CIAN Fry got the New Year off to the perfect start by landing the catch of a lifetime in Devizes last week.

The 12-year-old, who lives in Calne and is a pupil at John Bentley School, reeled in one of the biggest pike ever caught from the Devizes canal after catching a 30lb 10oz monster.

Fry is a member of the Calne Angling Association alongside his father Simon, who could barely believe his son’s achievement.

“Cian got some new fishing kit for Christmas so we went out to give it a go on the Devizes canal,” he said.

“He only had the rig in the water for about 30 seconds before it went and he wasn’t really ready to catch anything so I got the net ready.

“To start with, he said ‘I don’t think it’s that big’ but as it got closer, I said to him “I think it might be a lot heavier than you think’.

“It could barely fit on the scales when we got it out. He actually caught a 23lb 12oz pike just up the canal last year, but this was huge.

“He’s been angling for about 12-18 months and he’s competed in a few junior matches but we generally try to get out two or three times a month. He’s very lucky.”

Devizes Angling Association club secretary Terry Fell confirmed the catch was one of the heftiest recorded on club waters.

He said: “I’ve been secretary for 40 years and I certainly can’t remember a pike that big being caught.

“About 20lbs would be a pretty good catch anywhere across the country – it’s an absolutely magnificent fish.”

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