In reply to Post #30
there are fish on my syndicate that go missing for years on end.
A lovely scaley mirror was missing for 12 years and turned up 3lb heavier - and is now caught regularly.
Another common low 30 completely unknown - caught once 2 years ago and not seen since.
And one of the bigguns will go missing for 2 years and then get caught as few times in quick succession, that's its cycle.
Crazy what they do. 25 acre water, regularly fished but certainly not overfished.
there are fish on my syndicate that go missing for years on end.
A lovely scaley mirror was missing for 12 years and turned up 3lb heavier - and is now caught regularly.
Another common low 30 completely unknown - caught once 2 years ago and not seen since.
And one of the bigguns will go missing for 2 years and then get caught as few times in quick succession, that's its cycle.
Crazy what they do. 25 acre water, regularly fished but certainly not overfished.
In 1995 I had a 21.10 fully scaled from Barham B pit that had never been seen before or after.
A guy on the opposite bank, later a mate, Mick, saw me casting to the Beach Island, came round to find out what gear I was using as it was a long chuck that was around 120yards, (long ish distance back then), and by the time he got round I was playing the fish from there, so he saw it as well.
NO-one from the club recognised it and the pic was in the tackle shop I worked in for years.
A guy on the opposite bank, later a mate, Mick, saw me casting to the Beach Island, came round to find out what gear I was using as it was a long chuck that was around 120yards, (long ish distance back then), and by the time he got round I was playing the fish from there, so he saw it as well.
NO-one from the club recognised it and the pic was in the tackle shop I worked in for years.
I fished at the weekend and ALL the fish had gone missing.... 
In reply to Post #33
Horseshoe had a 30lb fish (one of the first ever caught) that was totally different to the rest of the fish being grey in colour. I only know of one capture, by a lady angler in all the years the catches were being recorded. I was lucky to be there to see the fish banked and weighed.
I had a lad hook it and unfortunately lose it in weed on a Junior fish-in, and I was absolutely gutted for him. Both times it was hooked were in similar areas of the Summer Bay. It definitely also visited the snags though.
There was also a fish with just a single scale on one side that I caught twice (28 & 30lb) that only ever had one other known capture (Mr Poole I believe).
Horseshoe had a 30lb fish (one of the first ever caught) that was totally different to the rest of the fish being grey in colour. I only know of one capture, by a lady angler in all the years the catches were being recorded. I was lucky to be there to see the fish banked and weighed.
I had a lad hook it and unfortunately lose it in weed on a Junior fish-in, and I was absolutely gutted for him. Both times it was hooked were in similar areas of the Summer Bay. It definitely also visited the snags though.
There was also a fish with just a single scale on one side that I caught twice (28 & 30lb) that only ever had one other known capture (Mr Poole I believe).
In reply to Post #29
Love the old myths and legends...some turn out to be true...others absolute tosh.
Love the old myths and legends...some turn out to be true...others absolute tosh.
In reply to Post #35
I suppose there are two possible elements to fish not being caught.
1) They dont recognise the bait items as food.
There is a famous lake where the stock fish in their early years were extensively reared without being feed pellets. They now live their lives as uncatchable creatures unless you use snails etc. These fish are likely to remain uncaught.
2) They recognise the food as bait items.
At certain times through the year the fish will feed on the bait items (all be it cautiously) and these become the missing fish, rarely caught.
I suppose there are two possible elements to fish not being caught.
1) They dont recognise the bait items as food.
There is a famous lake where the stock fish in their early years were extensively reared without being feed pellets. They now live their lives as uncatchable creatures unless you use snails etc. These fish are likely to remain uncaught.
2) They recognise the food as bait items.
At certain times through the year the fish will feed on the bait items (all be it cautiously) and these become the missing fish, rarely caught.
In reply to Post #36
What lake and what did they feed them on?
What lake and what did they feed them on?
In reply to Post #36
There is another element, the mechanics of how they feed. Some feed different to others.
There is another element, the mechanics of how they feed. Some feed different to others.
In reply to Post #38
yes the old 'underslung mouths' or the 'parrots' definitely trickier fish
yes the old 'underslung mouths' or the 'parrots' definitely trickier fish
In reply to Post #39
I dont believe they feed THAT differently to avoid capture.
Heather from the CPL was supposed to feed in an unusual way, but famously she became catchable soon after being caught once. This suggests a fish being thrown from its routine that avoids being captured, not a manner in feeding which keeps it from the bank.
Far more questions on the subject than answers. As a fish farmer and breeder I tend to see all individual fish the same and I know this isnt the case.
I dont believe they feed THAT differently to avoid capture.
Heather from the CPL was supposed to feed in an unusual way, but famously she became catchable soon after being caught once. This suggests a fish being thrown from its routine that avoids being captured, not a manner in feeding which keeps it from the bank.
Far more questions on the subject than answers. As a fish farmer and breeder I tend to see all individual fish the same and I know this isnt the case.
In reply to Post #40
You just have to watch some of rare ones feed to understand why they're hardly ever caught imo.
Of course you can tailor your approach based on the info you learn during those observations.
You just have to watch some of rare ones feed to understand why they're hardly ever caught imo.
Of course you can tailor your approach based on the info you learn during those observations.
In reply to Post #40
Interesting points btw there is a common denominator with lakes that hold uncaught or even uncatchable fish.....safe zones. Some fish just take up residence in certain areas. This can happen even on small lakes. I fished a water a few years ago, only about 5 acres, but a large area of snags and islands which was out of bounds. This area was not just silty crap, it included some good feeding zones. There were a couple of fish which I used to watch everyday in this zone which had not been caught for over 10 years.
Interesting points btw there is a common denominator with lakes that hold uncaught or even uncatchable fish.....safe zones. Some fish just take up residence in certain areas. This can happen even on small lakes. I fished a water a few years ago, only about 5 acres, but a large area of snags and islands which was out of bounds. This area was not just silty crap, it included some good feeding zones. There were a couple of fish which I used to watch everyday in this zone which had not been caught for over 10 years.