The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Mike Wilson wrote:Nice one Chris........two old bug**rs together.

Mike

You could say that...!

Absolutely wonderful!!! :hat: :hat:

The Sweetcorn Kid wrote:Scale from Dick’s record (Clarrissa) found by Ken Sutton in the sack at Regent Park Zoo and given to Mike Wilson about 1982 by Ken............

How old was clarissa/ravioli at the time of her capture? Now, I know that leneys grow for around 15 years, and that if ravioli was not an original stock fish she was from an early spawning, meaning she was in the pool for around twenty years before sir Dick caught her, but obviously they will pack on considerable weight after that. The bishop's proof of that as well as countless other carp....but. did the LENGTH of the bishop increase between captures, or was it just fat, spawn, and a massive breakfast of sweetcorn that pushed him/her over the edge?!

I'm no expert on the subject, but, according to the Redmire Pool book The Bishop was as follows...

1970 38lb 1oz Tom Mintram Length 35.5" Girth 29.25"
1972 40lb John MacLeod Length 35" Girth 30"
1973 38lb 12oz Chris Yates No Measurements
1980 51lb 8oz Chris Yates Length 36.5" Girth 34.5"

So the length didn't fluctuate that much, but the girth was a fair bit larger on her last capture.

Percy Austin aged the scales of Clarrissa shortly after she was sent to Regent Zoo and he found 15 rings so assumed the fish was 15 years old. Interesting enough, after the great fish's death, the scales showed no new annuli meaning, if they'd took the age from that, the fish appeared to be 15 years old, when we all know it was more like 34.

That's a lovely picture Chris

Wow I didn't know Pete Thomas was still with us does he fish still?

Chris Ball wrote:Yes folks, it’s 59 years ago around 5am this very morning when the world of carp fishing was changed forever... Ravioli rules!

Its that time of the year again, only 61 years ago now.

A toast is called for tonight chaps.

Hurrah!

I wonder if things would have been different if Pete Thomas had caught Ravioli and not Walker.

I can tell you that from a personal perspective, things would have been very, very, much different had I caught Clarissa rather than Messrs Walker or Thomas ! Cheers !

The mind goes into meltdown here B ! 61 years ago.