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Predator angler Lloyd Watson scores with his first-ever run at the iconic Chew Valley Lake, obliterating his personal best and setting a new British best into the bargain
CAPPING off an exceptional season, even by Chew Valley’s high standards, Manchester angler Lloyd Watson this week made history by landing a 47lb 5oz pike that looks certain to break the existing record.
“I’m not sure it’s sunk in yet. It’s just crazy, absolutely surreal. I feel like I’m going to wake up in a minute!” the lifelong angler told us, direct from the famous Somerset venue.
While he has targeted pike for 30 years, it was Lloyd’s first-ever trip to Chew, but he’d done his homework on recent captures before choosing a swim on the Woodford Lodge bank. From there he bait-boated out a smelt deadbait on a running leger rig.
“It was right on bite o’clock, around half-seven,” he said.
“I’d just sent a bait out, but I wasn’t happy with it somehow, so I decided to do it again, putting it out with some chopped herring.”
Ten minutes later he had a run and hooked a fish that initially felt modest. And with his travelling companion Nick Skirrow also into a pike, Lloyd had to grab the net himself.
“At first it felt like a small pike that was weeded up,” Lloyd told Angling Times. “It was only when it got close in that it suddenly woke up and started taking line – and I started to think ‘hang on a minute!’
“When I got it into the net, we couldn’t believe the size. It was absolutely ridiculous! This is the best day of my life!”
The giant pike not only dwarfed his past PB of 24lb, but swung three sets of scales well over 47lb. With two readings of 47lb 5oz and another of dead on 48lb, the fish looks certain to be accepted by the British Record Fish Committee.
Quickly drawing a crowd, it was extensively photographed and filmed as Lloyd carefully released it. He spoke with maximum respect for his fellow anglers who shared the moment with him, especially Ben Humber and John Deprieelle, who helped him to weigh and photograph the fish.
Also offering congratulations was big-pike angler Carl Garratt, himself the cap
