After arriving at a stretch of his local River Lea and finding the surface fringed with ice, you’d have forgiven Zack Collis for heading back home. However, he stuck it out and, after finding some fishable water, landed this spectacular 5lb 5oz perch, a mere ounce off the Lea record!
Unsurprisingly given the conditions, sport wasn’t hectic, and Zack spent the first three hours of the day without a touch.
“I was fishing an area where I caught a PB of 3lb 2oz late in 2025, but hadn’t seen any signs of fish,” he told us.
“With conditions still freezing, I said to my two friends that this was my last cast before I tapped out!”
Fishing a 2.75-inch stick bait – a minimalistic soft plastic lure that resembles nothing specific – Zack made his final chuck of the session.
“I twitched it twice before feeling a heavy knock and then hit into a fish that, judging by the bend in the rod, I knew was something significant,” he told us.
“We soon had it safely in the net and, after weighing it on two sets of scales, both of which indicated the same weight of 5lb 5oz, my previous PB was destroyed!
“It really is the fish of a lifetime for me and, having only recently started lure fishing for perch, it’s a specimen that’s going to take some beating!” he added.
THE BEST LURE RODS ARE PERFECT FOR WORKING A VARIETY OF FISHING LURES.
Enjoying this article?
Subscribe to Angling Times for expert fishing tips, tackle reviews, and the latest angling news delivered straight to your door. Whether you're into coarse, carp, or match fishing, we’ve got the stories, advice and inspiration to keep you hooked.