"In the former category would be my own water Ashmead (several 40's and a mirror approaching 60) and the likes of The Mere or some of the big Cambridgeshire waters. I know of at least three completely unfished waters in the UK with naturally grown 50+ fish in them (one a "pond" of less than half an acre!)... "
That certainly helps to bring the mystery back, Skeff! Thanks for the info.
![Hat Off :Hat:](./images/smilies/icon_takehatoff.gif)
I have days when I doubt the tales of the Redmire legends and days when I truly believe. What you say indicates that absolute 'monsters'
were probably seen, as reported, in the 1950s and 1960s - and of course, there is Ashlea, isn't there? - a really small water with at least one reported, uncaught giant, during the 1960s.
There's a water near me, less that one acre, where the long-established carp are touching 30lb - (although I've only manged to catch fish there to half that size so far) - it's not a pretty water, unlike other ponds I fish - just a pond in the middle of a lawn, really; but the point it, it is really
old - you'll find it, just as it is, on Victorian maps, and it's much older than that. I suppose the carp go big, relative to the pond's size, because a natural food source has developed there over time, even centuries? The 'larders', then, are reliable and long-standing....?