He was on the bank with his friend Iain Scott and had already landed a pike of 22lb 8oz that day – a fish that alone would make the season of many a river piker. That one was caught from a spot just 6m from the bank where a bit of slack water had been created by the swollen river following a recent flood and, after recasting to the same area with the successful float-legered sardine deadbait, it wasn’t long before his float slid away again.

Immediately lifting into the run, he began battle with a fish that held deep and felt heavy as it made a series of short and powerful runs. When the beast eventually beginning to tire, the pair saw the head of a huge pike rise from the depths, and not long later, an enormous fish – even larger than their first – lay in the net. With the top lobe of its tail missing, the two anglers immediately recognised it as the club’s record caught back in December 2023 at a weight of 28lb 8oz.

But since then, the fish has put on a few pounds, as when weighed, the two anglers looked in disbelief as their scales settled on a figure of 32lb exactly. The specimen was then weighed on a second set of scales and has now been verified as an official new record for the club. After releasing the fish, Chris and Iain were soaked through by driving rain, so they headed home to toast a true river monster.

Well done Chris!