Fishing ‘nutcase’ catches 30lb pike at Thames weir

A COARSE fisherman from Caversham who caught a pike weighing almost 30lb says he now wants to land an even bigger one.

Jon King was fishing with two friends on the River Thames at Benson weir when he landed the huge fish.

The 45-year-old carpenter had only been there for about half an hour when the pike took his bait of a dead roach.

He said: “I felt a tug and at first I thought it was an eel as my friends have caught some massive ones this summer and they are found in this bit of the Thames.

“I lost it to start with when it spat out the hook but eventually I got it back.

“It was going all over the place like crazy, up and down the weir. It was a really good fight and it was quite tricky to pull in.”

Mr King remained seated as he fought with the fish for 10 minutes before he was finally able to haul it in.

He said: “When I first saw it, I thought it was a double figure fish, no more than 10lb.

“It was only when I started pulling it out that I saw how big it was.” While removing his hook from the pike, he cut his fingers on its tiny, needle-like teeth.

He said: “I think the teeth are covered in anticoagulant, which stops your blood clotting. I didn’t stop bleeding for about half an hour.” Despite this, he was able to weigh the fish and was thrilled to find it weighed more than 29lb 8oz.

He said: “I’m really chuffed as it caps off what has been really good season for fishing.”

After posing for a photograph with the pike, he released it back into the water as he only fishes for sport.

Mr King, who grew up in Sonning Common, was 20 when he began fishing at Marsh Lock in Henley with a friend who lent him some equipment.

Now he regularly catches barbel, zander and perch in the river. The pike is the largest coarse fish he has caught in the UK.

Mr King said: “I want to go out and catch an even bigger one but I don’t think I’ll manage as they are quite rare that size.

“Most weirs only have one 20lb pike in them and once they get older they get a bit wiser and stop going for bait. Why this one did I don’t know. I guess that’s just nature for you.”

The pike is not the biggest fish he has ever caught — he landed an 80lb blue shark in Cornwall and an 85lb catfish in Mequinenza in Spain.

Mr King’s mother Janice said her son was “very excited” when he joined her for dinner in Benson after his big catch.

She said: “Jon is a bit of a nutcase about fishing — he eats, sleeps and drinks it.

“He has been fishing for ages and is very into the wildlife. He is always telling me about the kingfishers he sees while sitting in the quiet, fishing. I think he finds it peaceful.

“Pikes are a bottom-feeding fish but you don’t usually catch them this size.”