Angler lands record-breaking six stone carp

3:18pm Monday 20th October 2008

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ANGLER Andre Komornicki set a new world record on Thursday after catching a carp weighing an incredible six and a half stone.

Despite its size it took just ten minutes to reel in the 91lb monster and put it in the net.

It has now been officially confirmed as the biggest mirror carp ever caught - but it was thrown back into the lake where it came from.

Mr Komornicki, a father-of-three from Stable Lane, Seer Green, landed his catch at the 25-acre La Graviers complex near Dijon, France at 10pm.

He said: “We were fishing in the dark and it wasn’t until it was in the landing net and we shone a torch on it we realised how big it was.

“My English record is 33 and a half pounds, so this one was three times as big.”

Mr Komornicki, a 64-year-old British Airways employee, caught the fish on a regular rod and line but friend Sam Clare helped get it into the net.

He said: “Everyone’s over the moon. I have had all sorts of phone calls from friends.”

He added: “I did sink a few beers to celebrate.”

The previous world record of 89lbs had been also been set at La Graviers.

Last week’s trip to France was the second time Mr Komornicki had been fishing at the lake - and on his last visit he caught a carp weighing in at 60lbs.

But his record catch went back into the lake.

Mr Komornicki said: “I returned it to the lake so somebody else might have the pleasure of catching it. It might put on more weight, but sometimes they lose it.”

The record breaker was estimated to be 18 years old. Carp usually live to 25.

He started fishing with his father as a boy, and now regularly goes on trips to the Colne Valley and to a British Airways-owned lake at Rickmansworth.

He said: “It’s the quietness I like - you are able to watch the wildlife and you just chill out for a week.”