A 52kg carp catch has been hailed as a new world record after Lancashire angler Ash Hegarty landed the fish during a trip to Hungary. Hegarty, from Blackburn, caught the common carp, which weighed 114lb 10oz, at Euro Aqua Lake, a venue known among anglers for producing some of the largest carp in the world.
The 32-year-old made the journey of more than 1,300 miles (2,092km) with his older brother, Nigel. The pair have fished together since childhood, when their late father introduced them to the pastime.
A catch that drew global attention
Images and video of the fish spread quickly online, and Hegarty said his phone had not stopped ringing. He reported calls from journalists in Germany and Sweden as the story travelled beyond the angling community.
Hegarty described himself as an ordinary person from Blackburn who loves fishing and said he had found himself at the centre of a story being shared around the world. He also spoke of his father, saying he wished he could pick up the phone and tell him about the catch, knowing how proud he would have been.
The fish was landed with Nigel beside him, which Hegarty said made the moment even more special. For the brothers, fishing is a way to step away from work and daily life. Hegarty said that whether they are at the water for one night or five, the time is good for mental health and for the soul.
Twenty minutes beside the water
Hegarty was resting near the lake when an alarm from one of his rods sounded. He said his legs were trembling as he realised he had hooked something enormous, and he needed about 20 minutes to bring the fish in.
He described the fight as slow and heavy. When the carp finally surfaced, other people at the lake began to gather. Hegarty likened its size in the net to that of a car tyre.
The catch has been described as a new world-record carp, though the article did not specify any official ratification process. What is clear is the scale of the fish and the reaction it has prompted, from the banks of a Hungarian lake to messages arriving from around the world.
For Hegarty, the record talk sits alongside a simpler reflection. He said he is just a lad from Blackburn who loves fishing, and that sharing the experience with his brother made it all the more meaningful.
