We see more weird and wonderful catches than ever these days, so to celebrate them a ‘Shock Catch of the Year’ category was created for 2023. The first winner is young Luke Gilman, for a colossal 67lb 3oz River Trent catfish.
Catching a fish of that size is rare enough, but the fact that he landed it using a 2lb test curve rod and 16lb line makes the feat even more impressive.
Catfish have long been rumoured to inhabit Britain’s rivers, with tales of hooking them generally ending in disaster. But Luke was one of the few anglers to land one, after the beast picked up his roach deadbait while he was fishing for zander.
Initially, Luke reckoned he’d hooked a snag, and tried to pull free by holding the line tight and banging the rod, but it wouldn’t budge. Suddenly, the ‘snag’ started to move slowly, taking a lot of line.
The battle lasted for 40 minutes, with the fish going up and down the flow, before Luke finally landed his first-ever catfish from the river.
In reaction to winning, the teenager said: “Wow! Thank you to everyone that voted for me. I never thought I’d catch a catfish from the Trent, and hooking it on my Cadence barbel rod was one of those chance occurrences. The fight was incredible, and it’s a fish I’ll remember forever.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED - ARTHUR BARCLAY
The angling world went into meltdown when 13-year-old Arthur Barclay reported a 4lb 8oz roach in September.
Debate raged for days over whether the fish was a true roach or a roach/rudd hybrid. This is normally determined by a scale count along the lateral line, and while we’re still waiting for an official verdict (based on this photograph), the specimen was undoubtedly one of the most shocking catches of 2023.
Luke Gilman - 67lb 3oz catfish
50% of you voted
When 15-year-old Luke Gilman headed to the River Trent the last thing he expected to land was a colossal 67lb 3oz catfish! He was targeting zander when the moggie picked up his roach deadbait, giving him a 40-minute battle on a 2lb test curve rod and 16lb line.
Arthur Barclay – 4lb 8oz roach
17.8% of you voted
Young Arthur Barclay sent the angling world into meltdown when he reported a 4lb 8oz roach. Debate raged for weeks about the fish’s true identity, and we’re still waiting to hear an official verdict. The 13-year-old had it on a piece of bread, off the top, whilst carp fishing.
Mia Rose Gaynor – 16lb 5oz barbel
14.2% of you voted
A carp fishing trip to a Lychgate Fishery threw up a huge surprise for eight-year-old Mia Rose Gaynor, who landed this 16lb 5oz barbel. It was caught on sweetcorn and is the biggest of only three barbel in the lake.
Graham Child – 4lb 7oz crucian
10.7% of you voted
A crucian carp that rocked the British Record was landed a few months ago by Leeds angler Graham Child, who had it on a pop-up intended for carp. The specimen weighed 4lb 7oz – just 5oz off the current record, and was caught from Weston Park Fishery, Shropshire.
Giuseppe Acampora – 23lb 8oz canal carp
3.5% of you voted
Giuseppe Acampora showed the capabilities of light tackle when he caught this 23lb 8oz carp from a frozen Trent and Mersey canal on a single pinkie, presented on a 20 hook and 0.09mm bottom! He won he match outright, with second place weighing in 4 drams.
Hassan Khan – 101lb catfish
3.5% of you voted
Carper Hassan Khan is no stranger to landing big fish, but a gigantic catfish that muscled in on a session at Furnace Lakes Fishery blew him away. It weighed 101lb, which shattered his previous PB, and gave a battle that went on for over an hour.
Mark Fox – 34lb common carp
1% of you voted
Essex angler Mark Fox got more than he bargained for during a crucian fishing trip to a Surrey club water, when he landed this 34lb common as well as a 25lb mirror. He was fishing a Method feeder and wafter hookbait, and tamed them on a dainty 0.75test curve rod.
Cameron Binnie – shad
1% of you voted
Whilst trotting maggots on Scotland’s River Forth, Cameron Binnie landed one of the rarest fish in British waters – a shad. The 15-year-old and his dad, Craig, were stunned by the fish, which they believed to be an allis shad rather than the slightly more common twaite shad.
This page is a free example of the amazing content Angling Times Members get every single week. Becoming an Angling Times Member gives you access to award-winning magazine content, member rewards, our back issue archives, bonus content and more! Join our fishing community and find out more today!