Amazing doubles lead way
TWO magnificent double hauls have come to the fore as the running water season draws to a close.
Haul No.1 fell to Andy Cheetham, of Manchester, who bagged the greatest-ever perch double when using a bait of feeder-fished lobworms at an undisclosed Midlands river.
The stripeys weighed in at 5lb 11oz and 5lb 2oz, with the larger one being the fourth biggest taken on rod and line in the UK.
Haul No.2 represented a huge coup for Sussex angler Adam Reed.
Working a sink and draw smelt, Adam landed two river pike over 30lb – the greatest pike haul of all time coming five casts apart.
Fishing on Hampshire’s River Test, he first netted a 31lb 6oz esox before weighing in with an even bigger fish, tipping the scales at 32lb 7oz. ¬ÊENGLAND’S record pike has been banked again, this time at a weight of 41lb 4oz.
Paul Bramley lured the resident of Wykeham Lakes, North Yorks, on a legered herring injected with lamprey oil. The fish obliterates his previous best of 27lb 12oz but is down on top weight.
At its heaviest, the predator scaled 46lb 11oz.
FORMER record carp Clarissa takes pride of place on the new three-rod coarse licence marking the centenary of the birth of Dick Walker.
Walker, who pioneered specimen fishing, caught Clarissa at 43lb in 1952.
It was moved from its home at Redmire to London Zoo and became a star attraction.
The record was beaten in 1980 by Chris Yates.