GARY NEWMAN, the globetrotting big fish ace and former Angler's Mail reporter, had a fantastic trip to Thailand, when he notched his eighth different freshwater species over 100 lb.
During an eight-day session at Gillhams Fishing Resorts, Gary Newman landed 25 Siamese carp.
Eight of them topped the 100lb mark, and he broke his PB several times.
The big fish spree culminated in a monster of 158 lb, in a brace with another of 125 lb.
Gary, 41, from Chesham, Buckinghamshire, explained: “I’ve been after a Siamese over 100 lb for quite some time, as prior to this session I’d caught them up to 96 lb, but since my last trip they have grown a fair bit.
“Things got off to a bad start when I got cut-off on my first bite and someone else caught the fish trailing my line – it was over 12 lb! But things came good later that day when I landed a cracker of 110 lb.
“I ended up moving swim to an area where I was less likely to get cut-off, and the fishing just kept on getting better as I built the swim up by feeding a mixture of Gillhams 8 mm pellets and Mainline Essential Cell Response pellets.
“I broke my PB several times – with fish of 116 lb and 120 lb – and then on the penultimate day I landed one of 110 lb in the morning and in the afternoon I had a giant of 147 lb, which I thought would take a long time to beat.
“But my last day was even better, kicking things off with a ridiculously wide fish of 125 lb, and then around 4pm I had my fifth bite of the day and it turned out to be an absolute monster of 158 lb!
“It had been raining for most of the day and I’d still been recasting my rods every 45-60 minutes, as well as regularly topping the swim up with bait, but it was definitely worth getting soaking wet for!” added the Korda TV production manager.
Gary’s other ton-up freshwater species are: piraiba catfish 196 lb; arapaima 330 lb; goonch catfish 105 lb; mekong catfish 170 lb; chao praya catfish 110 lb; wels catfish 180 lb; alligator gar 180lb-plus.
CAUGHT A BIG FISH OR GOT SOME NEWS? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine.
SUBSCRIBE NOW IN THE MAGAZINE JANUARY SALE!
Here’s a new year resolution that makes sense, and is easy to stick to. Subscribe NOW to one of the top January Sale deals online at magazinesdirect.com.
You’ll then get Angler’s Mail print magazine delivered to your door, at discounted rates from just 96p per week!