It takes some anglers a lifetime to catch just one 4lb-plus perch - so you can imagine Paul Bailey's excitement when he landed his 50th specimen of this size recently.
He told Angling Times: “Way back in 1979 I caught my first 4lb perch while roach fishing on a brickworks pond. Some 45 years later I’ve just landed my 50th four-pounder."
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Paul's latest 'four' was caught from the River Wharfe and just scraped over the mark, weighing 4lb 1oz.
“A floatfished prawn proved its downfall," he said.
"This was presented a foot overdepth and held back for a few minutes before I allowed it to move downstream a yard or so, I then recast and repeated the process.
“The perch, although not particularly deep, was very long. I must say, I’m pretty chuffed with this landmark fish.”
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