Take what 3 pin says with a pinch of salt! He's caught a 6lbs barbel from the big pond. Guess he doesn't know a 30lbs carp from a 6lbs barbel from a 1lb bream.
The biggest fish caught from the carp pond is 27lbs, verified, seen the pics. know the angler but he no longer fishes Ravo.
W.r.t fish in the other ponds another 20 is quite possible, (Terry had one). 6 years after putting fish into Burcliffe (no carp) 12 and 14lbs commons were netted and put in the carp pond. These were probably fry that got into Burcliffe as 'crucians'. Similarly no carp were stocked into the Gt. Pond when it was refilled and stocked, but there obviuosly are some and they've grown and spawned, a maggot man caught 6 little ones this summer!
The carp pond was originally stocked with ~40 of Ravo's biggest fish, without checking I recall only two were just 20+. some died in the first few years. Then some Simmonds fish were added plus a 19lbs common, but many of the fish we see today are home grown naturals. I don't know how many but I've seen more than 40 sunbathing. I suspect there are somewhere between 70 and 100. I'm told that last year there were more 20's than ever, but despite being asked no-one ever reports their catches so it's anyones guess.
The idea that carp were lost in the flood is rubbish. I watched and the water going over the dam was only inches deep, whereas that coming in was much deeper. We've certainly gained some, I've seen one, the orange koi type is from Firsby. We electrofished about 20 of them out of the Bridge Pond, 10/14lbs and like peas in a pod.
