Carp Strains
With the wealth of knowledge VS Fisheries have obtained we found ourselves in a position of strength when it comes to the strains of fish we sell.
It is definitely a myth that 'a carp is simply a carp' and it is solely the environment that makes a carp grow big. Without doubt the fishes' environment is of great importance but years of studying different strains have highlighted those that do well consistently in differing situations and those that out-perform other strains when in the same environment.
A Stunning Leney Male Linear
Female Carp - We like to see a few scales!
Every carp strain has slightly different characteristics from scale patterns to growth rate and VS Fisheries aim to produce fish that meet the following criteria:
- Good body length & shape
- Attractive to the eye
- Various scale patterns from leathers to fully scaled mirrors and commons
- Longevity
- Healthy, robust and importantly disease free
- Fit and ready to be introduced into your fishery
- Sustainable growth rates, both on our farm and after stocking into your fishery
In order to achieve this we have selected a small number of strains that boast all of our required criteria to some extent. From there we have progressed further by crossing the strains so that we end up with a fish that meets our demanding expectations. It is absolutely essential to both Viv and Simon that all of our carp are spawned from top quality English fish with a proven record of producing traditional looking, stunning large fish in time.
The various pictures on this page are a selection of the brood stock from which some of our fish are spawned.
Carp fry
Viv and Simon believe that the fish they produce are already first class and growth rates after stocking support this. Never ones to rest on our laurels we continue to experiment with crossing various superb, but discreet, strains of carp to produce fish of superior quality for you the customer. By rearing distinct batches of fry from specific crosses we are able to monitor the progress of these crosses and only when convinced they offer something exceptional do we incorporate them into our main production systems.
From our conversations with anglers and fishery managers the old saying of "variety is the spice of life" is true when it comes to carp and their looks. With this in mind we strive to produce fish that offer a wide variety of scale patterns and their own individual character. As of the 09 / 10 harvest season our C3 carp, and following year classes, will be a mix of at least three superb crosses giving you a mix of fish in a single batch with differing looks, scaling and genetics meaning you are able to obtain several high quality strains of fish from one source. This should be beneficial in that the fish have all been grown together on our farm and means you do not run the risk of separate introductions from multiple sources to achieve your desired mix of quality strains. This is something that, as far as we are aware, no other carp farming operation offers!
These crosses are known on the farm as the Sovereign strains. Each of the crosses that we produce have characteristics that make them unique and are certain to become very sought after in years to come after having seen the growth exhibited by fish that we have stocked out over the past decade from these genetic pools. Indeed previous fish produced from the strains we use have reached in excess of 45lbs and these fish will be 10 years old in June 2009.
However, should you be after a single specific style of fish that we do please feel free to discuss your requirements as we may be able to help!
A female Carp - length and scale pattern are vital
Beautifully scaled
Male Carp - great body shape