In just a month, Darren Leeman – known as ‘Spud’ to his mates – landed a sensational fish of 6lb 1oz, backed-up by three other ‘fives’ weighing 5lb 14oz, 5lb 6oz and 5lb 4oz.
His three largest perch were caught from Midlands gravel pits – only his ‘smallest’ five-pounder came from Grafham Water, which has long dominated the specimen perch landscape.
All Darren’s fish fell to lure tactics – a style of fishing he enjoys more than any other.
“I’d told a couple of close mates that I was after a 5lb perch on a lure, but I was told my chances of doing that were like finding a red squirrel in the Midlands, which was quite accurate!” he joked.
Heading to a large gravel pit not far from his home, Darren endured a quiet day but, as the light faded, connected with a fish he knew right away was special.
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“I was fishing an area that has decent winter form, and when this perch surfaced, I felt sick!” he told us.
“It weighed 5lb 14oz, and after a few quick pics I recast to the same area and had another bite. When this fish neared the net, I realised it was bigger than the first, and I felt sick yet again!”
That specimen weighed 6lb 1oz – just ounces off the Neill Stephen’s current 6lb 3oz British Record.
Keen to keep the momentum going, Darren next headed to Grafham Water for a four-day trip where, in tough conditions, he landed his second five-pounder of the season, this time weighing 5lb 4oz.
“The following week, after the success on Grafham, I hit another gravel pit, which I knew had good form at this time of year,” he revealed.
“I cast lures all day without so much as a touch, but just before dusk I landed yet another five-pounder, this time weighing 5lb 6oz and measuring 53cm."
“That gave me a six-pounder and three ‘fives’ in a month! Safe to say, it was a ‘pipe and slipper’ moment for me.”
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