IF THERE is a heavier freshwater fish currently in the UK than this one, we'd like to see it!
Scaling a massive 147 lb, Britain’s heaviest catfish fell to Paul Fyson, who starred in Angler’s Mail magazine’s unrivalled Fish Of The Week pages.
Paul set a new UK ‘record’ for catfish when he caught a known Oak Lakes Fisheries monster.
The fish has held the unofficial record for the past two captures, at 145 lb and 144 lb.
The British Record Fish Committee no longer has a catfish record, after an influx of illegal imports in the 1990s.
Paul nabbed the new record from the day ticket water, near Southminster, in Essex, during a 48-hour trip with girlfriend Hannah Lanchester.
The 31-year-old Canvey Island angler offered mackerel and pellets on the Predator Lake.
Catfish ace Dean Aldridge told Angler’s Mail: “It is the biggest known catfish in the UK. It has been known about for years.
“A friend had it at 136 lb four years ago, so it is still putting on weight.”
Whether it is the heaviest fish currently alive in freshwater in the UK is open to speculation.
Some jumbo sturgeon well over 100 lb are said to exist in a couple of lakes, but photos rarely emerge.
If you’re interested in catching a catfish this summer, click here for some great venue suggestions.
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