Rare or unusual fish that you have caught in the UK

[Stretpegger]

Rumor has it there was a terapin in the red ponds at wigan, that was years ago I never saw one and I think that might be forgotton now, there used to be a warm strech of canal too where a pet shop aparently emptied his tanks before going bust?

Anyone heard these before?

 

One of my local club lakes has a couple of terrapins living on it.By all accounts they have been there for years

[MatNewman]

Not uncommon from the pond in came from but all the same quite unusual and a first for me

 

A sturgeon at just over 8lbs

[Steve Walker]

Rumor has it there was a terapin in the red ponds at wigan, that was years ago I never saw one and I think that might be forgotton now, there used to be a warm strech of canal too where a pet shop aparently emptied his tanks before going bust?

Anyone heard these before?

 

I've seen a large terrapin caught from a park lake.

 

There certainly used to be a stretch of canal at St Helens which was industrially warmed and held tropicals:

 

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/foru...read.php?t=6043

[Elton]

I had a flounder on float-fished maggot from a stretch of river in Castle Park, Colchester. That was a bit of a shock, but I understand that they often frequent fresh water. Quite how it jumped up the weir gates is beyond me, though.

[Guest tigger]

I've seen a large terrapin caught from a park lake.

 

There certainly used to be a stretch of canal at St Helens which was industrially warmed and held tropicals:

 

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/foru...read.php?t=6043

 

 

Yeah it was called the hotties! It was warm as the water came out of the cooling towers. It's only 20mins from me and we used to go as kids catching guppies plus several other tropical fish.

I don't know if the cooling towers still pump out the warm water or not.

[gozzer]

I had a flounder on float-fished maggot from a stretch of river in Castle Park, Colchester. That was a bit of a shock, but I understand that they often frequent fresh water. Quite how it jumped up the weir gates is beyond me, though.

 

We used to catch a lot of flounders on the R Wharfe at Tadcaster, (it's tidal up to the weir).

In my teens, after a particularly successful day, we released about 50-60 of them above the weir.

The reports of surprise catches of them upstream at Boston Spa, used to bring a wry smile to our faces.

 

And before you ask. No Elton, I've never fished near Colchester.

 

John.

[DavyR]

Yeah it was called the hotties! It was warm as the water came out of the cooling towers. It's only 20mins from me and we used to go as kids catching guppies plus several other tropical fish.

 

I remember AT doing a feature on this stretch back in the 70s. Anglers at that time were frequently getting bite-offs from cichlids!

 

My most unusual capture was a 2lb sterlet from Home Farm in Alsager a couple of years back. The place used to be a fish farm before becoming a commercial about 15 years ago, and the occasional oddity still turns up.

[bluezulu]

once caught a stone loach and a bullhead on the same trip. not rare plenty in the rivers but i caught them out of the fazeley canal at bodymore heath

[Guest tigger]

I remember AT doing a feature on this stretch back in the 70s. Anglers at that time were frequently getting bite-offs from cichlids!

 

My most unusual capture was a 2lb sterlet from Home Farm in Alsager a couple of years back. The place used to be a fish farm before becoming a commercial about 15 years ago, and the occasional oddity still turns up.

 

Sorry to hijack the thread but Davy do you know what species are in the Weaver? Just thought you might know with being in Cheshire.

[mike1234]

i once caught a small perch only of a few ounces that had no barring on it and was silverish blue in colour, at first i wondered what the hell it was but the shape and topped spined dorsal confirmed it was definitely a perch