Ing with the big catfish, which he said weighs 150 pounds on the nose. (courtesy of Chigboro Fisheries)
New Record Wels in the UK
Source: Chigboro Fisheries
Eight-foot monster released to be caught again.
In late September, an enormous 8-foot, 150-pound catfish—believed to be the largest ever caught in the UK—made waves in the angling world and captured headlines.
The remarkable catch was made by Shaun Ing at Maywater Lake, part of the incredible Chigboro Fisheries complex near Maldon in Essex, UK. After an intense 90-minute battle, Ing described the experience to the BBC as “absolute madness.”
Chigboro Fisheries shared news of the catch on Facebook on January 6, stating: “Back in late September, something extraordinary happened for Shaun and [his wife] Chloe at the complex! A 150lb catfish over 8 feet long. 1 hour 30 plus of hard work and skill in handling big fish.
The British Record Fish Committee lists the current record at 143 pounds, achieved at Maywater Lake last May. Ing’s record-breaking claim is still under review.
Using a small yellow hook bait and a 15-pound-test line, the 34-year-old angler hooked the massive fish. “It was taking line like crazy,” Ing told the BBC. “I used to own a German shepherd, and this felt like walking 12 of them at once.”
According to Angling Times, Shaun and Chloe, who both work at Chigboro Fisheries, have been involved in relocating catfish from Maywater Lake to another lake on the property.
“We’d already caught a 143-pound catfish from Maywater, but we knew there was an even bigger one in there,” Shaun said. “That one was just over 6 feet long, but this one was a true giant, over 8 feet.”
Hauling the fish to shore required two slings, and the team used a Halloween prop—a human body bag—to weigh it. After deducting the weight of the bag and slings, the final tally confirmed the fish weighed an impressive 150 pounds. The catfish was then released into its new home in the lake.
Now, Shaun and Chloe are awaiting confirmation from the British Record Fish Committee to see if their catch officially claims the UK record.
The current record holder, Darren Reitz, landed a 143-pound catfish nicknamed “Scar” from the same lake last April.
