A WOMAN who has been too unwell to fish for two years landed a monster catfish which weighed 7 lb heavier than she does.
Catfish captor Sharon Allport suffers from anorexia and Addison’s disease but loves to get out on the bank when she can.
She celebrated her 42nd birthday with a four-night session with her husband and friend Tom to Yateley Match Lake in Surrey.
They were after the noted carp water’s catfish… and landed a whopping 68-pounder.
Guildford, Surrey-based Sharon told Angler’s Mail: “Fishing helps me through my illness and I must say it was the best birthday present ever, one I will never forget.
“When my reel screamed off, and I hit into it, I was like ‘wow!’ I could feel my heartbeat in my mouth. It was an amazing fight, like cats do, for the best part of 40 minutes.
“It was such hard work and I was sweating so much that my husband had to yank my hoody off, but I was determined to land the monster even though it was hard to reel her in.”
Delight to land fish 7 lb heavier than herself
Sharon told Angler’s Mail: “When she was in the net I couldn’t believe what I saw, the size of her, I was full of adrenalin and shouted ‘Yes’, I was so happy.
“As the scales went round to 68 lb I couldn’t believe my eyes, the buzz was so unreal, and the size of the cat was 7 lb heavier than me.
“I’ve never seen a freshwater fish so big in my whole life, and I’ve been fishing nearly 20 years,” she added.
Sharon used two 16 mm Northern Nev Liver & Krill boilies on a size 6 SWG Deception hook, 45 lb Ballistic braided hooklink and 30 lb braided main line, and baited with 2 kg 14 mm glugged pellets.
The group also had three other cats going 47 lb, 44 lb and 28 lb during the trip.
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