Essex man lands 65kg catfish

The main thrill of fishing has got to be reeling in the catch.

People like to take part in the pastime because it gives them the opportunity to get their own food straight from the lake.

However, one man from Essex received more than he bargained for after he felt the line tighten.

This is because James Jones had just caught a catfish that weighed a massive 65 kg, which made it Britain's biggest ever freshwater fish.

It took Mr Jones two hours – and the help of two friends – to drag the fish out of the water.

Amazingly, the cold blooded creature weighed nearly the same as the man, who said that he is usually somewhat of an unlucky angler.

"I could not believe if when I felt the tug on the rod – I knew it was something big. It took me about an hour before I even saw it," he added.

Posted by Mark Wilkins