PPSGT Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I've bought some carp magazines when I was in England... those guys love chasing fat carp's.... He seems to be the UK's most famous, except for maybe the giant Cod in "The Goodies" The extraordinary life and suspicious death of Benson the giant carp What exactly caused the sad demise of one of Britain's most celebrated fish? John Bailey The Guardian, Wednesday 5 August 2009 Article history An angler holds 'Benson' Photograph: SWNS.COM/James Stacey Alas poor Benson. Born around 1984 and at times England's largest freshwater fish, this awe-inspiring carp has been found dead at his home at Bluebell Lakes near Peterborough. The facts of Benson's life are well known for he was the UK's most famous fish. Stocked into the Bluebell at around 10 years of age, Benson was already well over 10kg (22lb), on his way to super-stardom. At his peak, he was caught at over 25kg (60lb), though more recently he had slimmed down to around 50lb – still a leviathan. He gained his name because of a small hole in his dorsal fin that looked exactly like a cigarette burn. But what made Benson so special, so beloved, was his generosity. It's estimated he graced the landing nets of more than 60 anglers, dusting them all with immortality. Under normal circumstances, we would simply lament Benson's passing but there is anger today and a sense of suspicion. Carps can live to 60 or 70; Benson was cut down in his prime. Raw tiger nuts have been found on the banks at Bluebell. Unless these nuts are cooked and expertly prepared they can prove toxic to carp and the fear is that Benson could have been poisoned by one of his pursuers. Carp anglers love their carp and this smacks of a monstrous betrayal. I never met Benson. I don't know what he was like as a fish. But through the 1980s, I pursued a carp called Eric in his Norfolk lake home. (I say Eric but Erica is more apt! When she died, she was full of eggs.) During all that time, I swear Erica got to know me as well as I did her. She was happy to flaunt herself, to tease and to tantalise. I often wondered who was trying to fool who. I realise we shouldn't credit fish with intelligence but Erica and Benson and fish like them possess an awareness that is undeniable when you get to know them. When Erica died, I mourned the passing of a friend rather than a target I would never be able to achieve. In the history of carp angling, Benson and Erica are not new. There have been other great fish like Sally and Heather the Leather – so called for her complete lack of scales. It is impossible not to realise that carp like these are the airbrushed supermodels of angling, unattainable to 99% of the fishing fraternity. Most of us simply dream, quite content with the smaller fish that give so much pleasure and are so lovingly returned – who knows, perhaps one day to replace our lost friend? Benson, carp, born 1984, died 2009. Leaves behind numerous widows, thousands of offspring and 60-odd lovelorn captors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
framedtrash Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james7 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Do you reckon the Charlie Carp Fertiliser Company will be in touch with them? Maybe they will start a new line of products such as Big Bensen's Banksia and Bulb Fertiliser? Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trapper Tom Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Hey Guys My cats name is Bensen! He'd love it this thing. He does the rounds and beats the dogs up in the neighbourhood, and has them all scared. Reckon he'd eat it in one sitting. He's a big boy. Cheers Trapper T PS If you need a Pic will post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennmreid Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Wow, look at the size of that carp I lived in the UK for 7 years and they absolutely love carp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Don't you all just wish we lived in a place where the pinnacle of fishing is to catch a Carp that's been caught so many times before that he's been named!! Great story and I suppose each to his own with fishing... but give me a 80cm Flathead or a 10kg Snapper any day. Sad for our fellow fishos if he's the victim of foul play or unthinking fishing though. Cheers, Slinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zrealist Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 (edited) Do carp get this big in Sydney? A carp of this size would no doubt put on a great fight on light gear. Edited August 6, 2009 by zrealist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason baker Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 (edited) Trust the Poms to fall in love with a carp. Things must be tough over there. He does look like a bit of a character though. Hang on, there's more... http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Ben...s=searchresults Elvis of the fish world, nuts my ass, the big bugger probably just had a heart attack! Edited August 6, 2009 by peschi boi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moro Mou Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Not that you are permitted to C & R carp in Australia it goes to show that if you do it properly the fish will live. It would be interesting to know if other species could survive being caught 63 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Don't you all just wish we lived in a place where the pinnacle of fishing is to catch a Carp that's been caught so many times before that he's been named!! Don't forget the British dvd you made me watch mate. What was the quote in it? "The mullet is the bonefish of Britain!" Bloody huge carp though. Ugly, slimey, smelly thing. I never got coarse fishing. Then again we are very spoilt here in Oz. Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinnerbell Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Do carp get this big in Sydney? A carp of this size would no doubt put on a great fight on light gear. Gday zrealist Carp do get pretty big in the hawkesbury. I caught one that weighed 19 kilograms after it was gaffed and bled out for 4 hrs.I caught mine at lower portland on prawns in the saltwater. On the same day we caught bream estuary perch and flathead. I was not expecting carp. It was not as heavy as Benson but was about the same length. Mine was 1mtr long. We see lots of carp this size in the hawkesbury when paddling our canoe chasing bass. Great fun on light gear. Will post pictures later. Cheers dinnerbell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangles Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Not that you are permitted to C & R carp in Australia it goes to show that if you do it properly the fish will live. It would be interesting to know if other species could survive being caught 63 times. as far as i know its not a law in nsw that prevents you from releasing the fish back into the waterway it was caught from Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennmreid Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Gday zrealist Carp do get pretty big in the hawkesbury. I caught one that weighed 19 kilograms after it was gaffed and bled out for 4 hrs.I caught mine at lower portland on prawns in the saltwater. On the same day we caught bream estuary perch and flathead. I was not expecting carp. It was not as heavy as Benson but was about the same length. Mine was 1mtr long. We see lots of carp this size in the hawkesbury when paddling our canoe chasing bass. Great fun on light gear. Will post pictures later. Cheers dinnerbell Carp in saltwater, wow. I bet that was a surprised catch. as far as i know its not a law in nsw that prevents you from releasing the fish back into the waterway it was caught from You are correct dangles. It is recommended that you kill the carp, but it isn't illegal to release it where you caught it. It is only illegal to transport the fish to another location and release it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tide'n'knots Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 an aussie probably caught it and left it to die on the bank thinking that they were doing the poms a favour. pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishguts Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 why does everyone spell this fish'es name wrong...its C..R..A..P..! ..cheers!..stevo!.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moro Mou Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 as far as i know its not a law in nsw that prevents you from releasing the fish back into the waterway it was caught from Hello Dangles, I thought that you were not allowed to return carp to the water as they are a recognised pest species. I found this on the DPI website. Help stop the spread of feral fish! Members of the public, including fishers, divers and members of local environmental groups, are often the first to discover a new exotic fish in the wild or the fact that an existing pest has spread into a new area. This information can be very valuable in helping to manage pest problems. You can protect our waterways and native fish by helping to stop the introduction and spread of feral fish into new areas. Report a pest species For recreational fishers: Don’t transfer fish between waterways – and don’t use live fish as bait in freshwater (it’s illegal!) Obtain a permit to stock fish – and buy fingerlings from a registered hatchery to minimise the chances of contamination with undesirable species. Don’t return pest fish to the water – if you catch a pest fish, kill it humanely and dispose of it appropriately. Prevent unwanted hitchhikers – check, clean and dry boats and gear between waterways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squid hunter Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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