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Condition v Size


Rusty

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I think I’ve been lucky in the past, most of the largest fish I’ve caught of any particular species have been in pretty good condition for their size, none I’d regard as absolute monsters but I’ve been very pleased with them. So how would you feel if you did catch a particularly large specimen but it was a real old warhorse of a fish? It’d been round the block a few times, nature was taking its toll and the fish was on the home stretch, would you still be just as pleased that it was a PB?

Edited by Rusty

It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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I know this won't go down too well, particularly with the species I'm about to mention, but;

 

On the Wear, a few miles upstream of me are a handful of swims where a careful angler can take out 2lb+ roach, often a few in a session, weather, conditions etc all being reasonably favourable. I've done it myself, with one fish pushing three pounds, but unfortunately the 'novelty' soon wore off, as it was very obvious that these were old, battle-worn fish that had been around the block a few times, and likely in decline.

Sounds a bit improbable, I agree - that was the reaction within the angling press too until one magazine sent up a couple of bodies, and the anglers in question were able to catch almost 'to order' :clap2:

There are still some of these fish about, though apparently getting fewer, but the really worrying thing is that whilst there seem to be plenty of smaller roach around, there is no sign whatsoever of bigger examples at all, from more recent year groups.

Now, we all know how pretty roach can be, sparkling silver and beautiful fins, no? Unfortunately the big ones were tatty in comparison - raggy fins, lack-lustre scales with some frequently absent - fish that were impressive due to their size, but badly let down by their appearance - I think I'd be happier to have seen the fish a pound lighter but still looking like pristine silver bars ... just me, but there again I don't really break my neck trying to better 'PB's :rolleyes:

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A couple of my PBs immediately spring to mind - my best roach - a Kennet fish of 2lb 11oz was a beat up old warrior, well past its prime and probably a few ounce light for its size. Tis still a fish of a lifetime though and I still treasure its capture. My PB perch on the other hand from Oct '13, I still can't relish - flukely caught didn't help - and this bloated specimen - which I suspect may have been eggbound, was more like a football with stripes than a fish!

 

C.

"Study to be quiet." ><((º> My Blog

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I have a few big fish like that, but I'm always grateful to have achieved a target weight.

 

When I was a kid I use to fish the King George Reservoir a lot, which held some massive Roach, many of these were " Manky " old fish, covered in sores, pre the Roach disease, but I was still glad to have landed a Roach over two pound, regardless of the condition ?

 

Bob

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Interesting question. I think for me, weight would usually edge it, if I'm honest. I know it's not a popular outlook these days, but I think I would rather have a slightly raggedy looking 6lb chub than an absolutely mint 5lb 15oz one, sad as that may be!

 

Having said that, I can't think of any big fish I've caught that were in a bad way, so it's a fairly academic question in that sense. My PB perch had some sores/wounds on its flanks, but this is a common occurance on Thames perch around here (still don't know what causes it, the fish seem OK despite it). That doesn't take anything away from the fish for me. My PB chub was a bit of an old warrior but in good shape and fighting fit - it was just an older fish, just past its prime. (I wish I'd met him at his peak, I reckon he would have been a genuine giant a few years ago.)

 

My first proper chub from the Thames was a knackered old thing, from memory it was 5lb 11oz and was old, battered, split fins, chewed tail - but after so many failed attempts at catching a Thames chub (I just couldn't get it working, despite loads of effort) that battered old fish made me extremely happy!

 

What bothers me more is catching the same fish more than once. My PB bream, for instance, was actually 2 PBs for the same fish - I caught it 2 years in a row, a few oz heavier the second time around. A lot of times we don't know when we catch the same fish again (I expect it happens a lot more than we think) but for some reason it always feels a bit unfair of me to bother them like this more than once.

Edited by Anderoo
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And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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I think I sit in the ‘condition’ camp, I do get more enjoyment from catching and photographing fish in prime condition and I’d gladly sacrifice a few ounces to achieve that. A couple of years back I fished a club lake for tench for the first time, I caught some decent ones to about 6lb but all had mutilated mouths. This wasn’t mother nature at work but it still put me off the venue and I haven’t been back since. That’s different to a real specimen fish wearing the battle scars of age I know but if I had a choice I’d choose condition over size. Of course I could always put my name on the list for Wingham membership, that way I wouldn’t have to make the choice.

It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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Of course I could always put my name on the list for Wingham membership, that way I wouldn’t have to make the choice.

You'd be most welcome, Chris.

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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My previous PB Thames perch was a battered old warhorse, blind in one eye, bit raggedy in the fins. Current PB was in excellent condition, though shaped like a football!

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I think I sit in the ‘condition’ camp, I do get more enjoyment from catching and photographing fish in prime condition and I’d gladly sacrifice a few ounces to achieve that. A couple of years back I fished a club lake for tench for the first time, I caught some decent ones to about 6lb but all had mutilated mouths. This wasn’t mother nature at work but it still put me off the venue and I haven’t been back since. That’s different to a real specimen fish wearing the battle scars of age I know but if I had a choice I’d choose condition over size. Of course I could always put my name on the list for Wingham membership, that way I wouldn’t have to make the choice.

 

Good point - if 'bad condition' means injuries from mistreatment, then I am firmly in the condition camp too.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Funny thing, size, weight and condition.

 

I have been putting in quite a lot of effort on the Relief Channel to catch another Big Chub, there are a couple of large fish I have never caught, but you cannot legislate over the fish that takes your bait, so as long as it goes over 9lbs 5ozs I'm not worried :hypocrite:

Condition, well that really is down to where you fish, I have given up on one Carp water because of their poor mouths, on rivers it's pot luck what you catch and I gave up on the King George Roach, because I thought I might catch something.

As for what Modern day standards are, I could not give a dam, I fish on my own terms and apply my own standards.

 

Bob

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