News & Sport for Harwich & Manningtree, Leisure and local info From Harwich & Manningtree Standard

Monster catch!

From the archive, first published Wednesday 12th Sep 2007.

A BILLERICAY plumber may have just caught the biggest freshwater fish landed in the UK this year.

Dan Roberts, 26, hooked the Wells catfish at Crowsheath Farm Lake near Downham.

He then spent nearly three quarters of an hour trying to land the 82lb monster of the watery deep.

He said: "I was only using 15lb line and once it struck the rod the catfish peeled 150 metres of line off the reel before it could be stopped.

"Luckily, a local resident, Eddie, was passing by to help net the beast, confirm the weight, (independently) and take the pictures."

Dan (pictured) used a fist size piece of luncheon meat and he admitted he has very big hands.

Ian Toombs at the Angling Times confirmed the fish could be largest caught in the UK in 2007.

He said: "People often don't register catches of this size or the manangement of lakes can be wary of publicity.

"However, this could still be largest fish caught this year."

When not working in Billericay Dan lives on the farm and the fish is back in the lake... waiting for the next angler.