Massive Catfish Caught in Essex, Proving Brits Still Have Huge... Tackle

UK Angler Reels in Whopper

The United Kingdom has a new monster catfish, thanks to east Londoner Darren Reitz, 34, who bagged a rod-caught whopper weighing in at a staggering 143 pounds (64.4kg). Reitz, an amateur garbage man/fisherman, dubbed it a "monster"according to BBC News.

"My friends started panicking as it was clearly a big fish,"
- Reitz to UK Telegraph

It took four men an hour to land this beast. Reitz called in three friends to help net his catch, proving that sometimes it takes a village to tackle a monster.

Despite the hype, Paul Tallowin, co-owner of Chigborough Farm & Fisheries, kept it real, stating:

"I am sure some are a bit bigger. It all depends on what they have to eat,"

Tallowin, speaking to the BBC, estimates the catfish's age at 45 years old, growing about 7lbs (3.2kg) annually.

The fish, nicknamed Scar, has since swum off to terrorize other fish, but not before making Reitz's day (and night).