A RECORD-NUDGING 4 lb 3 oz roach plus an amazing catch of SIX over 3 lb means a British best is well on the cards.
The colossal roach fell just one ounce short of the official 4 lb 4 oz record held by Keith Berry from Northern Ireland in 2006. The latest giant came from top Suffolk syndicate Homersfield Lake.
The venue produced many big roach to 3 lb 12 oz in the 1980s and now a new era of huge roach has come through.
Norwich-based Ken Fuller captured the near record breaker, having targeted the species at the fishery over the past couple of years.
Ken has caught a number of specimens in both the 2 and 3 lb class but this was an absolute fish off a lifetime.
The 57-year-old explained: “It was caught on a helicopter feeder rig with a size 10 hook with small boilies to avoid the trillions of small roach.”
Roach identification thoughts
Big roach expert Mark Wintle viewed pictures of the 4 lb 3 oz giant and commented: “You can never be 100 per cent sure without a DNA test but it looks very roachy to me.
“It’s not a long fish but very deep-bodied and clearly full of spawn.
“I’m always cautious because I well remember years ago in the early days of DNA testing all experts said strongly that a fish was potentially a record sea trout, but when a DNA test was eventually done it proved to be a salmon.
“There are apparently no rudd in the water and it certainly isn’t a bream hybrid so I would say it is likely to be a true roach and a lovely fish,” he concluded.
This is a short version of the full story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for exclusive top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.
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