Dead at 25, the biggest fish in Britain
CARP fishermen used to travel from all over Britain for the chance to catch him.
So the death of the country’s largest freshwater fish has left the angling world in mourning.
The Parrot, a 68lb 1oz mirror carp, was found dead at 6am on Wednesday in his lake near Reading. He was 25. Given his name because his narrow mouth resembled a bird’s beak, he weighed only 12lb when he was put in the lake at the Wasing Estate fishery in 1997.
He had held the record of Britain’s biggest carp since 2010. It is thought he died of old age, although his body is being examined. News of his death on social media led to dozens of tributes from fishermen who had caught him and thrown him back.
Greengrocer Dean Fletcher, 54, from Caversham, Berkshire, said: ‘The Parrot was a true one off so it’s terribly sad to hear that he’s died. Obviously he was the biggest around and one that so many wanted to record as a catch. It’s a massive loss to the carp world.’ Harry James, from Coventry, wrote: ‘A sad day indeed, such a beautiful carp... a real loss.’ Daniel Bragan, from Tadley, Hampshire, posted: ‘ Sorry to hear this awful news – RIP The Parrot.’
Fishery manager Mark Hibbs said: ‘I’m absolutely gutted. The Parrot was a once-in-a-lifetime fish.
‘People travelled far and wide for a glimpse, he was the fish everyone wanted to catch. I saw him swim past me last Friday and he looked fine but that was the last time I saw him alive. I’m going to see if we can get him mounted and put on the wall in the reception.’