THE British record carp title will not be awarded to this catch... a mirror weighing an astonishing 83 lb 4 oz.
The British record carp weight, still listed at 68 lb 1 oz on the official chart, was obliterated with the shock catch (above) from from a Kent syndicate.
But it is not, and could not, be claimed as a British record, via the British Record Fish Committee.
The colossal mirror from Kent’s Wingham Fisheries, has put on over 30 lb since last being caught at 52 lb in spring 2016.
At over 83 lb, it is suffering from a medical condition so it is full of spawn and water.
The catch came from Wingham’s Carp Lake which has, along with the Main Lake next door, been tipped to produce a bona fide home-grown British record carp in the future.
Wingham boss Steve Burke said: “The fish appears spawnbound. As a result the captor doesn’t wish to be named and will not be claiming the record.
“This is the rarely caught Big Plated that was supplied by renowned fish breeder Ken Crow as a three-year-old at a weight of 10 lb. Her heaviest recorded weight was 52 lb in the spring of last year.
“I didn’t allow the captor to lift the fish for a photo. She swam off very strongly and hopefully someone will catch her again without spawn.
“I’m often asked about whether the Carp Lake or Main Lake is the more likely to produce a record carp.
“My answer has always been the Main Lake as I’ve deliberately allowed very little pressure at all there until recently, and as the old saying goes: ‘big fish thrive on neglect’.
“The carp in the mysterious Main Lake are typically about three years younger than those in the Carp Lake and have already nearly caught them up,” concluded Steve.
Wingham’s 15 acre Carp Lake boasts seven 50 lb-plus English carp to 60 lb 8 oz.
The 40 acre Main Lake at Wingham has lots of 40-pounders including two 50s up to 56 lb 14 oz plus is tipped to do a record bream.
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