• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Gary Knowles' Monster Bream

Joe Winstanley

Senior Member & Supporter
In case you missed it: http://www.anglingtimes.co.uk/news-2017/biggest-bream-of-the-year-landed

Every now and again you see a picture of a fish, or hear verified report of a capture that simply takes your breath away - take a bow Gary Knowles! A deserved fish on a water that is ultra-rock hard on a good day. Unless you have tried fishing for big bream on the Cheshire, Shrops & Staffs meres you might not appreciate just how tough they are.

He should win the Drennan Cup for that, imo.
 
That is an absolutely stunning fish (and picture).
Big bream are completely different to their smaller snotty relations and certainly not nuisance fish.
I remember that classic John Wilson Go Fishing episode where he caught a hat-full of double figure bream on the float from a boat and they were very impressive and fought really well.
I'd lovely to catch a big one but 4 years for one bite - life's too short.
Congratulations to Gary though - fish of a lifetime.
 
That is an absolutely stunning fish (and picture).
Big bream are completely different to their smaller snotty relations and certainly not nuisance fish.
I remember that classic John Wilson Go Fishing episode where he caught a hat-full of double figure bream on the float from a boat and they were very impressive and fought really well.
I'd lovely to catch a big one but 4 years for one bite - life's too short.
Congratulations to Gary though - fish of a lifetime.

Agree Mark they are almost like a completely different species. Health permitting I'll properly target big bream when I'm a retired old man with a lot of time on my hands..
And I do remember the legendary John Wilson bream session, it was a misty dawn and he was fishing worms on the slider float in a pre-baited swim. Over a dozen double figure bream in the space of a few hours - stunning.
 
Yeah that's the one Joe - John Wilson said that was his best ever day's fishing and that's saying something.
I remember reading a chapter in Chris Turnbull's excellent 'Big fish from famous waters' book about bream fishing when the record was broken a number of times from Queensford and from memory I think Gary was one of those anglers. Although not a great fan of the species I did find it really interesting and the fish looked awesome.
I would like to catch a proper one but then again I'd love to catch a 3lb roach, 4lb perch, 3lb rudd etc.etc.
I'd also like to win the lottery and spend a weekend with Kelly Brook - hope I'm not being unrealistic ;)
 
Yeah that's the one Joe - John Wilson said that was his best ever day's fishing and that's saying something.
I remember reading a chapter in Chris Turnbull's excellent 'Big fish from famous waters' book about bream fishing when the record was broken a number of times from Queensford and from memory I think Gary was one of those anglers. Although not a great fan of the species I did find it really interesting and the fish looked awesome.
I would like to catch a proper one but then again I'd love to catch a 3lb roach, 4lb perch, 3lb rudd etc.etc.
I'd also like to win the lottery and spend a weekend with Kelly Brook - hope I'm not being unrealistic ;)

Graham Marsden (one of angling heroes) and good friend of Gary Knowles once wrote:

'I have never been hesitant to assert that big bream – those weighing over 10lbs – are the most difficult of all coarse species to catch. I have said as much for many years and in that time have never had cause to change my mind. I’ve known, however, that there will be many anglers (notably those who have never fished for big bream!) who will scoff at the claim and put it down to the self-deceptive ramblings of a long-time bream fanatic. And who can blame them? We all think our favourite species are the hardest to catch. Yet I may differ from many who make the claim for the simple reason that I am not a single-species man, but an angler who will fish for anything that swims and, indeed, have done just that where most coarse species are concerned.'

And as for the 3lb rudd - I think I've probably got more chance of spending a weekend with Kelly Brook! :)
 
Back
Top