Shane Close was rewarded for getting up at 5.45am with the biggest perch of the season so far, weighing 4lb 13oz.
After failing to get a bite on his normally reliable Craw lure, he switched to a slimline 4ins-long Fish Arrow Flash J pattern, and immediately began catching a string of small perch to around half-a-pound.
However, on reaching a deeper area of the lake, his lure was soon hit hard by what Shane rightly guessed was a far better fish, due to the savage head-shakes resonating up his braided mainline.
The huge stripey stayed deep throughout the fight, and Shane played it carefully before slipping his net under the deep-bodied specimen, which sets a new UK personal best for the Wiltshire angler.
Shane spent a further 30 minutes fishing after the capture, before deciding to head home and celebrate the catch with his six-year-old son, who is also into his lure fishing.
