One of the biggest grass carp ever landed in the UK has been caught from a Hampshire stillwater, spinning the scales to a colossal 56lb 2oz.
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Alan Cooper, who owns Little Moulsham Lake in Yateley, where the huge fish was taken, caught the impressive specimen on a classic hair rig with a Scopex Spice boilie from Perfection Ground Baits.
"This is the largest grass carp caught from the lake since the previous record of 53lb 12oz, caught four years ago," he told us.
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Incredibly, however, Alan believes this is only the third biggest of the species residing in the 9.5-acre water.
"There are a couple even bigger than this one, so the lake record might not last for long," he said.
There are believed to be at least five fish over 50lb present in the syndicate lake, with the biggest being a different fish known as 'The Record' last caught at 53lb 12oz.
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Over the years Alan has always caught fish just below the lake record. So to finally eclipse it was very special.
"Back in 1991 when the record was 15lb 1oz, I had a fish of 14lb 8oz," Alan said.
"In 1997 the record had reached 29lb 12oz and I managed a 29lb 1oz fish.
"Now to finally have got one bigger than the last record after being close a couple of times is fantastic."
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