get's "hammered" as such, the people that fish there tend to be respectfull (obviously always going to be a few exceptions). The looks of the pool has more to do with nature than mans intervention iirc.

 

[kronos1]

While searching the web I came across this really interesting interview with **** Walker (it's about 20 minutes long) . This recording contains info about the session in which he landed Clarrisa at Redmire in 1952.

Tons of Tackle carp fishing tackle dunstable fishing tackle shops - Info & Photo Galleries

Apologies if this is all ready been submitted by another member.

 

[geoffmaynard]

Welcome to FM Kronos.

Yes we have a recording of RW talking about the Clarissa capture here on FM too.

 

[chav professor]

Absolutely stunning Geoff - I suppose **** Walker is postumously my hero in many ways - yet this is the first time I have actually heard the guvnor's voice! For anyone interested, there is a book called the Carp Catchers Club compiled my Maurice Ingham - it is a collection of letters written by these pioneering anglers.

I am aware that Clarrisa was first cristened Ravioli by ****, so why was it then changed to Clarrisa?

 

[geoffmaynard]

Ron should know!

 

[Chevin]

I spoke to Peter Thomas on the 'phone quite recently and although he is 91 he is obviously in possession of his faculties. It was good to chat to him after so many years and he sounded just as he did 40 or 50 years ago. For those who wonder about him, Peter is a real nice guy and I was always pleased when I bumped into him and his dog Ross.

 

[Merv Harrison]

Re Ravioli/Clarissa........Was it the staff at London Zoo that renamed her Clarissa ???

 

[Chevin]

Re Ravioli/Clarissa........Was it the staff at London Zoo that renamed her Clarissa ???

Yes, it was, almost overnight. It was a very rapid name change.

 

[Merv Harrison]

Cheers Chevin, do you have any knowledge as to why the name change came about ??

 

[Chevin]

Cheers Chevin, do you have any knowledge as to why the name change came about ??

I would say that those responsible for calling the fish Clarissa were probably not aware that the fish had already been named. As I remember it, the fish was collected from the lake by zoo employees and that was the last **** saw of it until later. It is quite possible that the fish was named as the keepers were watching it swim around its tank for the first time.

 

[Merv Harrison]

Chevin, have just searched t'net, and the only reference i've found was that the 'staff' at London Zoo did'nt like the name Ravioli, and so took it upon themselves to name the carp Clarissa.

One would therefore think the name Clarissa had some significance to the 'staff'. A case of wit, skit, or sarcasm ??.