Specimen hunter Ashley Burton hit the jackpot when took a trip down south to fish Orchid Lakes in Oxfordshire.

On his first ever visit to the venue, he slipped the landing net under this magnificent personal best catfish weighing a whopping 46lb 8oz.
The venue was recommended to former Midlands Specialist Angler of the Year Ashley by Coventry big fish men Merv Wilkinson and Phil Smith, and he arrived to find another Coventry angler Kenny Latchford already fishing there.
Ashley located a drop-off quite close in, where he baited up with Teme-Severn Lamprey Stick And Method Mix with dead maggots and flaked tuna. Unusually for a catfish, the specimen took in daylight and was beaten after a 15-minute battle using his 3.5lb Reflex test curve rod, 18lb Crystal Mono mainline, size 2 ESP Raptor hook and 45lb ESP Shockbraid hooklength. This fish beats the 38-year-old’s pervious best of 27lb 12oz.