Angler lands legendary Carp 'The Parrot' after years of trying

TALL tales are as much a part of an angler's bait box as hooks and line.

So when Brian Humphries tells people he caught one of the largest fish in the UK, he can probably expect a questioning glance when he raises his hands to illustrate.

Luckily for him he has photographic proof.

The 48-year-old angler, 48, of Nettledon Road, Cheltenham, reeled in a 59lb 14oz English Carp at a secret lake in Berkshire on August 12.

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And he said he was in a state of disbelief when he realised he had the fish, known across the UK as The Parrot, on his line, having been hunting him for four years.

And he even managed to catch the monster again just three weeks later, on Monday.

He said: "In angling fraternities, The Parrot is recognised as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, English Carp in the UK. This fish was born and bred in the UK.

"I have been trying to catch this particular fish for about four years, so it is very ironic that, after I caught it three weeks ago, I then caught it again on Monday night.

"The first time I caught it, I felt overwhelmed. It's like getting a gold medal for an angler who has fished all his life."

Brian's trip to the lake in Berkshire at the start of August was his first in more than eight months after he dedicated his time to setting up his new business, Elite Towbars and Windscreens.

The first time he caught the whopper, the angler, who started fishing at the age of eight, was so excited that he jumped in the lake to make sure it didn't get away.

He said: "I lost him in December last year so when I knew it was the Parrot, I jumped in the lake and I managed to get him into the net.

"It is such a well-known fish that people all across the country want to catch it. I had been trying to catch the fish for four years and then to catch it twice in three weeks – it's like what they say about waiting for a bus and then two come along at once. It was just disbelief."

It took three people to weigh the carp before returning it to the water.