Big eels have had a bit of a resurgence in recent years, and whether this is due to more big eels being present or because more anglers are now targeting them is unknown, but the revival is great to see. One man who recently battled with a big snake was Chris Cartwright while fishing at a Gloucestershire pit.
The 39-year-old was left utterly shocked when the huge eel took a liking to the wafter he was using to target carp in the venue. Although it wasn't the species he intended to catch, he was overjoyed to see it in his net, describing the fish as the 'biggest he had ever seen in 20 years of angling'.
"I was fishing a Gloucestershire pit that has a good stock of carp. I wasn't actually aware there were any eels present in the lake, certainly not of that size," Chris told us.
"I was using my trusted solid bag tactics, which I usually have great success with, and this trip was no different, only the species wasn't the intended one."
"An hour after casting the PVA bag in, I had a one-toner. With the fish taking line, I just assumed it was a carp," he added.
"When I picked up the rod, I was met with solid resistance and could feel thumping on the rod tip as the fish was shaking its head."
"It gave a really good account of itself, managing to find a couple of weed beds before I finally managed to get it to the surface."
"I couldn't believe the size of it; I was in utter shock. While I wasn't fishing for it, it was a very welcome capture and one I'll never forget," he said.
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