When most anglers catch their first pike, it’s generally a small ‘jack’, but when Dave Owen landed his first esox, it took the form of this 30lb 7oz beast!

He was fishing Trawsfynydd Lake – a large water in Snowdonia, North Wales – that’s known to hold  large predators.

“I was legering sardines on what had been a slow day – I’d been fishing for eight hours without a bite!” he said.

“With the light starting to fade I was getting ready to pack up when I suddenly had a take on a bait presented at range.

“I hit into the fish and could feel pretty much a dead weight, with it only giving occasional headshakes. The fight was over quickly considering how far out I was fishing, but at 30lb 7oz, and my first-ever pike, I didn’t mind!”