Prior to HNV baits, there was only Redmire, Tiddenfoot, Ashlea, the Peterborough Electricity Cut and Billing Aquadrome that had fish in excess of 30 lbs. And then there were only a few 30s.
Redmire - maybe 3, Tiddenfoot, the one caught by Pete Frost, Ashlea, only 1, Billing, maybe 2 and the cut, 1.
1/2 a dozen in the whole of the UK.
If we consider Redmire, The Bishop was caught umpteen times by the anglers who fished there giving the impression that there were more big carp than there were. Yates 43 pounder was a very sick fish - look at the photo.
The situation today is that there are many carp above 30 pounds dotted around many waters, including waters in Yorkshire. Just how many are grown on UK fish is difficult to ascertain. The vast majority are imports from France.
Let's face it, if a fishery owner can boast of a couple of 40s, and prove it, the revenue in fishing ticket sales could make a fishery owner quite rich.
I read somewhere that a 40 pound carp in an English water is worth about £6,000.00