What I find even more sad is that we have to argue like this here and on the other post, amongst eachother, accusing eachother of things etc, thanks to poachers, fish thieves and ppl who would harm these big fish for their own gain. To be honest, Witfield is not a secret anymore, and same with the east rand dams. Almost all the dams I knew as "secret" 10 years ago, are all known and exposed now. Many pictures of carp from these places have surfaced all over in some way, and at one time or the other over the last 10 years. Not to mention word of mouth that travels faster than the speed of light when a biggie is caught somewhere. We all know how this works guys.
I had a family friend email me yesterday with photos of some nice sized carp that was caught at one of these east rand dams by specimen carp anglers. He is a newbie at conventional angling, and only really does it now and then with the family. So he does not have that much exposure to the angling community. Yet, he got the photos from the Bank Angler, easy. Then he also sent me a few more photos of good sized carp caught at the same venue by one of my friends, who I'd never have though would send his pics out to just anyone. But who said the family friend got it from him? Could be by a friend, sent to another friend, and eventually ending up with him. I've had ppl send me pics of monster fish caught by other anglers, for interest sake, and I'm sure the anglers themselves dont know their photos are being circulated like this. I think we will be shocked if we really knew where our photos end up, despite us trying to keep it "hush-hush".
So why blame lionelc, when we have all at some point or another had a part in dams being exposed. Be it an email to a friend, who passed it on to someone else, who leaked it to someone else etc.? not to mention word of mouth. The specimen carp angling community is growing fast in SA, and it is becoming impossible to keep venues secret. Just too many mouths communicating to guarantee that your secret stays under wraps.