FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT: A NEWS RECORD.

Angling correspondent Ray Robson has made it into the record books this week. Not once.....but twice. And both in one incredible afternoon's fishing.

His achievements will be the talk of the angling world when people hear how he netted a 4lb 2oz perch, and then, with his very6 next cast, snared a 5lb 10oz chub - both smashing CALPAC previous bests.

"I feel very privileged to break two long-standing records in one afternoon," said the modest Mr Robson. " CALPAC records are regarded as terrific benchmarks - to break two in one day is unheard of."

Here's how he did it, in his own words:

"Fishing pal Chris Hodges and I are members of the CALPAC and with the close season looming we opted for their stretch of the River Kennet for one last crack at the barbel.

"After a couple of hours it was obvious the barbel didn't think too much of my lobworm offering and having had good perch and chub from this swim in the past I decided on something different.

"First thing to do was to attract a few minnows and fry into the swim to draw the better fish in so I picked a slack under a tree and fed a pint of maggots all in one go. I then fished two lobworms along with a maggot feeder and only had to wait a matter of seconds before my tip pulled round and I was in.

"I knew straight away it wasn't a barbel, well you would wouldn't you, so I was sure my 4lb line to 3lb bottom was up to it and it wasn't long before a beautiful 4lb 2oz perch slid into the net.

`Well done'

"The fish is 6oz heavier than the previous CALPAC best set last year by Andy Mackie from Surbiton Angling Centre and knowing Andy he'll say well done, well something like that anyway!

"The very next cast over the same spot once again with lobworm but this time free lined put me into another great scrap .

"This time it produced yet another CALPAC record in the shape of terrific chub that took the scales around to 5lb 10oz beating the old mark by 8oz.

"You know you have had a good day when you set off 6ft tall and come back 7ft 6inches. What a great sport this is."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.