FishRook
- By Harriet Robinson
- BBC News, West of England
Image source, Lloyd Watson
Lloyd Watson said his catch was “the Theatre of Dreams for pike fishing”, adding: “It’s just a smile factory”
It is believed a long-standing British fishing record has been broken after an angler caught a 47lb 5oz (21.4kg) pike.
Lloyd Watson, from Manchester, landed the catch on his first trip to Chew Valley Lake in North Somerset.
Once ratified, it is set to beat the current pike record of 46lb 13oz (21.2kg), set in 1992 by Roy Lewis at Llandegfedd reservoir in Monmouthshire.
Mr Watson said he was in “total disbelief”, adding: “It’s pike fishing mecca.”
“It has made so many dreams come true for lifelong pike anglers,” he added.
The pike was weighed and photographed with the help of fellow anglers.
In echoes of Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer’s Gone Fishing, Mr Watson carefully released the fish back into the water.
“I still can’t get over what’s actually happened. I’ve got people from…
