The Redmire stock.
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 9:43 pm
Now that I've spoken to the Redmire team and have their go-ahead to do so, I am in a position to set the record straight regarding the recent controversy on this page about the Redmire stock.
I got back from a glorious Opening weekend at a classic carp pool, where I have started the season for the past thirty-seven years, on Tuesday evening. No phones or anti-social media, just great fishing with good friends. The contrast to the nonsense I found on the Redmire Pool Facebook page on my return couldn't have been more stark: a reminder of everything I dislike about modern carp angling and anti-social media.
For those with a genuine interest on the current stock in the pool and the future of the water, here are the facts...
Redmire has suffered from otter predation over many years and it was evident from fin damage to fish caught during my first ever visit to fish the pool in 2011. Redmire has also followed the path of many carp fisheries over the years, in that the majority of young carp surviving from spawning over the years have been commons.
The sad fact is that once the Ghost carp and their possible progeny had been removed, there were very few mirrors left from the original stock.
Fortunately, through foresight and good planning, Les had ensured that a number of Redmire Leney mirrors had been stocked into other waters, to counter the risk of the strain being lost. A number of these mirrors formed the backbone of Simon Scott and Viv Shears Leney broodstock at their Surrey farm and the basis for their Leney and Leney/Dink strains. A supply of genuine Redmire Leney mirrors was therefore readily available.
Faced with a predominance of commons in the stock to be returned to Redmire, the decision was taken by the Redmire team (with my full support) to introduce a number of these young, pure-bred Leney mirrors into the pool following completion of the restoration work. This was done to supplement and augment the stock of mainly common carp that remained and that had been reintroduced to Redmire.
So there has been a stocking. The fish stocked are pure-bred Leney mirrors of Redmire origin. Les, Ian Evans and myself hand-picked the carp to reflect the original Redmire stock; including linears (like the Bishop), fully-scaled fish (like Jack Opie's famous fully-scaled carp), scattered-scaled mirrors (like Pat Russell's first fish from the pool) and even a couple of leather carp (like the famous nude leather).
So Redmire is restored and the stock restored and set fair for the future, protected by the new otter fence. With careful management Redmire will remain a high quality carp fishery for decades to come and the integrity of its Leney lineage is intact. I am sure the fish will thrive in their revitalised environment.
Whilst we could restore the physical fabric of the pool and set it back to the way it was in 1952, we couldn't conjure up the long-dead carp of that time. In stocking the pool with the young Redmire Leney's, we have done the next best thing and followed the only path available to ensure that Redmire remains a living carp water, where future generations of anglers can reflect on a golden era of carp angling and savour some of the atmosphere of a unique lake that inspired a generation of anglers.
My professional involvement with the pool is now ended and I wish the new owners of Bernithan every happiness in their new home. I also wish Les, Ian and the rest of the management team of the fishery every success for the future. I am grateful for their hard work and commitment, without which the restoration project could never have happened. Without the work that has taken place , Redmire would now be no more than a silted, lifeless memory.
Lastly, I wish all of those anglers who return to enjoy some peaceful fishing at Redmire the very best. I may see you on the bank.
I got back from a glorious Opening weekend at a classic carp pool, where I have started the season for the past thirty-seven years, on Tuesday evening. No phones or anti-social media, just great fishing with good friends. The contrast to the nonsense I found on the Redmire Pool Facebook page on my return couldn't have been more stark: a reminder of everything I dislike about modern carp angling and anti-social media.
For those with a genuine interest on the current stock in the pool and the future of the water, here are the facts...
Redmire has suffered from otter predation over many years and it was evident from fin damage to fish caught during my first ever visit to fish the pool in 2011. Redmire has also followed the path of many carp fisheries over the years, in that the majority of young carp surviving from spawning over the years have been commons.
The sad fact is that once the Ghost carp and their possible progeny had been removed, there were very few mirrors left from the original stock.
Fortunately, through foresight and good planning, Les had ensured that a number of Redmire Leney mirrors had been stocked into other waters, to counter the risk of the strain being lost. A number of these mirrors formed the backbone of Simon Scott and Viv Shears Leney broodstock at their Surrey farm and the basis for their Leney and Leney/Dink strains. A supply of genuine Redmire Leney mirrors was therefore readily available.
Faced with a predominance of commons in the stock to be returned to Redmire, the decision was taken by the Redmire team (with my full support) to introduce a number of these young, pure-bred Leney mirrors into the pool following completion of the restoration work. This was done to supplement and augment the stock of mainly common carp that remained and that had been reintroduced to Redmire.
So there has been a stocking. The fish stocked are pure-bred Leney mirrors of Redmire origin. Les, Ian Evans and myself hand-picked the carp to reflect the original Redmire stock; including linears (like the Bishop), fully-scaled fish (like Jack Opie's famous fully-scaled carp), scattered-scaled mirrors (like Pat Russell's first fish from the pool) and even a couple of leather carp (like the famous nude leather).
So Redmire is restored and the stock restored and set fair for the future, protected by the new otter fence. With careful management Redmire will remain a high quality carp fishery for decades to come and the integrity of its Leney lineage is intact. I am sure the fish will thrive in their revitalised environment.
Whilst we could restore the physical fabric of the pool and set it back to the way it was in 1952, we couldn't conjure up the long-dead carp of that time. In stocking the pool with the young Redmire Leney's, we have done the next best thing and followed the only path available to ensure that Redmire remains a living carp water, where future generations of anglers can reflect on a golden era of carp angling and savour some of the atmosphere of a unique lake that inspired a generation of anglers.
My professional involvement with the pool is now ended and I wish the new owners of Bernithan every happiness in their new home. I also wish Les, Ian and the rest of the management team of the fishery every success for the future. I am grateful for their hard work and commitment, without which the restoration project could never have happened. Without the work that has taken place , Redmire would now be no more than a silted, lifeless memory.
Lastly, I wish all of those anglers who return to enjoy some peaceful fishing at Redmire the very best. I may see you on the bank.