A carp that became the centre of attention at a popular 'runs water' has been caught for the final time after bosses at the complex decided to ‘retire’ the specimen.
The Middle Pool at Staffordshire’s Baden Hall Fisheries has been home to a bright orange koi carp for almost a decade, with anyone catching it and supplying evidence to the owners being rewarded with a free 48-hour ticket.
It led to it becoming the number one target for many visitors and it has been banked on dozens of occasions since it was stocked at just under 20lb in 2014.
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A growing number of anglers suggested on the venue’s social media pages that the fish should be left to live out the rest of its life without facing the pressure of anglers. The owners gladly agreed to the feedback, stating it would be rehomed in a family koi pond that isn’t fished when it was next banked.
That has now happened, with local rod Jase Jenkinson becoming the final person to claim the free permit after he placed the distinctive specimen on the scales at 23lb 4oz.
Fishery boss Rob Daley revealed that the perk of a free ticket for catching a certain fish will still remain and he said: “The 'Koi' became a well known fish here at Baden Hall and having seen some comments suggesting it was time to retire it, I had a chat with the team and we agreed that it was a good idea.
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“Mark Colclough caught it at the biggest we have recorded back in 2019 at 28lb, and that was part of an incredible session where he fooled 34 fish off the surface for over 400lb in just eight hours.
“We are now asking customers for ideas on what the next challenge should be. It’s would be easy as a business to follow our own path and not take into consideration other viewpoints, but what our customers want and think is important to us.”
Visit the Baden Hall Fisheries Facebook page to see the moment 'The Koi' was released into its retirement home.
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