Giant croc is "most impressive fish ever played"

ED Matthews had the River Severn to thank for the capture of this stunning 33lb 8oz pike, as it was so flooded he was forced to fish somewhere else.

The Shropshire-based predator ace targeted a local lake instead and after catching a few small pike on smelt deadbaits, it wasn’t long before he was battling something much bigger. 

“From the way it was headshaking I could tell it wasn’t a small fish,” he says.

“I had to walk up the bank so my mate could slip the net under her. On the scales she went 33lb 8oz and I have to say she was one of the most impressive fish I’ve ever played.”