The 10 best coarse fish caught by anglers in 2017

For most of us, catching a 5lb perch, 4lb roach, 19lb barbel, 20lb bream, 40lb pike or 13lb tench is the stuff of dreams. 

But for a tiny band of anglers those dreams became a reality in 2017.  Here's our pick of the best specimen coarse fish landed over the past 12 months...

An epic 20lb 7oz bream for Gary Knowles, his first in four years fishing a North West mere. A 21lb 6oz bream for Robert Machin also came from the same area. 

An epic 20lb 7oz bream for Gary Knowles, his first in four years fishing a North West mere. A 21lb 6oz bream for Robert Machin also came from the same area. 

One of the biggest barbel of 2017 was Craig Lander's 18lb 14oz monster, from where else but the River Trent!  

One of the biggest barbel of 2017 was Craig Lander's 18lb 14oz monster, from where else but the River Trent!  

Scotland's Loch Lomond showed it still has the potential to throw up the pike of a lifetime as it did for Andrew Carson, at 40lb 5oz. 

Scotland's Loch Lomond showed it still has the potential to throw up the pike of a lifetime as it did for Andrew Carson, at 40lb 5oz. 

Two casts at a Cotswolds gravel pit produced perch of 5lb 2oz and 5lb 1oz in April for Dan Gale. Now that's what you call a brace! 

Two casts at a Cotswolds gravel pit produced perch of 5lb 2oz and 5lb 1oz in April for Dan Gale. Now that's what you call a brace! 

You're looking at 4lb 3oz of roach, just 1oz under the British record. Ken Fuller was the angler and the venue was a Norfolk lake. 

You're looking at 4lb 3oz of roach, just 1oz under the British record. Ken Fuller was the angler and the venue was a Norfolk lake. 

Check out the colours on this super 13lb 2oz tench. Rob Batters was all smiles after his capture on a Kent gravel pit.

Check out the colours on this super 13lb 2oz tench. Rob Batters was all smiles after his capture on a Kent gravel pit.

A mega chub of 8lb 2oz from the Hampshire Avon for Paul Allen, who sat and watched it take his bait.  

A mega chub of 8lb 2oz from the Hampshire Avon for Paul Allen, who sat and watched it take his bait.  

An absolutely perfect example of a roach in Matt Jackson's 3lb 5oz 8r specimen. A Southern chalk stream was the venue. 

An absolutely perfect example of a roach in Matt Jackson's 3lb 5oz 8r specimen. A Southern chalk stream was the venue. 

Eight nights on a Middlesex syndicate water gave Mark Salt an 8lb 2oz eel, by design. It fell to a bunch of lobworms. 

Eight nights on a Middlesex syndicate water gave Mark Salt an 8lb 2oz eel, by design. It fell to a bunch of lobworms. 

The River Thames record barbel went in November with this massive 19lb 1oz fish. Gary Teer had only been fishing half an hour when he had the take. 

The River Thames record barbel went in November with this massive 19lb 1oz fish. Gary Teer had only been fishing half an hour when he had the take.