Body-art masterpiece replicates the Angling Times cover!
Fanatical carp angler Simon Lightfoot proved his love for fishing is more than skin deep by having this incredible portrait tattooed on his back – the same amazing artwork that adorned our front cover on on January 31
Simon decided to email us to shed light on his incredible body-art. He said: “The tattoo has taken roughly 15 to 16 hours to do so far and there are still a few more sittings to go! “My inspiration behind it is my love for all things carp fishing – it’s been a huge passion of mine for many years.”
It turns out Simon wasn’t the only one to be inspired by the image – Derby carp angler Danny Parker also sports it tattooed on his arm!
Terry Hearn catches British record carp, fishing at Wasing
Terry Hearn has banked 'The Parrot', the current official British record-holding carp.
Iconic carper Terry was fishing the Wasing Estate in Berkshire when he captured the fish at a weight of 63lb last week, on the back of Storm Doris. He was the talk of the carp angling world once again, following a long campaign on the venue which started in September 2015.
He has taken a staggering 176 carp from the lake in that time, before he finally struck gold with his target fish when he returned to the water after a prolonged winter break.
"I was in bits, I knew 100% what I had on and it was thrashing about on the surface, shaking it’s head from side to side. It was proper heart in the mouth stuff, but the next time it settled down I took another step or two out into the lake, pushed the net deep down beneath it and lifted…YES, YES, he was mine!" said Terry.
'The Parrot' holds the current British record of 68lb 1oz, taken by Dean Fletcher in January 2016.
For the full story of Terry's capture of the famous specimen and more pictures, see the March 7 edition of Angling Times.
FANCY A SMART NEW CARP REEL AT A GREAT-VALUE PRICE...
VIDEO FOOTAGE: Terry Hearn catches the Parrot at 63lb
Former British record holder Terry Hearn has this morning caught the current record carp at exactly 63lb.
The giant mirror, known as the Parrot, came from Cranwells Lake on the Wasing Estate in Berkshire during strong winds.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO
Terry cradles the might mirror. Pic courtesy of Wasing Sporting
Its top weight of 68lb 1oz is the current official British record carp.
Mark Hibbs, the fishery manager at Wasing, told Angling Times: “It was last caught in September, so he’s been a while. He’s obviously been laying up as he was covered in leeches, but he was in absolutely pristine condition.
“I was praying he would catch that fish. He’s such a nice chap, you couldn’t wish to meet a better person. It’s all come together for him and it was howling with wind and rain as he landed it – perfect conditions.
The Parrot at 63lb. Pic courtesy of Wasing Sporting
“He’s over the moon with it. Obviously it’s not a record but it’s a new personal best."
Famous Redmire Fishery Up For Sale
Redmire - the most Iconic carp fishery in the UK is going up for sale.
The legendary pool and its famous stocks of carp will be sold in 2017.
The two-acre lake is tucked away in the rolling hills of Herefordshire. It is most famous for producing British best carp for angling heroes Dick Walker and Chris Yates, and will be put on the market within months.
Chris Yates' 51lb 8oz record carp caught at Redmire Pool in 1980
Details of the asking price of the estate have not yet been released, but the Richardson family, who have maintained the estate on which Redmire is situated for over 28 years, have revealed that the sale will include a large house, more than 100 acres of land, outhouses and barns and the meadows in which the lake is situated.
“The Richardson family have done an incredible job at this amazing venue and have decided that it’s time to pass the historic water and the surrounding estate on to someone new. This will begin the next chapter for this enchanting plot of land and all that comes with it,” said fishery manager Les Bamford.
“I’m in limbo in a way, because
I really hope that whoever buys the estate appreciates the importance of Redmire’s place in angling history.
“The dream scenario is that the new owners will have the venue’s best interests at heart and will carry on in the same vein as the Richardsons.
“I’d like to be able to continue making this historic venue open to anglers wanting to fish for carp at one of the world’s most famous fisheries.”
Thousands of anglers will without a doubt be sharing the hopes and sentiments of Les regarding the future of a venue that many see as the birthplace of modern carp fishing.
Angling legend Chris Yates is not only synonymous with the water for his capture of a 51lb 8oz British record mirror carp in 1980, but he also starred in the iconic TV series A Passion For Angling, which featured an episode called ‘Monster Myths’ which was filmed at Redmire Pool and inspired generations of fishermen.
“This beautiful estate that’s situated in such a stunning setting must be worth several millions,” he said. “I can’t imagine that the person or persons that buy it won’t be sensitive and continue to preserve Redmire.
“It might sound a bit selfish, but I’d love to see the lake given a rest and return to how it was back in the day, when it wasn’t extensively fished.
“Then it was all about mystery and the unknown.
“I know it’s great that many more anglers can now fish Redmire, but it would be almost poetic if the new owners maintained the lake, protected the original stocks and just let people occasionally fish there, or even just opened it for anglers to visit.
“The worse-case scenario would be that the new owner turns it into the angling equivalent of a really expensive pheasant shoot. I would hate that because it would then be almost completely inaccessible to the average angler.
“The most important thing is that the lake and its carp remain, and that Redmire is given the love and attention it deserves.”
For more information on
the venue and bookings visit: www.redmirepool.biz
A BRIEF HISTORY OF REDMIRE
Redmire’s life started in March, 1934 when the then owners of the estate instructed fish supplier Donald Leney to stock the pool with 50 5.5ins-8ins carp to try and combat excessive weed growth.
These fish, along with other Redmire stockings and introductions carried out by Leney, mainly in southern England, have produced many of the known big carp in the UK today.
In 1951 a local angler, Bob Richards, got permission to fish the pool and on October 3 he caught a mirror carp of 31lb 4oz – a huge fish back then.
The following year saw Richard Walker on Redmire, and on September 13 he caught Clarissa at a new record weight of 44lb. She spent the rest of her days at London Zoo.
This record stayed intact until Chris Yates upped it with a
51lb 8oz mirror in 1980. In those days Redmire was very much a closed shop and the fishing was kept very private and secretive but now, thanks to the present owners, the magic and mystery of Redmire is available to all.
Dick Walker's record carp Clarissa was caught at Redmire in 1952 at a weight of 44lb.