Welcome to Advnture, the new home of AnglersMail.co.uk
The huge specimen from Surrey’s Newdigate Farms equals the current official best golden orfe caught way back in 2000 by Michael Wilkinson at Lymm Vale in Cheshire.
The 37-year-old sales manager from Sutton, South London, said: “I went down there specifically to target the golden orfe as I hadn’t caught any since a trip to Anglers Paradise (Devon) 23 years ago when I had both golden and blue varieties.
“First cast produced a 6 lb 8 oz tench then I lost a golden orfe I guessed to be around 5 lb, I was gutted.
“It was hard going after that until my friend left early and I moved in to his swim and bagged the big one within 20 minutes.
“It was caught on a 1lb test curve rod, 6 lb main line and a Guru method feeder and pellet hookbait balanced by a tiny piece of black foam.
“I didn’t know it had equalled the record until I Googled it when I got home.
“I did have one witness plus my wife so I’ve sent the British Record Fish Committee an email to see if I can claim the equal record,” concluded Lawrence.
Golden orfe are technically the same species as ide, but the ornamental version. There is no separate official record for ide.
Ide are noted for their year-round-feeding and are considered to be the chub of many European countries, where they grow to similar sizes in rivers.
