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Child lands monster Thames perch on first fishing trip

by Freddie Sandford |

Updated on28th November 2025 at 9.30am

For many budding anglers, small perch provide first contact with the world of fishing. That was the case too for young Lucas Lynch… but rather than land a tiddler weighing just a few ounces, he banked this 5lb 2oz giant!

The seven-year-old was fishing with his dad, Danny, and a few of his friends on the River Thames when he hooked the impressive fish on a lure. It was Lucas’ first-ever time fishing, and Danny had left him to his own devices after showing him a few basics.

“I’d taught him how to cast, and although he couldn’t do it overhead, he soon got the hang of side casting, so I rigged a 7cm shad on his rod and left him to it,” he told us.

HEAD TO ONE OF THESE VENUES IF YOU ENJOY CATCHING PERCH ON LURES.

“There were six of us on the bank, including my brother and a few mates. We’d been fishing for an hour with no joy when I turned to see Lucas reeling something in. He’d fallen silent for the first time that day, and with his rod bent right over, I was sure he was snagged on something. But then, the tip jagged, and I knew he had a fish on.”

Lucas then reeled the fish in all by himself, and did so expertly, steadily bringing the specimen to the surface.

“We saw a flash of red and I knew then that he’d hooked a big perch, but the size of the fish left me and my mates in complete awe,” Danny added.

“I don’t think Lucas fully understands the significance of the fish that he landed, but I reckon he knows he achieved something special, as he witnessed our collective shock at his fish. We’d all blanked!

“It smashes my 3lb PB and I’m so proud of him. Quite how he’ll beat that, I don’t know, but I’m going to buy him a rod of his own now. Next time, I think we might go pike fishing!”

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