Is Sumi with Marusome Kiwa Unique to Matsunosuke?

[Richard Rombold]

Quote: Originally Posted by PapaBear I've been hoping to hear more as well, but I've got to say that I really love the look of those Bekkos as well. It gives us an "unfiltered" view of the sumi on that very nice white skin. From the looks of the underlying sumi these are far and away better than your average bear... It is also interesting to see that while there may be some Utsuri influence in the ancestral woodpile, the quality and depth is beyond the old Utsuri/Showa style by a long shot.

Larry,

One of the things I was hoping to accomplish by sharing these photos was to discover if in anyone's experience they have seen this quality of sumi on sanke before. If so, who was the breeder. I know what I did to get here, but has this been done before?

Richard

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by Richard Rombold Larry, One of the things I was hoping to accomplish by sharing these photos was to discover if in anyone's experience they have seen this quality of sumi on sanke before. If so, who was the breeder. I know what I did to get here, but has this been done before? Richard

Ahhh.........Toshio Sakai........... That is where I have seen it.

[Richard Rombold]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sangreaal One of the things I appreciate the most in Richard's fish is the beautiful, often flawless, snow white shiroji. One couldn't find a better ground on which to place any color, and this new sumi displayed on his bekkos couldn't appear more elegant. And these are young tosai! Richard, when you make your first cull, what is it that you look for? Were these babies white to begin with, or solid black? And how soon did the patterns begin to appear? What is the progression? Always wanting to know, Marie

Marie,

With my culling I look for fish that intrigue me. It's mostly that simple. However, in culling this group I focused primarily on the sumi. I was looking for dense well formed clusters. The rest I'll sort out on the second and third culls. You are so close you should come down and take a peek one of these days.

Richard

[Sangreaal]

Quote: Originally Posted by Richard Rombold Marie, With my culling I look for fish that intrigue me. It's mostly that simple. However, in culling this group I focused primarily on the sumi. I was looking for dense well formed clusters. The rest I'll sort out on the second and third culls. You are so close you should come down and take a peek one of these days. Richard

I think coming down would be an incredibly enlightening experience and I would dearly love to visit whilst you're culling or otherwise working with the fish. I can only imagine the zone you must be in when actually culling. In the final analysis, it's got to be something more than simply following a certain criteria to be measured against every individual. Just from looking at the pics you've shared of the masses of fingerlings is almost mind boggling to even begin picking from. I could only imagine what it is like up close and personal and would be one happy camper to experience it.

Thank you for the invitation, Richard. I will take you up on it.

Marie

[MikeM]

OK, Richard, I'll take the second one. ...EVERYONE ELSE: To the back of the line!

But, I'm afraid you'll not get the kichi to pay the value that comes with all that culling if there is sumi on the head. Hope you can hang in to make a dream come true.

[Richard Rombold]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell Peters Ahhh.........Toshio Sakai........... That is where I have seen it.

Maybe Russ, but I doubt it. This sumi is thicker than Toshio's new sumi, and it doesn't fade at two years. In my observation he has better beni and growth rates, but these fish have the better sumi and equal skin quality. It's 100% domestic in origin. You have the connections. I am sure he has a picture of his sanke after their first cull he could send you.

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by Richard Rombold Maybe Russ, but I doubt it. This sumi is thicker than Toshio's new sumi, and it doesn't fade at two years. In my observation he has better beni and growth rates, but these fish have the better sumi and equal skin quality. It's 100% domestic in origin. You have the connections. I am sure he has a picture of his sanke after their first cull he could send you.

I will see what I can get. It is very hard to tell how deep the sumi in your pictures really is. The lighting is not very good. Do you have any that are brighter?

[dcny]

What we are witnessing here may be the beginnings of bekkos with kohaku characteristics. Very exciting stuff. Richard can call it a new variety name it kuroku if he wants.

Can't wait to see how these develop. I'm in line behind Mike.

-Dan

[aquitori]

Richard, what percentage of your Sanke Spawning are from the Jimbei-line?

[Richard Rombold]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell Peters I will see what I can get. It is very hard to tell how deep the sumi in your pictures really is. The lighting is not very good. Do you have any that are brighter?

Russ,

I'll send you the uncompressed file as soon as I can get to my other computer later in the morning. It will give you the detail you want. I really would be interested in seeing the two groups side by side if you could manage it.

Richard