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'Clarrisa', not exactly 'KIR'!


Guest Gaffer

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Was there an out-cry when Dick Walker put 'Clarrisa' in the London zoo?

 

The only reason I ask is could you imagine if Gary Bayes had put 'Two Tone' in the London zoo!! eek.gif

 

Dick Walker wasn't exactly 'Keeping it real', but then was putting the record carp in a zoo acceptable back then?

 

Just thinking aloud, but what do you think?

 

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All the best, Gaffer

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Guest Simon Newbould

Gaffer,

 

At the time mate it was the only real option he had if he wanted to claim the record....

 

The records committee (whatever they're called) had a rule that they wouldn't accept any claim without the body of the fish to examine..... DW had 3 choices.... Put Clarissa back and forget about the record, keep her/him alive in the zoo OR Kill the fish!

 

What would you have done? wink.gif

 

Simon

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Hi Simon, thanks for that info, that puts a slightly different slant on things. wink.gif

 

But, once the records committee had seen 'Clarrisa' at the zoo, couldn't she have then been put back?

(I'm not 'grilling' you Simon, I just wonder what your thoughts are as you know more about DW and 'Clarrisa' than I do. wink.gif )

 

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All the best, Gaffer

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Guest Simon Newbould

Hi Gaffer,

 

I don't think I know any more than you do to be honest mate.....

 

The thing is, everything was different back then... I reckon IF he was around now and still fishing AND still hunting out the truly great fish and he happened to catch the record fish he was after it would probably go straight back.....

 

I'm sure I read somewhere that he made a statement years after catching Clarissa that he felt bad about it but that the fish was (at the time) still alive and well and bringing pleasure to thousands of visitors to the zoo... Yeah, maybe once the record had been verified it should have gone back into Redmire...

 

I don't recall reading anything that suggested that anyone was up in arms about his decision... he was sort of seen as semi- Godlike anyway, he could do no wrong wink.gif

 

I agree though that if it were to happen now there would probably be outrage....

 

Simon

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Guest peter mccue

In those days Gaffer it was common to kill a specimen fish of whatever species!

lives were a lot harder then & the killing of a fish for display purposes or eating just didn't merit any real attention.

 

Plus the prevailing attitude towards big fish at the time was big fish = old fish so killing them was sensible culling.

 

Dick Walker as usual was being progressive by not killing Clarissa (he called it Ravioli)& probably set the trend for returning big fish back to the water.

 

Consequently there was no critiscm of D.W. as far as I know because he was leading the way forward.

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Guest Craig Banks

Clarissa was sent to London not only for record verification but also DW wanted to show other anglers that big carp could be caught by design and to promote carp angling and encourage fishery owners to stock their waters with carp.

 

Think it had the desired affect, eh?

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Gaffer,

 

When you visit country pubs, you often see stuff fish on display. That was the way back then - 'trophy fish' were just that.

 

Nowadays, a picture and a memory are our trophies. People who don't fish often find it funny, but the change in the attitude of anglers has meant that fish are returned=more people can catch a bigg'un=more people fishing=more people inclined to invest in fishing.

 

I reckon DW can take some of the credit for that smile.gif

 

Tight lines,

 

Elton

 

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The rage in the US now is to get a good photo and have a shop make up a replica. Difficult to impossible to sort a good one out from an actual stuffed fish. Same shops do both.

 

Never seen one of a carp though. Never seen a stuffed carp either for that matter.

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Originally posted by Newt:

The rage in the US now is to get a good photo and have a shop make up a replica. Difficult to impossible to sort a good one out from an actual stuffed fish. Same shops do both.

 

Never seen one of a carp though. Never seen a stuffed carp either for that matter.

 

Newt,

 

Any idea what they are made of and how much they cost?

 

All the best,

 

Elton

 

 

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Elton - fiberglass is the usual material.

 

Take a look Here to see prices and some nice samples of their work. This particular shop specializes in replicas although they will do more traditional work with the actual skin and such.

 

Some really beautify work shown. I'd love to own a couple.

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