Martin Portlock 33lb 12oz Pike

Returning to a venue he hadn’t fished for 15 years proved no barrier for Somerset angler Martin Portlock, as he landed a brace of 30lb pike, including this 33lb 12oz specimen!

Setting out to beat his long-standing 25lb PB, Martin and his boat partner Julian Chidgey started the day fishing in 13ft of water, where he presented a smelt deadbait. After a quiet first hour, he had a confident take that resulted in his rod hooping over, the culprit being this PB shattering 33lb 12oz fish.

Things slowed down after that, so the pair moved to a shallow weedy area. Action was immediate, with both anglers sharing a string of smaller fish before Martin connected with another huge pike of 31lb 12oz. The 34-year-old says that although he knew there was a chance of a thirty-pounder, landing two it was ‘unreal’.

Well done Martin!