Carp fishing in France
with lake side holiday accommodation.
Description of fish / carp caught from Smallwater lake.
Rula's first mirror carp
caught at Smallwater lake
Smallwater lakes Carp fishing holiday in France home page
Mirror carp
From Wikipedia,
Mirror carp are a type of fish, commonly found in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The name Mirror Carp originates due to the fact that their scales resemble
mirrors. They can grow in excess of 60lb - the last few British record fish have
all been mirror carp.
The difference between mirror and common carp is both genetic and visual -
biologically they are similar. The mirror carp was the first mutation of common
carp, owing to two alternative genes, the S allele and the N allele. The genetic
term for a mirror carp is "ssnn" (all minor). Common carp have an even, regular
scale pattern, whereas mirrors have irregular and patchy scaling, making many
fish unique and possible to identify individual fish by sight, leading to most
carp in the UK over 40 lb being nicknamed. This lack of scales is widely
believed to have been bred in by monks in order to make the fish easier to
prepare for the table. The current British record (as of December 13, 2009) is a
carp known as 'Two tone' due to its colouration, caught from Conningbrook Lake
in Kent and weighing in at 67 lb 14oz (30.45 kg). The current world record (as
of January 2010) stands at 94 lb (42.638 kg), caught from Rainbow Lake near to
Bordeaux in France.
Contrary to popular belief, Leather carp are not Mirror carp without scales;
there is a distinct genetic difference. Leather carp are permitted a few scales;
however, the dorsal row of scales is either absent or incomplete. Leathers also
have reduced numbers of red blood cells, slowing growth rates.