DEAN CRUTCHLEY’S first visit of the season to his local river produced this surprise 7 lb 2 oz giant.
Ide are often mistaken for chub, or big roach, and Dean was surprised to discover what took his bait on River Dearne in South Yorkshire.
Construction worker Dean, from Rotherham, said: “No other fish were caught this evening session but I was more than happy.
“I changed swim after a few hours and found a deep spot under overhanging trees.
“The rig with meat and a Bait-Tech Poloni boilie was only in ten minutes when it swung round.
“I thought it was a PB chub at first as I’ve never seen or caught an ide that big but still a PB for me at 7 lb 2 oz,” added Dean.
How River Dearne giant ranks
Dean’s 7 lb 2 oz River Dearne ide is one of the biggest ever reported in the UK.
Two years ago Nottinghamshire’s River Trent threw up a 7 lb 6 oz ide. It was the last thing Ian Green was expecting during a night fishing trip.
Ide are the natural version of the ornamental golden orfe and that same species has an official British record of 8 lb 5 oz… shared by two catches.
The first of those two giant golden versions was caught from Lymm Vale in Cheshire by Michael Wilkinson in 2000.
The 8 lb 5 oz weight stood unchallenged until a fish of the same weight was caught in 2018 from Surrey’s Newdigate Farms by Lawrence King.
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