Friday, 5 November 2010

Did I Really Catch It ?

Here's a puzzler for you thinking anglers out there.. A few weeks ago I was told that a fellow had landed, photographed and claimed the capture of a Mirror Carp of 34lb, and had received the plaudits of his peers. What he hadn't disclosed, apparently, was that the fish had been foul-hooked in a pelvic fin. Now, It is true that back in the day (even by The Carp Catchers of Redmire Pool) that a foul-hooked fish was photographed and sometimes even clonked on the head to be set-up in a glass case. These days of course clonking on heads and (in my opinion anyway) counting a foul-hooked fish are both no-no's. The fish hasn't taken a bait, so can't be claimed as being caught.
 As I have said, this is just my opinion but I believe most anglers with a sporting ethic would agree.
 All this has made me ponder a 'capture' I made many years ago. The fish, a Carp of around 27lb was the  biggest fish in the lake and considered a bit of a whacker at the time, in fact it was featured in a very early edition of Carp-Talk.
 The thing is, I now wonder if it 'counted'. You see, what happened was as follows....
 A screaming run was followed by a hearty strike and a spirited battle, until some 15 minutes later the fish was beaten and laying there ready to be netted by a friend...Now, here's the conjecturous(<- is this a real word!?) bit..As my mate leaned forward to engulf our prize the hook pinged out of its mouth, leaving a somewhat confused fish just hanging there in the water for a second or two which was then, and only then engulfed by the net.
 So, my friends......"Did I really Catch It" or Not ?
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6 comments:

  1. fred bonney5 November 2010 at 23:01

    Oh I think so, hooked and landed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tom Herbert6 November 2010 at 11:47

    Some will say yes and some will say no..................... it really is down to you to decide Gurn.

    that is a lovely little common in the picture, a future Redmire "monster"?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dave Cross6 November 2010 at 11:55

    I would say that definitely counts as a 1 not a 0.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Paddy Pike7 November 2010 at 16:07

    This is a well talked about matter, And in my oppinion, You can count the fish as a catch, Because you hooked it corectly after it took your bait, You faught the fish and tired enough for it to lay there long enough for you to net it, The fish was yours, So Very well done,
    Regards,
    ,,,Paddy,,,

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gurn8 November 2010 at 14:11

    Thanks for the replies fellas...Consensus seems to be positive but angling ethics is certainly an interesting topic...I think Paddy kinda sums up my thoughts on the incident quite well.
    Tom,the joy at the capture of that little common will stay with me forever. There was a bit of a baby boom on the pool a few years back and up until this season the rule existed that if you caught a smaller Common that it be placed in a holding net pending removal.
    I'm pleased to say that the rule is no longer in operation and the little fella was sent back to the hallowed pool to become a Redmire "monster".

    ReplyDelete
  6. tomherb8 November 2010 at 20:07

    I am never disappointed by catching a small fish, they are usually scale perfect versions of there larger brethren.

    Nice going Gurn.

    ReplyDelete

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