Carp:
Native to Asia
and Mainland Europe
Native to Asia
and Mainland Europe
Latin Name:
Cyprinus carpio.
Cyprinus carpio.
Family: Cyprididea.
Carp truly are a magnificent fish and sought after by many ardent pleasure and specialist anglers alike, probably due to the enormous sizes that some of them can attain.
There are seven different strains of Carp in the UK:
1. The Galician Carp = 40lb Galicia/Poland
2. The Dinkelsbuehl Carp = 30lb Germany
3. The Ropsha Carp = 30lb Russia
4. The Italian Carp = 40lb Italy
5. The Aischgrund Carp = 45lb plus Bavaria
6. The Frame Carp = 40lb France
7. The Royale Carp = 40lb !!!!!!!!
The Royal Carp has an exceptional growth rate of between 4 to 6lb per year.
Carp have sensitive barbules on each side of their mouths, they vary in colour from light golden to a much darker brown or gray, it depends on the type of carp, and the water conditions they live in, their dorsal fin is quite long but not very high and can have quite a hard spine towards the front, carp being of a hardy nature, and if living in good water conditions have been known to survive for up to 50 years, but usually there average lifespan is nearer to twenty.
In 1952 the late great angler Richard Walker was the first angler in England to catch a carp weighing 40lbs, since then others have gone on to catch specimens in access of 60lbs, (even larger on the continent), some of the larger specimens over the years have been nicknamed by anglers using various names, an example of this is the famous `Two Tone,` records have been kept of this fish as to his weight and the dates that he has been caught, in 2001 Terry Glebioska caught `Two Tone` at 59lb 7ozs, followed by Mark Toland 59lb 12ozs, in 2001, Gary Bayes also in 2001 at 61lb, Lee Jackson 61lb 7ozs, 2002, John Pack 64lb 5ozs, 2004, Simon Bater 65lb 14ozs, 2005, John Bird 67lb 2008, and OZ Holness at a colossal 67lb 14ozs.
Carp can be found in many still water lakes, reservoirs, gravel pits, ponds, rivers and canals; nowadays they are probably amongst one of the most stocked fish in commercial waters throughout the country.
The Common Carp is a fully scaled fish, while on most Mirror Carp there are a lot less scales, generally these scales can be much larger and quite impressive (the larger scales on Mirror Carp are sometimes known as plates or platelets’), these larger scales can be found growing almost anywhere on the fish, and with the many varying patterns it allows them to become identified and known as individuals, the name “Mirror” came about because of these large scales being so shiny. The Leather Carp is a much rarer fish than the other two and has almost no scales, sometimes none, which gives it a smoother soft leathery type skin.
The theory is that Carp were introduced into this country during the middle ages by the Monks who farmed them for food, keeping them in what was known as stew ponds.
There are variant types of the Carp; Koi Carp, Grass carp, Ghost Carp, and Crucian Carp.
Ghost Carp where deliberately produced in the 1980s by cross-breeding Common Carp with a specific
type of Koi Carp known as Ogon.
Spawning takes place during early May to June, during this time they can often be seen thrashing about on the surface and in close to the margins where the females deposit their eggs.
Female Carp can spawn several times throughout the season sometimes producing up to 1000 000 eggs, which require a water temperature of 18 to 24 degrees centigrade (73F), these eggs then take between 5 to 8 days to hatch, unfortunately with so many predator about not many of these fry survive, but in water that is warm and abundant in food those that do survive can grow up to 0.9Kg (2lb) in a year.
During the spawning season, Male Carp grow white bumps called Tubercles over there head and gill plates, and appear to be oblivious to everything but the females around them.
Carp are predominantly bottom feeders, often you can see the giveaway tell tale bubbles rising to the surface as they forage for their natural food that they find in the thick weedy undergrowth of mud and silt, approximately 97% of what a carp takes in is ejected.
Carp do not have a stomach; digestion takes place in the Intestine, which is approximately twice the length of their body.
Grass Carp can eat close to their weight in weeds each day.
In warmer summer months carp are often seen slowly cruising on the surface perhaps in search of food, or just enjoying basking in the warmer waters.
Carp generally feed for most of the year, quite voracious in the later summer months, when they try to bulk up enough weight as to sustain them throughout the winter, but as like many other types of fish their food intake decreases as the colder winter months approach and there metabolism slows down.
Most anglers have their own favourite type of bait and methods for catching carp; maggots, casters, worms, cheese, bread, paste, sweetcorn, maize, carp trout and halibut pellets, tiger nuts, particles, luncheon meat and boilies of various shapes, sizes and flavours, including Pop- ups. Surface floating baits normally consist of bread, dog biscuit or floater pellets. Carp respond well to ground baiting.
Remember the Old Wives Tale: When the wind comes from the West the Fishing is Best, when the wind comes from the East the Fishing is Least! (I wonder ?).
I now as a young lad, catching my first Roach and Perch hooked me for a lifetime of fishing, but these days Carp fishing is widely considered to be responsible for encouraged so many new anglers into our sport, this is possibly due to the prolific stocking that takes place in many of the commercial waters that have now developed throughout the country.
The British Carp Record: 67lb 8oz.
Caught by: Austin Holness, 2008.
Conningbrook, near Ashford, Kent.
How Values Differ; In many States of Australia it is illegal to return any Carp back into the water after it has been caught, they are classed as vermin.
Carp have sensitive barbules on each side of their mouths, they vary in colour from light golden to a much darker brown or gray, it depends on the type of carp, and the water conditions they live in, their dorsal fin is quite long but not very high and can have quite a hard spine towards the front, carp being of a hardy nature, and if living in good water conditions have been known to survive for up to 50 years, but usually there average lifespan is nearer to twenty.
In 1952 the late great angler Richard Walker was the first angler in England to catch a carp weighing 40lbs, since then others have gone on to catch specimens in access of 60lbs, (even larger on the continent), some of the larger specimens over the years have been nicknamed by anglers using various names, an example of this is the famous `Two Tone,` records have been kept of this fish as to his weight and the dates that he has been caught, in 2001 Terry Glebioska caught `Two Tone` at 59lb 7ozs, followed by Mark Toland 59lb 12ozs, in 2001, Gary Bayes also in 2001 at 61lb, Lee Jackson 61lb 7ozs, 2002, John Pack 64lb 5ozs, 2004, Simon Bater 65lb 14ozs, 2005, John Bird 67lb 2008, and OZ Holness at a colossal 67lb 14ozs.
Carp can be found in many still water lakes, reservoirs, gravel pits, ponds, rivers and canals; nowadays they are probably amongst one of the most stocked fish in commercial waters throughout the country.
The Common Carp is a fully scaled fish, while on most Mirror Carp there are a lot less scales, generally these scales can be much larger and quite impressive (the larger scales on Mirror Carp are sometimes known as plates or platelets’), these larger scales can be found growing almost anywhere on the fish, and with the many varying patterns it allows them to become identified and known as individuals, the name “Mirror” came about because of these large scales being so shiny. The Leather Carp is a much rarer fish than the other two and has almost no scales, sometimes none, which gives it a smoother soft leathery type skin.
The theory is that Carp were introduced into this country during the middle ages by the Monks who farmed them for food, keeping them in what was known as stew ponds.
There are variant types of the Carp; Koi Carp, Grass carp, Ghost Carp, and Crucian Carp.
Ghost Carp where deliberately produced in the 1980s by cross-
Spawning takes place during early May to June, during this time they can often be seen thrashing about on the surface and in close to the margins where the females deposit their eggs.
Female Carp can spawn several times throughout the season sometimes producing up to 1000 000 eggs, which require a water temperature of 18 to 24 degrees centigrade (73F), these eggs then take between 5 to 8 days to hatch, unfortunately with so many predator about not many of these fry survive, but in water that is warm and abundant in food those that do survive can grow up to 0.9Kg (2lb) in a year.
During the spawning season, Male Carp grow white bumps called Tubercles over there head and gill plates, and appear to be oblivious to everything but the females around them.
Carp are predominantly bottom feeders, often you can see the giveaway tell tale bubbles rising to the surface as they forage for their natural food that they find in the thick weedy undergrowth of mud and silt, approximately 97% of what a carp takes in is ejected.
Carp do not have a stomach; digestion takes place in the Intestine, which is approximately twice the length of their body.
Grass Carp can eat close to their weight in weeds each day.
In warmer summer months carp are often seen slowly cruising on the surface perhaps in search of food, or just enjoying basking in the warmer waters.
Carp generally feed for most of the year, quite voracious in the later summer months, when they try to bulk up enough weight as to sustain them throughout the winter, but as like many other types of fish their food intake decreases as the colder winter months approach and there metabolism slows down.
Most anglers have their own favourite type of bait and methods for catching carp; maggots, casters, worms, cheese, bread, paste, sweetcorn, maize, carp trout and halibut pellets, tiger nuts, particles, luncheon meat and boilies of various shapes, sizes and flavours, including Pop-
Remember the Old Wives Tale: When the wind comes from the West the Fishing is Best, when the wind comes from the East the Fishing is Least! (I wonder ?).
I now as a young lad, catching my first Roach and Perch hooked me for a lifetime of fishing, but these days Carp fishing is widely considered to be responsible for encouraged so many new anglers into our sport, this is possibly due to the prolific stocking that takes place in many of the commercial waters that have now developed throughout the country.
The British Carp Record: 67lb 8oz.
Caught by: Austin Holness, 2008.
Conningbrook, near Ashford, Kent.
How Values Differ; In many States of Australia it is illegal to return any Carp back into the water after it has been caught, they are classed as vermin.
Strain
Weight
Origin
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Two Tone the legendary carp from Conningbrook Lake in Kent has passed away
thought to have been around 45years old, it is believed the cause of its death was just old age
Two Tone named because of its uneven colouring weighed almost 68lb.
thought to have been around 45years old, it is believed the cause of its death was just old age
Two Tone named because of its uneven colouring weighed almost 68lb.
August 2010
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Mirror Carp
Contact:mail@watersidediary.co.uk