Martin Gay's 50lb English Common Carp: Closure.

[Marmelade]

I looked at the pictures again. He`s really ok to have caught those fish wherever. It`s a very nice catch. I don`t think the grass is English in the Black and white picture. And, I`ve seen commons elsewhere...

Do we know Mr Gay`s old address? it must be somewhere within an hour to an hour and a halfs driving. Couldn`t really be a small water in my honest opinion. Surely not too difficult to locate ^^ I`ve found harder lakes than that.

[Ian.R.McDonald]

John Reed ran the Harry Grief tackle shop in Ilford for a while and with Martin coming in regularly it became the place to be for us young kids to hang out.

I remember John desperately trying to talk me out of buying two blanks to make into pike rods. My first cast when a full herring bait didn't bend the tip 1 inch confirmed that I should have listened.

I sold them to someone who fished off the beach at Dungeness for cod!

[Olly]

There was a theory that it was deliberately publicised to wind up the carp world!

Certainly did wind up the whole angling world - - we are still discussing it now!

[Marmelade]

There was a theory that it was deliberately publicised to wind up the carp world!

Certainly did wind up the whole angling world - - we are still discussing it now!

In the end it comes to this. If he`s sat on an English lake and has a potential British record, and a common at that, he would have had someone else down there to weigh it properly. If it was so important to keep things safe there would have been no story and no published pictures. I`ve maintained the sanctity of two waters before by never talking about them or publicizing anything, it`s really quite an easy thing. I may get around to writing about them sometime though. Years after the event there`s never any real harm done which shows he`s been a little bit strange.

[RBTraditional]

They say “never talk ill of the dead”.... I think we should leave this here......

[GregF]

Well said Rb

Marmelade, all the points you raise have been addressed and are in the public domain if you make the effort to look. Obviously the location has never been disclosed and never will be. Sadly, Martin Gay is no longer with us and although at least one of his closest friends knows precisely where in England this fish was caught, out of respect for Martin's wishes, they will never publicise the whereabouts. Quite rightly too.

[Aitch]

This issue rumbled on for years and it'll go on for many more.... I think it's time to leave it be and do what Rob suggests, as to some folks there'll never be an answer they like

[Marmelade]

Well said Rb

Marmelade, all the points you raise have been addressed and are in the public domain if you make the effort to look. Obviously the location has never been disclosed and never will be. Sadly, Martin Gay is no longer with us and although at least one of his closest friends knows precisely where in England this fish was caught, out of respect for Martin's wishes, they will never publicise the whereabouts. Quite rightly too.

No that`s really ok. I read about it at the time and looked at everything again this morning. Regardless of someone`s passing it remains a lie. I can say that as he stated that his scales could have weighed upto 52lbs plus...but he couldn`t say it was a 50 as that was too rounded. So stated it was 48lbs as that was believable? ^^ I have sense of humour but that is not sensible. I have a similar situation but you will find it has been handled very differently. If it was an English fish...who cares?

[Marmelade]

They say “never talk ill of the dead”.... I think we should leave this here......

I was only joking. I never talk ill of the living if I can help it.

[Ian.R.McDonald]

What hasnt been mentioned is Martin's work in improving pike fishing and the care of pike.

And also his strong " traditional fisherman" views in not using the hair or bolt rigs for carp.

One of my angling heroes