He was fishing a 100-acre midlands stillwater (a non-trout water) and, on the bright and calm day, felt he was looking at a blank. But soon after the recast he hooked the fish that tore off like a train. It wasn’t Alix netted the specimen that he realised just how big it was though and was blown away by the figure on his scales when it came to weighing.

Alix fished his smelt hookbait alongside a block-end feeder packed with mashed fish, which is a favourite tactic of his. Although, he admits on this occasion, his feed barely had time to work its magic before the huge pike took off with his hookbait!

Well done Alix!