10lb 2oz eel from White Acres!

A record shaking eel has been caught from a popular Cornish holiday venue.

The 10lb 2oz fish – which is just 1lb short of the British best for the species – was landed by Luke Jones while targeting the catfish in Pats Pool on the White Acres complex.

The local rod had threaded five whole lobworms on to a size 4 ESP hook and cast them over a shallow silt bed close to an island in front of peg 12 on the 2-acre lake which he had baited with a handful of pellets.

“I hooked and lost a decent eel and then an hour later I had another take,” said the 23-year-old. “From the way the rod screamed off I assumed it was a catfish at first. It came in relatively easily and when it surfaced close to the net I caught sight of a huge eel head in the light of my headtorch.

“The length of it was incredible - it was longer than my weigh sling and was thicker than my arm. It still hasn’t really sunk in that I caught a fish so close to being a British record.”

The catch hasn’t come as a shock to fishery boss, Clint Elliot, who has long been aware of the fishery’s big eel potential. He said: “I think there are decent sized eels in most of the lakes on the complex. A few years ago we drained Pollawyn for some repairs and discovered an absolutely monstrous eel. It was easily as big as Luke’s but it has never been caught. The majority of anglers who come here just fish for the carp, but I think if a few had a serious go for the eels there could be some real surprises landed.

“Fish to 9lb have also been reported from the nearby Bolingey which is used in the White Acres Festival,” he added.

The current eel record is held by Steve Terry with an 11lb 2oz fish caught from Kingfisher Lake, Hampshire in 11lb 2oz.

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