For most anglers, fishing is all about enjoyment—whether we catch or not, simply spending time by the water is enough. However, sometimes our hard work and perseverance is rewarded, and the fish we’ve always dreamed of catching finally graces our net and the real beauty of angling is, that you never know when that moment will come.
Specimen and predator ace Ben Humber experienced such a moment alongside Lloyd Watson 12 months ago when Lloyd landed the record pike from Chew Valley. Fishing beside him, Ben was there to help weigh and care for the fish, sharing in his incredible achievement.
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Whether karma is real or not, nearly a year to the day later, the Fox-backed angler found himself in a similar moment of glory. While fishing with his dad, Chris Miles, Ben landed his own fish of a lifetime—a magnificent 39lb 3oz pike, the largest lure-caught pike ever landed from Chew Valley Lakes.
"Chew is my local fishery. Having grown up in the area, I have been fishing there for over 20 years and have seen it make so many anglers' dreams a reality. It is a special place to fish," Ben told us.
"I try to get back there for socials and to reminisce about all the memories the place has given me. Plus, every single bite you get could be an absolute monster—it doesn't get any more exciting," he added.
Due to high demand, Chew operates a ticket allocation system where anglers can apply for tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. Ben normally tries to secure bank days in February, as boat days are often canceled due to the weather. However, due to a glitch, his bank tickets were lost when he went to pay for them, leaving him with only two boat days. While it wasn't his preferred option, he decided to take his dad afloat anyway in the hope of catching a pike or two.
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"We started the day chasing around the cormorants on the lake. They know where the baitfish are, and where they are, the pike are too," he explained.
"It soon became apparent that the middle of the lake was pretty lifeless, which was no real surprise, as the fishing has been tough for most anglers lately."
"With nothing to be found in the deeper water, we headed toward the shallower areas around the shoreline of the lake."
Ben explained that many anglers who fish with deadbaits from the shore target the drop-off, where the water is around 10–12 feet deep, as this tends to be the most effective area for pike at this time of year. Since he was lure fishing, he decided to head into a really shallow bay and work his lure along the reed lines to see if the pike were holding up there.
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"The bay always looks promising with its reed-lined edge and weed beds, but since it’s only around 4 feet deep, it's hit or miss whether the pike are residing there or not," he said.
"I rigged up a favourite 12cm Salmo Slider lure in a perch pattern, and since my dad hadn't seen one before, I thought I’d show him how to get the best from it."
"The lure hit the water, and I said, 'This is how you work it—twitch, twitch, pause.' On the pause, I got hit. I remember us laughing about it, joking it was obviously the right way," he recalled.
"The pike didn’t do much on the way to the boat, and I was convinced it was a small jack—that was until it swam underneath the boat in the crystal-clear water."
"I said to my dad, 'This is the biggest pike I've ever hooked—it's absolutely massive!' I could see my lure had hooked it perfectly in the scissors."
"I use strong tackle for pike, and in this case, I wanted the fish in the net as quickly as possible to reduce stress and the chance of it coming off. Thankfully, my dad—despite being in his mid-70s—did an expert job of netting it."
As the pair peered into the net, they shared a moment of elation that few things outside of angling can bring. The fish was clearly massive, so they let it rest while they got everything sorted on the boat to ensure the process was as swift and efficient as possible.
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"We hoisted her up on the scales, and my dad muttered the words, '39lb 3oz.' I couldn’t believe it—what a mega fish and what a moment to share with my dad. Another amazing Chew memory—moments like this are why we do it!"
"We had another six pike between us, with Dad landing a nice double, but we just talked about the big girl all day—a fish of a lifetime for me."
This fish is actually Ben’s tenth 30-pounder, having now managed to land one on a deadbait, a fly, and a lure—completing the grand slam. It’s not the first time his dad has been there to witness a 30-pound fish with Ben either, making it a full-circle moment.
"Having spoken to Luke Cox, the fishery manager, he confirmed that the fish is almost certainly the lure-caught record (not fly caught)—just adding that extra bit of significance to a capture I will never forget. What a fish!"
