5 of the most inspirational carp waters ever
There are carp waters – and then there are carp waters – and these five have all played their part in making carp fishing what it is today…
1 Redmire Pool
The one that started it all. It would be impossible not to find inspiration from the writings of Chris Yates, Jack Hilton etc. on this mysterious little pool and the monsters it contained. The pool was stocked by Donald Leney in 1934 with just 50 carp of between 5.5 and eight-inches in length (cost £2.68!). The seeds of carp fishing legend had been sown and the pool went onto produce two consecutive British record carp that between them held the title for 43 years. Not bad for a tiny three-acre estate lake!
2 Savay Lake
It could be argued that Savay was ‘the’ water that kick-started the modern era of carp fishing. The early years of the syndicate coincided with the invention of the Hair rig by Lenny Middleton, a member at the time. Rod Hutchinson’s iconic book The Carp Strikes Back was centered on Savay and inspired a whole generation of carp anglers.
3 Colne Mere
A mysterious overgrown gravel pit in the heart of the Colne Valley which proved that uncaught, unknown monsters really do exist. When Jason Hayward became the first captor of The Black Mirror at 46lb in 1992 a legend was born. Will there ever be another like it? We doubt it. R.I.P.
4 Wraysbury
When you think of the “old” Wraysbury, you automatically think of a rock hard inland sea that throws up all sorts of challenges. It was a mature gravel pit of some 120-acres split roughly into two halves with loads of islands, spits and bays – and the carp could be anywhere! Not surprising then really when Pete Springate stalked an unknown 45lb mirror in the summer of ‘92. This fish became known as Mary (although it was male) and went onto become the British record when Terry Hearn caught him amidst a gale in November ‘96 at a weight of 56lb 13oz. Iconic water, iconic carp, iconic capture.
5 Yateley North Lake
‘Bazil Forty’ was probably the most famous carp in the country through the 80’s and 90’s. Its legendary capture in October 1984 by Ritchie MacDonald at a weight of 45lb 12oz must have inspired so many anglers into carp fishing, that in the proceeding years it positively took off. At the time Ritchie was ‘the’ man and the coverage this capture received in the Angling Times was unprecedented, putting Yateley and carp fishing, firmly on the map. Bazil was a classically proportioned, dark old mirror that went on to become one of the most desirable carp in the country and also Terry Hearn’s first forty.
