Unexpected catch

[Old fisher]

Hi all. In 1992 I was fishing a private syndicate lake near Canterbury Kent for Tench. I had caught a couple, when suddenly small fry started splashing on the surface near a patch of lilies. I could see Perch dashing about. So I tackled up a spinning rod and tied on a small rubber minnow lure. After a few casts the minnow was grabbed and a lengthy fight started. At first it felt like the worlds biggest perch had taken the lure, but of course I realised it was a Pike, anyway, the fight was going on for a time but the fish started to tire. As I drew the fish to net I was so surprised to find that it wasn't a Pike but as it turned out an 11lb Mirror Carp hooked inside the mouth, so not foul hooked. What unexpected catches have others had?

 

[John Aston]

I've had a number of carp , to 15lbs , on paddle tail lures meant for big perch, as well as chub, ide, the odd roach/bream hybrid, sundry trout and pike and even a canal salmon . I've also had carp , chub and grayling as well as trout on marabou streamer flies.

 

[terry m]

A guy fishing a couple of swims down for catfish using an eel section had a screamer that turned out to be a low 20lb carp. Hooked in the mouth.

 

[Philip]

A few years ago I arrived at a lake intending to fish 2 rods in the margins with float tackle. I was going to use pellets so both rods were setup with pellet bands. I had setup one rod & left it danging in the margins unbaited while I put the second rod together. All of a sudden the first rod hooped round and started to get pulled in. I grabbed it and played in a Carp, from memory it was probably around 10lb. I had assumed it was foul hooked but on looking it was fairly hooked in the mouth and had taken the bare hook.

 

[Keith M]

Every fish in our waters will take small fry at some time or other so it’s not really that unusual especially in the spring time to have fish taken.

I’ve had Bream follow a mepps spinner in a few times, and a friend of mine hooked a 16lb Pike on a boilee a few seconds after it hit the bottom on the first day of the season; and Barbel are occasionally targeted on small fish as well.

Most fish will scavenge and chase fry.

Keith

 

[mikench]

One day last summer whilst fishing with Gordon and during an inattentive moment , my feeder rod was pulled strongly forward and to my right lifting out of the supposedly specialised Nash butt rest and only by luck did I manage to grab it. I was somewhat disappointed to land, after an admittedly strong battle a carp of no more that 4lb. I learned my lesson and changed the butt rest

 

[nottskev]

Pole fishing caster to the far bank of the Trent and Mersey - .08 line, 20 hook, no.3 elastic usually gets you roach, so this was unexpected. I have to admit landing it was no great feat - it was no mullet. Or chub, even.

 

[Keith M]

Pole fishing caster to the far bank of the Trent and Mersey - .08 line, 20 hook, no.3 elastic usually gets you roach, so this was unexpected. I have to admit landing it was no great feat - it was no mullet. Or chub, even.

View attachment 19274

Looks like a nice Zander

NB: I’ve yet to catch one myself ?

Keith

 

[nottskev]

Looks like a nice Zander

NB: I’ve yet to catch one myself ?

Keith

A pure fluke, Keith. but it did win me the 2 peg battle for £1 with the friend who took the pic - up to then we'd each had 7 or 8lb of roach. Steve (Aknib) has caught plenty on the Trent. He sent me a pic one Christmas day morning of a 6lb chub he'd just caught on a slice of lamprey meant for zander - another unexpected catch.

 

[john step]

I have had a couple of double figure carp on small deadbait intended for perch. I was mentally writing my report to the BRFC for perch until I saw them!!
I have just my gear ready for tomorrows light lure fishing with soft jelly things which would rate as the craziest bait of all time if it didnt actually work.

Edited... something I keep meaning to try but never seem to get around to it is sprats for carp. After a deadbait session a few years ago I chucked a couple of mangled sprats in the edge. Some rather large carp appeared out of nowhere and started jostling for position to eat them.

 

[flightliner]

Had a pound Bream on a spinner and once casting in my baitless hook to check the depth my float disappeared and I landed 5" roach!

 

[steve2]

Carp seem to have taken a liking to dead and live baits these days. Not really surprising with the amount of fish flavoured pellets being used.
I got feed up fishing for eels on one water because carp were becoming a pest.
Apart from carp I have had Roach and Rudd on small lure.

 

[Badgerale]

Carp will eat pretty much anything. You can catch them fly fishing, dead baiting, and as you found even spinning. They are called mud 'pigs' for a reason.

 

[Old fisher]

I've had a number of carp , to 15lbs , on paddle tail lures meant for big perch, as well as chub, ide, the odd roach/bream hybrid, sundry trout and pike and even a canal salmon . I've also had carp , chub and grayling as well as trout on marabou streamer flies.

It's great when you get unexpected fish

 

[no-one in particular]

I had a 3.5lb sea trout while swim feeding maggots once, not unusual in itself but it was a surprise to me at the time.
A bream of about 6lb in a stretch of the Avon at the Bisterne fishery, I was just not expecting it and had not heard of any in that stretch so a bit of a surprise.
A red mullet once of the jetty wall in the middle of the summer was a surprise, I believe a few are caught but the only one I have ever seen.

 

[John Aston]

It's great when you get unexpected fish

Totally agree, even though it can be deeply unfashionable to admit it . I was chatting to a barbel ...err...specialist earlier today who affected disdain at the allegedly 3lb roach he'd caught a year or so ago, only weighing it because his mate told him he should . ' I never told the f***er I'd 'ad two bigger ones'. Of course he had ....

 

[bullet]

I had a Tench of about 2lb when fly fishing for Carp with a floating Dog Biscuit imitation, that was a bit odd.
I've also had a couple of Grayling using a bloody great Mepps when spinning for Salmon, both hooked in the mouth.

 

[Keith M]

I've also had a few trout when using sweetcorn on my hook under a float; which is not really surprising as like most fish they'll eat anything if its put in front of them.

Keith

 

[Philip]

I had a Tench of about 2lb when fly fishing for Carp with a floating Dog Biscuit imitation, that was a bit odd.

We had a pond in the Garden with the usual goldfish and what not in it plus 1 Tench of about 2lbs. It would come to the surface to take floating bread. it was very timid, you would see the goldfish all attacking the bread then all of a sudden a big pair of lips would come up & slurp it down in one go.

 

[peterjg]

I knew a bloke who caught a 25lb mirror carp on a herring.

A few years ago I fluked a 3lbs 6oz sea trout from the K&A canal on a dendra worm. Just upstream is the river Kennet so I suppose it came from there. I have caught tench and bream on surface baits meant for carp.