When 16-year-old Nick Richards went fishing for carp, little did he know that he’d come home with what just could be the largest goldfish ever caught in Britain:
Richards, from Camberley, Surrey, was fishing for carp close to his parents’ holiday home when he noticed a flash of orange under the water.
He positioned his rod and bread bait close to the spot and seconds later began reeling in the mystery fish. He said: "I’d heard rumors there might be some big carp there and thought I’d see for myself. I was there for two days running and caught some big common carp.
"Then suddenly I saw this big orange fish cruising along the top of the lake. At first I thought it must be a really fat koi carp, but when I saw it properly I realized it was a common goldfish – just like one you might keep as a pet.
"It looked like it was healthy and in good condition. The lake is sheltered with plenty of food, so it’s doing pretty well. Earlier in the day I’d joked that if I caught a big fish I’d call it Billy, so of course the goldfish got the name."
Billy the goldfish clocked in at 5 lb (2 kg) and 16-inch (40 cm) long. Oh, and Nick did the right thing by tossing it back to live (and not to mention grow) another day.
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