One of the biggest braces of zander ever recorded

LANDSCAPE Gardener Matthew Ward was left stunned when he banked one of the biggest braces of zander ever recorded in the UK.

The 35-year-old recorded specimens of 11lb 9oz and 17lb 9oz during a trip to Upton-on-Severn and both obliterated his previous personal best of around 6lb.

Matt Ward 17lb 9oz zander.jpg

He said: “The larger zander gave me quite a strange bite – initially I just tightened up to my float, thought ‘this feels a bit heavy’, and I was into the fish.

“I soon realised just how big the zander was as I eased it towards the net, and I was praying that it didn't come off!”

Both of Matthew’s zander fell to chub livebait fished via a float-paternoster rig.