OUR CARP STORY – FROM COURSE TO A SPECIMEN CARP WATER
In January 2022, Matt Scoffham took over the lease of Hurlston Hall Fishery, at the time it was a course fishery. After the first year only 16 different 20lb fish were captured however big hits of fish were being caught, even in December. However, it was evident that the stock were being stunted by the biomass and the huge population of roach, skimmers and bream.
The first netting took place in February 2022 followed quickly by a further netting in March 2022. Over the two nettings 14000lb of silvers were removed in order to give the carp enough room to grow. A further netting in February 2024 followed and another 2000lb of silvers were removed.
New stock additions
November of 2022 saw us introduce just over 50 C2 (2 summers) Carp from Blue Slate fisheries and these have put on some impressive weight. Some of them now going to over 15lb. We’re sure that these will be around the 20lb mark come the end of 2025 (if not before).
Carp C2s Introduced in 2022
August 2024 – 12lb Mirror
During the netting in February of 2024 a number of carp were removed and we hand picked 176 carp, the remainder were removed or moved into our Summer Bay pond. This netting gave us 36 known 20lb fish, 14 already known 20s evaded the netting process. We also netted another 50plus over 18lb.
The A Team continue to grow
Sparky – 28lb 2oz – Last seen in February 2024 netting at 29lb
Through the course of 2024 a few more new 20lb stock continued to grow and be caught leading us now to believe that we have somewhere in the region of sixty 20lb and over fish. Sparky (29lb) and Queen Elizabeth (28lb 2oz) have both evaded capture since the February 2024 netting, we’re sure these fish go to over 30lb now.
White Tips however is hot on their tails as this fish continues to be caught each time with a new top weight, she was last out in August 2024 at 27lb 8oz (featured below). Since then she’s been caught at 30lb 5oz by Bobby Corrin in February 2025.
White Tips named at 21lb by Luke Moran in May 2023
White Tips caught by Tom Byrne in July 2024 at 26lb 8oz
The Future is Bright
We are fast becoming one of the go to venues in the North West to capture a 20lb fish and is now firmly on the map as a Specimen Carp venue.
Check out our Gallery for what we have on offer at Hurlston Hall Fishery
Going into 2025 we aim to achieve our fish stock continuing to thrive with weight gains that will take a number of fish over the 30lb mark. Watch this space for further improvements and our ongoing breeding/introduction programme.