The UK's most famous pike is landed at 41lb 12oz

A FIVE year campaign to catch one of the UK’s biggest known pike finally ended in success for Chris Darke when he slipped the net under a 41lb 12oz specimen.

The giant predator was taken on a free-lined, dead ide hookbait from renowned Northern pike fishing venue Wykeham Lakes near Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

Chris’ fish is reported to be the same specimen which has made the headlines several times, including back in 2014 when his fishing partner Wyndon Coole landed it for the second time at the record shaking weight of 46lb 11oz – the biggest pike ever caught in England.

It was Wyndon’s first effort however, which really inspired Chris, an engineer from Scarborough, to try and catch the huge predator.

“I've been trying to catch this fish ever since I netted it for Wyndon back in 2012 at the weight of 45lb 14oz” he said.  “I have come so close to getting it in the past few years, including once when I watched it take my hookbait and drop it before I had the chance to strike."  

"We hadn’t seen it for over 18 months before this week I started to wonder if I had missed my chance until it finally came along.”

THE BIG WYKEHAM PIKE'S TIMELINE
The fish first hit the headlines in November 2010 when schoolboy Jake Finnigan landed it at 40lb 11oz on a 7ft spinning rod...

Then in March 2011 it sent shockwaves through the predator world when Wyndon Coole put it on the bank at a much heavier 45lb 14oz... 

Shortly afterwards Terry Knight caught the fish at a reduced 43lb 13oz, famously on film. The video has now had over 2.5 million views... 

Then in 2012 Andy O' Connor raised the bar to 46lb with the fish, before Wyndon Coole caught it for his second time, at its biggest ever weight of 46lb 11oz. This was just 2oz under the British record...

Fast forward to January 2016 and the fish hit the bank again at 46lb 8oz to Darren Clark, quashing rumours it was dead. Now the famous pike has made its latest appearance, evidence it's still going strong after seven years of capture at weights over 40lb.