Angling records in the United Kingdom

This is an impartial (not implicitly biased to a single governing body, the BRFC) and comprehensive record list of 308 British record freshwater fish, past and present, involving 60 different species/sub-species of fish caught using the traditional angling method of rod and line. Records to include the angler, species, weight, date, venue, also referenced with a recognizable publication. The list is intended to include all categories of fish caught by anglers, that enter freshwater including (coarse and game fish) and some migratory sea fish. The time since last record fish was caught is 136 days.

On 9th November 2023, the British Record (Rod Caught) Fish Committee (BRFC) agreed that it would reinstate the record listing for Wels catfish, with claims open to fish over 130lb.

Ambiguous record claims (no venue given /not accepted / expunged)
There have been many ambiguous record claims over the years. Here are a few of those that never made the record list:
 * 21 lb 2oz Barbel caught by Chris Mack on the Wensum 2008. No independent witnesses to the weigh in.
 * 5 oz 8 dr Bleak caught by David Selley on the River Lark 2017. Rejected as a hybrid by BRFC.
 * 38 lb Ferox Brown Trout caught by old Willie Maule. Evidence destroyed by fire.
 * 8 lb Burbot largest ever recorded in England, caught from the river Trent around 1700–1800. No date/also method of capture unknown.
 * 83lb 4oz Mirror Carp "Big Plated" caught from Wingham syndicate carp lake in Kent, November 2017. No record claimed - angler wanted no publicity.
 * 10 lb 8oz Chub caught from the River Annan in 1955 by Dr. J. A. Cameron. Not authenticated with photo or body scales for examination.
 * 5lb 2oz Crucian caught by Mick Phillips at an undisclosed club lake in Hampshire, August 2021. Assume no DNA presented.
 * 1lb 6oz Dace caught from a Nene tributary Feb 2016. Angler's name unknown and no record claimed.
 * 13 lb 1oz Eel caught by Dave saunders at Idenwood Fishery, East Sussex in 2010. No independent witnesses.
 * 9lb Golden Orfe (estimated) caught by Bob Roberts at Anglers Paradise, Devon in Feb 2009. Not weighed.Golden orfe video
 * 5 lb Grayling caught by Dave Williams from the River Severn near Newtown, Wales, in 2010. Captor ate the evidence with chips + No independent witnesses.
 * 6oz Gudgeon caught by Ashley Bennett from the River Wandle in 2016. Not weighed.
 * 1lb 3oz 4dr Lamprey (river) caught by S.Clews from River Severn in May 1924. No confirmation this fish was caught by rod and line method.
 * 6 lb 4oz Perch caught by angler known as "Bill" from River Thames in March 2014. Assumed reason is lack of  independent witnesses.
 * 70lb Pike (Largest ever) found dead at River Endrick/Loch Lomond in 1934 Not caught by rod and line.
 * 5 lb 2oz Rudd caught by Adrian Cannon from a Fenland Drain 2012. No independent witnesses.
 * 69lb 12oz Salmon caught by William Home, 8th Earl of Home from the River Tweed in 1730.

Video footage of chub and carp records

 * Dean Fletcher's 68lb 1oz British record carp''' "The Parrot" about to be weighed, January 2016 courtesy of twitter.
 * Neill Stephen's 9lb 5oz British record-equaling chub of 2012 at the weigh in, courtesy of YouTube.
 * Oz Holness's 67lb 8oz British record carp "Two Tone" being weighed in, 2008 courtesy of YouTube.

Non-indigenous (invasive) alien species
These fish are classed as a significant risk to our native species and if caught must be removed immediately to protect the wider environment and should be reported to the Environment Agency (EA). Anyone found introducing non indigenous (invasive) species to any external body of UK water will be breaching the Import of Live Fish (England and Wales) Act 1980 and will be prosecuted. The fish in question include: Black bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus melas), Doctor fish (Garra rufa), Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii), Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), Topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva), Sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus), Walleye (Sander vitreus).


 * Note that this does not apply to non-indigenous fish which are included on the main record list which are Carp, Crucian carp, Goldfish, Grass Carp, Ide, Orfe, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Wels Catfish, and Zander, which are now considered to be naturalized.