FIVE record-breaking fish were accepted at record judges' final meeting of 2019.
Getting the highest profile in the batch of records approved by the British Record Fish Commitee was the 21 lb 2 oz barbel.
Colin Smithson’s name entered the BRFC’s lists for that huge barbel caught from a river in Sussex. Read the full story here.
It had slipped under the big fish radar. But it was not the only record accepted.
Colin Smithson’s 21 lb 2 oz British record barbel was accepted by the British Record Fish Committee at their final meeting of 2019.
Other anglers ended 2019 with their name in print and on the online coarse fish list and sea fish list.
Mat Faulkner’s three-spined stickleback was ratified as a record with a weight of 8 grams.
Angler’s Mail exclusively reported the mini marvel in July, and pictured it on the front cover.
Mathew Faulkner with the stickleback that was accepted by the British Record Fish Committee.
Ilkeston, Derbyshire-based Mat, 41, nabbed the ‘back’ from Lower Beauvale Ponds, near Nottingham.
Mat’s fish just pips Dennis Flack’s 1998 record of 4 dr (7 g).
It was weighed at 9 g on kitchen scales, but was adjusted to 8 g after the scales were tested. Read the full story on the catch here.
Sea fish ratified by British Record Fish Committee
Three sea fish were also accepted as records by the British Record Fish Committee at their final meeting of 2019.
The history-makers include Ben Wallis’s rare streaked gurnard, caught in August from Cornwall’s Helford River.
The British Record Fish Committee accepted this streaked gurnard.
It is a new boat-caught record of 1 lb 7 oz 15 dr, beating the previous record of 1 lb 2 oz.
The shore-caught thin-lipped grey mullet record was beaten by Gary Marquis with a giant of 8 lb 8 oz 13 dr.
It was caught in August from the east coast of Guernsey.
Gary Marquis is listed in record books after this giant mullet met the approval of the The British Record Fish Committee.
His catch topples Geoff Le Page’s 2017 record of 8 lb 3 oz 8 dr.
To verify the species, Gary’s fish was examined at the Natural History Museum.
British Record Fish Committee marine scientific advisor Oliver Crimmen has identified a previously unrecorded characteristic feature of thin-lipped mullet. This, when thoroughly checked, may help to identify the species from good photographic evidence in the future.
Ryan Wingfield has broken his own shore-caught tope record of 75 lb with a 77 lb 3 oz beast.
Ryan’s new record was caught in June from a Pembrokeshire mark.
Ryan Wingfield displays his latest record-breaking tope.
A British Record Fish Committee spokesperson said: “The Committee would like to remind anglers that in the event of the capture of a potential record fish, the captor should first contact the BRFC without delay.
“Captors of potential record fish should contact secretary Nick Simmonds at the Angling Trust, on 01568 620447 or by email at brfc@anglingtrust.net and he will advise the claimant on progressing the claim.”
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