Darren Reitz usually goes fishing for some "peace and quiet" – then he caught what he could only describe as a "monster." It was a fish so big, it may have broken a U.K. record.
The 34-year-old East London man, a self-described amateur fisherman, was enjoying a day on a lake in Maldon, Essex, when he came across the aquatic beast. Reitz told CBS News partner BBC that he was at Chigborough Farm and Fisheries with friends when he suddenly felt a bite on his fishing line. It took nearly an hour – and the help of his friends – to get it out of the water.
"My wrist is still hurting from reeling," he told the BBC. "... Three of my friends got into the water with nets because it was that big and I was so worried we would lose it."
But they didn't – and everyone was shocked when they finally saw just how large the fish was.
"It was a monster," Reitz said of the catfish, which weighed in at an astounding 143 pounds. The potentially record-holding fish was nicknamed Scar and was released back into the water.
A catfish of that size isn't common in the U.K., and it's believed this one could be the largest fish ever caught by rod in freshwater in the U.K. The previous record was a 130-pound catfish.
But Chigborough Farm co-owner Paul Tallowin told the BBC that this is the biggest fish that has been pulled out of the farm's lakes – but he believes some uncaptured ones could be even bigger.
"The catfish put on about 7 pounds a year, so this one would be about 45 years old," he said. "I am sure some are a bit bigger. It all depends on what they have to eat."
Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
