Jason Barrow fished from the shore at Clovelly, North Devon to take a 51lb 4oz tope using frozen launce on a 6/0 hook.
The fish is only 6lb 14oz short of breaking the British shore-caught record, which was set in 1982 at 58lb 2oz. The present record was taken from Baggy Point, only a few miles away from the spot where Jason fished.
The big tope was taken at night and took 15 minutes to land. It was returned to the sea unharmed.
