Giant catfish... on the fly!

Catfish weighing 59lb 2oz has been caught by design on the fly from Todber Manor’s Paddock Lake – potentially the biggest-ever of its kind to be caught in the UK on this tactic.

The cat was landed by fly fishing addict Stuart Watson, who had exclusively booked on to the
two-acre water in Dorset with good friend Danny Parkins, the aim being to tempt one of the whiskered predators on the fly.

The experienced duo have long been fly fishing for predatory species, and Stuart has already notched up pike over 30lb and carp over 25lb on the tactic. 

The 37-year-old Pike Fly Fishing Association member said: “Danny and I set a goal at the start of the year to catch a catfish on the fly, and we achieved it on what turned out to be one of those magical days on the bank.

“With very little previous information on fly patterns to go at, we tied our own. These are based on the main senses of the catfish – touch and vibration. To do this we added ‘wriggle tails’ and tied the body of the fly to incorporate a rattle.

“We knew areas on the lake where the locals had told us catfish liked to hole up, one being in a trough behind an island. We had some interest in the morning but missed a few takes. You have to get the hook right in the corner of that massive mouth.

“The bites are so strange, not like from pike or perch that hit the fly hard. The catfish take is very slow and deliberate before it turns and takes the fly back to its lair.

“When you hook into one all hell breaks loose. This one put up an epic battle on the 10 weight fly rod I was testing. I must have played it for 20 minutes, sometimes having to drop to my hands and knees to keep it out of the undercut bank. 

“We eventually managed to bundle its head into the 42ins net we had borrowed, before falling back and hugging each other, knowing we’d done something special.”

Stuart’s successful set-up consisted of a 50lb fluorocarbon leader, 28g Barrio predator line and a AHREX 6/0 stinger hook. He used a Deercreek 10 weight predator rod and reel to stand up to the power of the large fish.

“I urge people to get out and give fly fishing a go. You can catch some great coarse fish doing it”, Stuart said.

Todber Manor was quick to congratulate Stuart on his achievement: “We were interested to see how they got on and were excited to hear ther results they had,” said a spokesman. “

We’ve had catfish caught on the fly here in the past but none as big as this. We have no problem with people coming and chancing their arm at catching one on this method, provided they use sensibly heavy tackle, as was done on this occasion.”

The fish wasn’t a one-off, either, with Stuart banking a further catfish of 25lb later in the same session.