Fishing brothers outdo each other with giant catfish catches

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Jack (top) and Ben (bottom) Scott produly show off their catch

Young brothers Ben and Jack Scott were reeling with sibling rivalry after catching two whopping catfish - weighing 355lbs between them - within a day of each other.

Jack, 15, was first to net a huge fish when he snared a 168lb (12st) catfish - almost twice his own body weight.

But not to be outdone his little brother Ben, 12, caught a catfish weighing 187lbs (13st) - a Spanish record - in exactly the same spot the next day.

Both fish were twice as long as the junior anglers - and were caught during a family holiday in Mequinenza, Spain.

The boys spent every day for a week from 7am until 11pm on the banks of the River Segre using a 150lbs line and pellets made out of dead halibut.

On the penultimate day of the break Jack felt his line tug and pulled in his 168lbs part-albino beast - and spent forty minutes wrestling it to shore.

But the next day Ben - who weighs just 8.5 stone (120lbs) - was nearly lifted off his feet when he caught his 13.5 stone (187lb) catfish - a Spanish record for an 11-16 year-old.

The brothers, who have been fishing for three years, were left speechless and attracted a huge group of local anglers after they netted the prize catches.

Jack, from St Columb Major, Cornwall, beamed: "We weren't expecting to catch a fish of that size - let alone two. It was a dream come true.

"I thought I'd got the big catch of the holiday but then Ben pipped up with something even bigger. Typical. He had to outdo his big brother."

Proud father, Bill, 47, said: "When Jack pulled up his whopping fish we all thought it was game over - no-one was going to trump that.

"But then the very next day Ben landed his - we couldn't believe it. "The two of them are fiercely competitive so I think Jack was a bit miffed at first.

"Ben was just over the moon. He has never managed to land a fish bigger than his brother before - his previous best was 11lb."

After the catches the two brothers released the fish back into the river and returned home with dad and mum Ginny, 48, and sister Natasha, 10.

Ben said: "There were loads of local fishermen there who all said 'well done'. It was definitely the best trip I have ever been on."

Phil Lockley, of Fishing News magazine, said: "They are big - but catfish can grow upwards of 300lbs.

"Beating your brother is more important than setting a record though."

 

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