In a monumental effort to grow fish, Rob and Harry Hales of RH Fisheries have set up a highly sophisticated operation, drawing inspiration from the best koi keepers in the world and successful carp farmer Nick Harvey.
The father-and-son duo have custom-built a high-tech system that includes an indoor 12,000-gallon tank, aerators, bacteria showers and drum filters, all run in conjunction with a heat pump to maintain the water at an optimal 32 degrees Celsius.
This system ensures the highest possible water quality for the fish. Underwater cameras provide a live feed directly to their phones, and an alarm system is scheduled to be installed to alert them of any drop in water quality. These measures may make these some of the best-cared-for carp in the country.
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"We have seen some extraordinary growth rates in the fish we've stocked in the new system so far," Rob shared.
"Our fish already have fast growth rates thanks to our selective breeding, but these fish have been gaining as much as 2 pounds a month, which is incredible and shows they're thriving in the tank," he added.
"We feed the fish a combination of Aller Aqua pellets and some of our own bait, rolled here at the complex."
"Due to the powerful suction of our bottom drains, we’re having a new machine manufactured to flatten the boilies, giving the fish time to eat the bait before it's sucked into the filters."
Rob also emphasised the importance of fresh bait for carp. He recounted a severe water quality issue in Monument One a few years ago, caused by a toxic ammonia spike that affected the fish. Without hesitation, he closed the lake for a year, refunded all the anglers who had bookings, and drained the lake. The problem was clear: mountains of uneaten, slowly rotting shelf-life bait. The team de-silted, re-sculpted, and reopened the lake, and today the fishing is better than ever, with a 64lb fish now residing in the lake.
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"The new tank currently holds fish weighing between 20 and 30 pounds. These have been stocked to test the system, and so far, they’re doing really well," Rob explained.
"In April 2025, I’ll be adding a stunning 45-pound fully-scaled carp with the hope of growing it to 60 pounds within 12 months. After that, it will be ready for stocking into the lakes."
"That fish will be joined by other big carp, and we expect to produce four 60-pounders in the next 18 months if everything goes according to plan!"
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