Quest for Carp by Jack Hilton

[Julian]

Gosh,this is bringing back many memories.In the 1950s our mode of transport was the Norton motorbike and sidecar.
My Mum and 2 brothers in the sidecar,myself strapped to my Dad on the Norton.
We must have travelled thousands of miles,holidays and visiting relations in various locations in the UK.
Happy days.
Oh yes, Jacks book " Quest for Carp " has pride of place amongst my books.
Probably,one of the best angling book ever

Well Pedro I still have my Norton Motorcycle and sidecar albeit I don't ride it that much these days.

Anyway I bought my copy of Quest for Carp in the 1980s but one of the saddest recollections I have is the tale of the netting or electro-fishing that was undertaken at Redmire (unless it was a very bad dream) in search of the monsters.

It just destroyed a dream for me as the 70lb Carp was not discovered as was believed to exist and sometimes the magic and the mystery is more important than the reality - it is the magic and mystery that maketh the dreams.

I have never fished Redmire or even been there but the early stories of united like minded anglers evaporated so very quickly in later years and under different syndicates which somehow taints the venue rather like the netting / elctro fishing that was undertaken.

The nettings have never succeeded in capturing some of the biggest carp that were known to be in there at the times the nettings took place. In fact the Bishop escaped the netting that was carried out in 1979 - just a year before CY caught it (Someone correct me if the date/facts are wrong).
Just as the huge 'long common' which has been seen in recent years has neither been caught nor netted.
There is still some magic and mystery remaining there.

[PershoreHarrier]

I hope you are right Julian - I just feel uncomfortable with attempts to discover what is excatly in a water whether by netting or electro fishing. I know these operations are sometimes required to maintain a healthy stock of fish in a water but it seems to me that sometimes this is an excuse to discover what exists in a water and I prefer the magic and the mystery to be protected where possible.

There are plenty of newly man made waters in my opinion where the stocking is known exactly hence the price of a ticket or membership is because 'there are six 30lb carp and four 40lb carp in the water' or whatever.

Mind you it would not be ideal if we all wanted the same thing so I suppose it is a matter of personal preference.

[Julian]

I fished four pools/lakes last year ( and intend to fish the same four this year). In three of them no one really has any idea what the stock or size or age of the carp are - just that carp have been in them for varying periods and some for a long time. At one of them hardly anyone fishes for the carp, even though they are of a an old strain and grow to an unknown size.

I'm sure there must still be plenty of other pools/lakes around where a similar situation exists.

[Pedro]

I fished four pools/lakes last year ( and intend to fish the same four this year). In three of them no one really has any idea what the stock or size or age of the carp are - just that carp have been in them for varying periods and some for a long time. At one of them hardly anyone fishes for the carp, even though they are of a an old strain and grow to an unknown size.

I'm sure there must still be plenty of other pools/lakes around where a similar situation exists.

Julian,I think that you are very lucky to fish for carp in those lakes. I am fishing a small club lake which is very old and hardly anybody fishes for the Carp which are also of a very unknown strain.I believe they have achieved a top weight of around 22/25lb all commons,the largest that I have caught so far was 11lb but its so exciting because nobody has any real ideal of what the lake holds.
I just feel so lucky to be fishing there.
The lake also holds some really nice Tench and true Crucians up to 3lb which I shall be fishing for this summer.

[Shaun Harrison]

I can't think of a single angling writer in this day and age who would put a picture of their mate on the front cover of their book rather than a picture of themselves. So once again and for yet another reason I doff my cap to Jack.

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Does my mate's dog on the back count?

[Shaun Harrison]

She is very proud of that picture. In fact I must add it to her album - 'Brook the Carp Dog'. Am I allowed to reproduce it - bit more publicity for you?

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Of course Shaun, as you wish sir

[Shaun Harrison]

Thank you https://www.facebook.com/shaun.harrison ... 403&type=3

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Some wonderful photos of Brook there Shaun!!!