A 15-year-old lure angler has caught one of the biggest perch in history, scaling 5lb 15oz.
The fish is just 4oz off the current 6lb 3oz British record and fell to the rod of Ethan McMordie at CMCS Holme Grange – a two-acre gravel irrigation reservoir in Berkshire.
Ethan, who works at the fishery, was using lures on a session with his friend, and 20 minutes into the session,switched from jigs to a small trout spinner.
“I was retrieving it steadily and, as it neared the bank, I saw a huge perch charge towards it,” Ethan told us.
“The fish then slowed down, looked at the spinner for a few seconds, before nailing it, right at my feet! It then took a bit of line before wallowing on the surface, at which point I told my friend to net it. It was his first time lure fishing!”
Ethan called his dad – an experienced angler himself – and told him that he had a 5lb perch in the net.
“He didn’t believe me at first, but when he arrived with the fishery boss to weigh the fish, they were blown away,” Ethan added.
“We know there are fish over 4lb in the lake, but nothing of this size. It was spawned out too, so it’s an exciting to think what it could weigh later in the season.”
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