When we think of British Record fish we always seem to think of the bigger species like barbel and carp, but how many times have anglers unknowingly caught fish at the smaller end of the spectrum that would have actually been record breakers. Some of these records have stood for decades — with the minnow record dating back to 1998 and the ruffe as far back as 1980, making them some of the longest standing in the UK!
Angler Neale Woodward is no stranger to landing specimen fish, having landed some superb specimens this season in the shape of a 3lb 10oz roach, a 3lb 1oz grayling and a 7lb chub, to name but a few. However on a recent session on the River Lea, he may have landed 'the biggest fish' he has ever caught in the shape of this giant bullhead. When you consider the record for the bullhead was set in 1983 at a mere 1oz, it is highly likely this fish that graced the bank was far and above that weight, but what do you think?
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"I was chub fishing with six small pieces of lobworm on the River Lea, at the famous big fish stretch at Kings Weir," Neale told us.
"I was getting a few unusual indications on whole lobworms but no proper runs, so I decided to switch to pieces of lobworm instead, hoping to catch whatever was causing the bites," he added.
"I didn’t actually get a bite as such—I just reeled in, and the fish was on the end. So, the change in hookbait worked, but it certainly wasn’t the species I expected!"
"I knew it was big, unfortunately I returned the fish back to the river before checking what the record was," he said.
"I wasn't aware the record was just one ounce until I checked online. It was really fat in the belly and definitely looked over an ounce, it was a great fish to see."
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