Hi Simon. 'Specimen' has two meanings.
First,where records for a particular species exist for a country, county, club, river, lake or sea, a 'specimen' in that sense is a fish that is not necessarily a record but is over a certain minimum weight which would suggest that it is a big fish for it's species. These weights are decided by individual records comittee and will change depending upon location. For example southern chub and barbel will be much bigger than northern chub and barbel(afternoon Graham!) Catching a fish over that weight usually wins you a trophy or a sew on badge or a certificate. There is a more casual meaning where someone simply describes a fish as a 'specimen' without any reference to records. Angling newspapers are fond of using that description.
Northern specimens;
Roach - 1lb plus
Perch - 1lb plus
Pike - 1lb plus
Chub - 1lb plus
Barbel - 1lb plus
Carp - parasites
Dace - 1oz plus
Eel - bootlace plus
Jordan - Hot chick
Northern specimens;
Roach - 1lb plus
Perch - 1lb plus
Pike - 1lb plus
Chub - 1lb plus
Barbel - 1lb plus
Carp - parasites
Dace - 1oz plus
Eel - bootlace plus
Jordan - Hot chick with a pair of specimens )
I seem to remeber reading somewhere that a "specimen" of any species is one in the top 10% for the water it is from, so a 3lb 2oz fish from a lake where 90% of the fish are upto 3lb would be a specimen.
In truth northern specimens are totally different from ones down south.For a start we..Sorry they(northern specimens) fight a lot harder pound for pound.Because of the restraints placed upon us... sorry them(northern specimens)they have to be more resilliant,more relliant,more resorsfull and more resplendant to those down south. Which in truth have little in common with the much supperior northern strain.I believe a big fence at watford gap would sort this problem.Although i expect they are better at spelling.
This as got to be my year, fish date 16 Aug my lakes dead way to much weed its that thick even I can walk on water (SCARBOROUGH MERE) so went to (ROSEDALE lake) Hummanby best day`s fishing, Roach,& rudd on 4mtr WHIP(DOWN BOY);.) did that most of the day just like fishing when I was a lad pin&cane the best.
At 4 went on to the feeder ProLogic this is one hell of a rod cost ?119 with lifetime guarantee now that has got to be the best deal. soaked 2ltr of trout pellets for the cage & 4ml exspanders for the hook got smashed on first cast, missed on next AND then wham tip went that way -> rod went round -> then <- ->-> this way and that way a good 20 min blood sweat and MY GOD this cream coloured thing boiled on top then went up the lake then down and down by the way at my feet it was 20ft down and then it saw the net well it saw the net 3 times and with some help (THANKYOU FOR YOUR HELP SORRY TOLD YOU MY NAME, ALAN DID NOT GET YOURS OR YOUR WIFES NAME but did give them this site and told them to look 4 ferret hi) and all of my bait as they were over here (SCARBOROUGH) for the week fishing and the rest you know holliday things,then it was in the net 10bl plus mirror carp took lots and lots of photos film full see this space next 48 hours all will be here I hope. And it`s down to this site for all of your help SO THANKS Fm
Yes the Northern specimens tend to be hardier, leaner more intelligent, better fighters, obviously more difficult to catch and better looking fish by far, much more superior to their Southern gay, handfed, tame, lardarse counterparts
Busy at work these days monk, so I don't get as much time to log on here now and when I do I spend ages catching up....and I'm still getting over the footy result.