THE ULTIMATE ANGLING BUCKET LIST

common carp as shown in the Welsh record list, both of which are Cyprinus carpio; ghost carp also
listed by the Welsh which is a hybrid, nor any of the roach-rudd-bream hybrids listed by the Irish.
It will be true species only, with just a passing mention of the sea trout, and no mention at all of the
lake, river and slob trout listed by the Irish, all of which again are Salmo trutta, and as such within
species variants of the brown trout Salmo trutta, and therefore not separate species in their own right,
despite what purist game anglers might have to say on the topic.
CARP Cyprinus carpio
Bucket List status – result
Carp need little in the way of identification detail, particularly when they get over five pounds in weight,
which tends to rule out our other similar indigenous species. I say indigenous species, but actually, carp
are an introduced Asiatic species which were initially tended by monks in the middle ages for their
traditional eating of fish ritual on a Friday.
What is particularly important about this piece of information is that the British Record Fish Committee
not only would like to see all none native species removed from their record list, but also from the
country, and that includes carp. Whether that would ever be achievable, or more to the point, tolerated
by a tackle industry so heavily reliant on the species is another matter.
Only really the crucian carp should present any potential for identification confusion, which besides
having a slightly different shape and colouration, lacks the two barbels either side of the mouth which
are present in Cyprinus carpio.
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