Biggest weight for 2011 beats previous best by 2oz and sees new 60 on the scene.


The weight of the biggest carp of the season has been broken yet again following the capture of a 60lb 6oz specimen from a day-ticket water in Kent.

Landed by carp consultant Rob Marsh from Elphicks Fisheries, the fish known as The Big Girl beats the previous best for the season by 2oz.

Captured just a few weeks ago at a weight of 58lb 12oz, the massive carp has been packing on the weight to break the 60lb barrier for the first time – with many believing that the fish will go on to break the British record some time in the future.

“She’s such as huge fish with a massive frame that there’s no doubt in my mind that she will beat the record,” captor and consultant for Mainline, Shimano and Free Spirit amongst others, Rob Marsh, told Total Carp. “She’s so healthy and such a deep fish. If she stays alive and keeps feeding who knows what weight she’ll get too.”

Fishery manager at Elphicks, Mark Pallet, also spoke to TC about the potential of the fish which has been putting on an ounce a day over the past month or so to become what many believe is now the biggest carp in the country.

“She’s a young fish and very healthy, she’s been caught 12 times this year and is in perfect condition, so the potential is there,” said Mark. “We think she’s around 16-year-old, so there are plenty of years for her to grow yet. I think the main factor for the rate of her weight gain this year is the weather. Last year it wasn’t as warm in autumn and she stayed around the 55 to 57lb window. This year though the water temperature has been a lot higher and she’s obviously got her head down. There's also a chance that she will keep feeding with the winter yet to really take hold, so she could go bigger still this year."

Rob caught the fish – a new UK pb which smashed his previous best by nearly 10lb – using 14mm Mainline Cell balanced with a half pineapple pop-up over a bed of Hinders mixed pellets, hemp and 10mm Cell boilies.



Record set to tumble?

Two 60lb fish have been banked in the last few weeks, both with the potential to break through the current UK record of 67lb 8oz set by Conningbrook’s now deceased Two-Tone in 2008.

One of those is The Parrot, the largest resident of the Wasing Syndicate in Berkshire. Caught just a few weeks ago at 60lb 4oz (at that point the season’s biggest) The Parrot is tipped by many experts to be the next record as it dines out on high levels of naturals and anglers’ boilies on the exclusive syndicate water.

In complete contrast though is Elphicks’ Big Girl. A day-ticket water fish gorging itself on kilo after kilo of high-protein particles and boilies, the fish is also a very strong contender for the title – especially after breaking through the 60lb barrier for the first time.

Also potential record breakers are the resident’s of Kevin Nash’s own Copse Lake. There are at least two different 50s in the water – both of which came to the bank to set a new brace record earlier this year. Although both were in the low fifties when banked, there is still an outside chance that they could grow-on to break the record – and little is known about any other big fish in the private venue.


For details on the tactics used to fool the season's biggest carp click here to visit our sister magazine, Advanced Carp Fishing.