by Luke Hollands

Anglers may have mourned the death of Benson, the so-called
people's fish, but the true king of the carps lives on in a lake
near Ashford.

It may sound like a fisherman's tale but there really is a
bigger catch out there.

Benson, who died earlier this month in Oundle, Northants,
weighing 64lbs 2oz, may have been the most famous fish in the
country due to her enormous size and the ease with which she was
caught, but beneath the quiet waters of a Willesborough lake lies
real reel royalty.

Weighing in at more than 67lbs 14oz Two Tone holds the British
record for a mirror carp, and has done since 2001.

Two Tone was introduced into Conningbrook Lake in the early
1980s after being rescued from a lake in Faversham that was set to
be drained.

He has kept growing at a steady 3lbs a year ever since and many
anglers believe he could be the first fish in the country to top
70lbs.

It is certainly not a tale of a big fish in a little pond, with
more than 30 acres of water and an abundance of natural food it is
perhaps no wonder Two Tone has reached his mega proportions.

Chris Logsden, fishery manager for Mid Kent Fisheries said:
"It's a fabulous environment at Conningbrook for Two Tone to live
in. There is everything a carp could want, which is probably why he
has grown so big."