In order to clear my mind of the nonsense caused by my opinions of a bird, and my auditory health, I have chosen to revisit the template, as laid out by Mr Gale. A top ten - this time it is the ten most significant fish that I've landed since returning to the hobby. Benno and I are already in advanced stages of planning for our weekend pike fishing - a return to the RMC and a search for that elusive "big girl" who must now be at peak weight, prior to spawning?
I have chosen these fish because of their importance at the time of capture - therefore they aren't just a list of the heaviest fish. You will see that I have opted for the traditional "chart run down" and start with number 10.
10.) - Carp (Italian strain) Stream Valley Fishery, East Sussex - 10th June 2012
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_znlevRB21YtF3GP_mH1t6jAnnDbRuennUh3WlXuT8SbHMT9TR-5oE0_jg5292kPvtteWEf5utfMgHCAFg4lmApGjz548_i7yu39_FCVG-DSThnrjtF6Hx030-35TtkJDg5qy48axc8v8/s640/Carp4me.jpg) |
A chunky fish of 17lbs+ which took a liking to a prawn, fished under a float,
on 6lbs b.s. line, my Match Aerial centre-pin and a Tring Tench rod. All good fun. |
9.) Pike - Loch Awe, Scotland - May 2013
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2FVG_9UUgv9vilnPcPlfL1VHeA3rsfg9GKeNf7Q7HJ3lV8f4DMgmuJ4O2EVpwKpP4JRV5MGSDEQwPhOu5Vooe2-v4aL6MXeu_5G-EjYCMD0gOtmUMkKfXFD97YdLPHQHzztRMmcqr3cB/s640/Me16.05+.jpg) |
31 years, almost to the day, after I'd taken my first Scottish pike. At 16lbs 5oz this is the heaviest
pike I've taken from the magnificent fisheries north of the border. |
8.) Pike - Royal Military Canal, Kent - March 2013
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_3bG7zaNW5gkQVbmmYL06Ckoiubt0FGC_xBwMtIWbXMJQVjYOxv4eUbQ-AC5J2mj9qCKKqrxf96UTwNvzTdPudC8pNvJWKXrqEd0KUm_oCZSg067agKPnNAWOtgkqUsad3saFX4p2bE3/s640/19.042+.jpg) |
19lbs 4oz of RMC pike. This is one of six, very large, fish that Benno and I were fortunate enough to encounter
during a very productive period at this venue |
7.) Pike - North Stream, Worth Marshes, Kent - February 2012
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja22MuEGdcoArwZ42_nC1FK_nb9Gl2XvinEFWE-LEXF5CTjXpBGL81dcxcAJAlp5njbG48FjqSSnTvfyoLS_lZTfEZE_XtUzGT8AwJgFU_ciPvcdZagXFBz_5Gb-MN0ccG6I0Gcpiame9G/s640/1905+4dhp.jpg) |
19lbs 5oz - a fish that I feared was dead. The third, and final, time of capture - the finale to a
very enjoyable learning experience. |
6.) Perch - Stream Valley Fishery, East Sussex - June 2012
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWg7sWcXE-b2XW34r47uXmFUsy4mckk3FlPRm7PYzmsSH38uzkB33wl6CJM9kDibzF0gAKMTdanx-1hlQCT-qk4NKKuLB1By8MCipP-2A9bjCwfkV3lPEPD5EFzML5Rs2DXLZSgDViaD5Z/s640/DylPB2.10+.jpg) |
My new PB perch - 2lbs 10oz, a species that wasn't available to many anglers during the 1970's - 90's.
Happily, they have made a recovery and now there is every chance of me bettering this fish within a short while? |
5.) Chub - R. Stour, nr Canterbury, Kent
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUQqG6xQ2-bNI9W_7YYWMjwdwYI8nxjIbNUlVeOyyMrh9dsfi_M2gHsFQOS_wr6w71Dsm_eykSau6PBxBtugvJrf6T-_lw3jb8Jt56PcPySRxioa_qcxZV2wCkQ4l6kJRi11Ut32pCZbC/s640/PB+Chub+.jpg) |
5lbs 2oz - a milestone fish, yet nowhere close to the biggest chub that I've seen in the river.
A PB that is easily beatable, given a sustained effort. |
4.) Barbel - R. Stour, nr Canterbury, Kent - July 2013
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbisQofR2oaUHsu87z07rL4vyuONUF0gXEJqJFmWK6IJG_NKr9R535lmuq4Sy9FBV5eiW87CwEbN1XN5mw5b24-MtVdLL5hQXtrN085mMzu09aWiXLeMWB0vCSNoSfbaTTk0xzpD2chuvU/s640/Barbel7.14.jpg) |
7lbs 14oz - my first Kentish Stour barbel. |
3.) Barbel - R. Severn, Gloucestershire - June 2013
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGRHktd18kiliqXDop6CNiU8XNfiHI0YhLVsgkE-X7VM1AvafEUS1Qoa2KEr688xOX5PsWJLZvtfrejEc2FIkRjYj2C7B7yBgSSgX0Y6hGny9xsLdEkwezv91nHj6zRBX_-gQT0Z9Z05_/s640/Barbel1-4.jpg) |
Probably less than 4lbs? My first barbel since September 1985 - magic! |
2.) Barbel - R. Stour, nr Canterbury - August 2013
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe98MKAL8ehCdbD70PXuZkR388PA7hbcrDw268V1GKXvWhRY89HrCuqagamKT-c3sXB2ELylO7EMaLx0sNiwMRcxZj5E_hR9qFJTyD3Eml3yX2VpPISWEPnHiQQx9AQ64tFNRTPWi2P6u/s640/Barbel2+.jpg) |
A barbel beyond my wildest dreams - 13lbs 14oz! My second fish over 13lbs in five days - crazy times! |
1.) Pike - Royal Military Canal, Kent - February 2013
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYU14GQQyU6EMumqaAl0z-U35J6mQ3cGtO6Pr-COXlU1KMYFRqIPfDh0ZnG276P_UVv0kiy3MeZcvYcVdyuwK_CFNmSejXRR0XUf6XUI1oyGlQIxtc8ZO_kbAt3XAxzYPQGqbZInLP9G1/s640/20.092+.jpg) |
Taken just a few days after the death of my mum - 20lbs 9oz. A fish that I'd targeted since returning to the hobby.
All the money in the world couldn't replace that moment when I slid the landing net under my prize.
Mum was looking down and smiling - of that I'm sure. |
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