The list below shows the British shore caught record for each species of fish along with the year and location of capture and the angler’s name. We endeavour to keep this list as accurate and up-to-date as possible. However, claims for new record fish are submitted on a regular basis and the process of verifying a record is lengthy, requiring the British Record Fish Committee to meet in London to verify fish as British records. It can take up to a year between a fish being submitted for a claim and being verified by the committee. This list is a guide only – we cannot be held responsible if the information below is out of date or otherwise inaccurate.
| Species |
Scientific Name
|
Weight (lb-oz-dr) |
Year Caught | Angler | Location of Capture |
| Angel Shark | Squatina squatina |
52-14-0 | 1984 | G. Bishop | Llwyngwril Beach, North Wales |
| Bass | Dicentrarchus labrax | 19-12 | 2012 | J. S. Locker | Portsmouth Docks, Hampshire |
| Black Bream | Spondyliosoma cantharus | 6-8-6 | 2001 | R. Guille | Creux Harbour, Sark, Channel Islands |
| Brill | Scophthalmus rhombus | 8-3-0 | 2018 | R. Edwards | Chesil Beach, Dorset |
| Bullhead (Sea Scorpion) | Myoxocephalus scorpius |
2-7-8 | 1982 | B. Logan | Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear |
| Bull Huss | Scyliorhinus stellaris | 19-14-0 | 1992 | G. Ebbs | Pwllheli Beach, Gwynedd, Wales |
| Coalfish | Pollachius virens | 24-11-12 | 1995 | M. Cammish | Filey Brigg, Yorkshire |
| Cod | Gadus morhua | 44-8- 0 | 1966 | B. Jones | Tom’s Point, Barry, Glamorgan |
| Conger Eel | Conger conger | 68-8-0 | 1992 | M. Larkin | Devil’s Point, Plymouth |
| Dab | Limanda limanda | 2-9-8 | 1936 | M. Watts | Morfa Beach, Port Talbot, Glamorgan |
| Dogfish | Scyliorhinus canicula | 4-15-3 | 1988 | S. Ramsey | Abbey Burnfoot, Kirkcudbright |
| Flounder | Platichthys flesus | 5-7-0 | 1994 | B. Sokell | River Teign, Devon |
| Garfish | Belone belone | 3-9-8 | 2017 | C. Davey | Slapton Sands, Devon |
| Greater Forkbeard | Phycis blennoides | 2-12-12 | 2012 | M. Parry | Rat House Corner, Roker, Sunderland |
| Gurnard (Tub) | Chelidonichthys lucerna | 12-3-0 | 1976 | G. Reynolds | Langlan Bay, Wales |
| Gurnard (Red) | Chelidonichthys cuculus | 2-10-11 | 1976 | D. Johns | Helford River, Glebe Cove, Cornwall |
| Gurnard (Grey) | Eutrigla gurnardus | 1-10-8 | 1989 | P. El-Balawi | Newquay Headland, Cornwall |
| Haddock | Melanogrammus aeglefinus | 6-12-0 | 1976 | G. Stevenson | Loch Goil, Scotland |
| Hake | Merluccius merluccius | 3-8-2 | 1984 | W. Parry | Morfa Beach, Port Talbot |
| Halibut | Hippoglossus hippoglossus | – | – | No record stands | Qualifying weight set at 10lbs |
| Herring | Clupea harengus | – | – | No record stands | Qualifying weight set at 1lb |
| Ling | Molva molva | 21-13-0 | 2022 | K. Griffiths | Pemberth Cove, Cornwall |
| Mackerel | Scomber scombrus | 5-11-14 | 1982 | M. Kemp | Berry Head Quarry, Brixham |
| Megrim | Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis | 2-6-1 | 1987 | F. J. Williams | Porthcurno, Cornwall |
| Monkfish | Lophius piscatorius | 68-2-0 | 1984 | H. Legerton | Canvey Island, Essex |
| Mullet (Red) | Mullus surmuletus | 3- 15-0 | 1996 | A. Wright | Longy Bay, Alderney, Channel Islands |
| Mullet (Golden Grey) | Chelon aurata | 3-8-8 | 2005 | D. Woolcombe | Christchurch Harbour, Dorset |
| Mullet (Thick Lipped Grey) | Chelon labrosus | 14-2-12 | 1979 | R. Gifford | The Leys, Aberthaw, Glamorgan |
| Mullet (Thin Lipped Grey) | Chelon ramada | 8-8-13 | 2017 | G. Marquis | East Coast, Guernsey |
| Plaice | Pleuronectes platessa | 8-6-14 | 1989 | R. Moore | Southbourne Beach, Bournemouth |
| Pollock | Pollachius pollachius |
18-4-0 | 1986 | C. Lowe | Abbotsbury, Dorset |
| Poor Cod | Trisopterus minutus | 0-11-0 | 1982 | I. Willaims | Rossall, Cleveleys, Lancashire |
| Porbeagle Shark | Lamna nasus | – | – | No record stands | Qualifying weight set at 40lbs |
| Pouting | Trisopterus luscus | 4-9-0 | 1991 | R. Andrews | Pembrook, Guernsey, Channel Islands |
| Ray (Spotted) | Raja montagui | 8-5-0 | 1980 | D. Bowen | Mewslade Bay, South Wales |
| Ray (Blonde) | Raja brachyura | 32-8-0 | 1986 | C. Reeves * | Mannez Targets, Channel Islands |
| 32-8-0 | 1994 | K. Frain * | Grosnez, Jersey, Channel Islands [* joint record] | ||
| Ray (Thornback) | Raja clavata | 21-12-0 | 1985 | S. Ramsey | The Ross, Kirkcidbright |
| Ray (Small Eyed) | Raja microcellata | 15-11-4 | 2016 | A. Slack | Mothercombe, Devon |
| Rockling (Three Bearded) | Gaidropsarus vulgaris | 3-12-14 | 2001 | M. Negus | The Lizard, Cornwall |
| Rockling (Four Bearded) | Enchelyopus cimbrius | 0-1-7 | 1981 | S. Hodgson | Cloch Point, Gourock, Scotland |
| Rockling (Five Bearded) | Ciliata mustela | 1-0-0 | 1995 | A. Boswell | Aberystwyth, Dyfed, Wales |
| Rockling (Shore) | Gaidropsarus mediterraneus | 1-9-12 | 1992 | D. Lane | Chesil Cove, Dorset |
| Greater Sandeel | Hyperoplus lanceolatus | 0-8-7 | 1979 | B. Le Breton | Amfroque, Herm, Guernsey |
| Scad | Trachurus trachurus | 3-0-14 | 1981 | R. Dillon | Cockenzie Power Station, Scotland |
| Silver Eel * | Anguilla anguilla | 11-3-0 | 2024 | S. Ricketts | ‘Southern stillwater’ |
| Skate (Common) | Dipturus batis | 169-6-0 | 1994 | G. MacKenzie | Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis |
| Smoothhound | Mustelus mustelus | 20-3-0 | 2000 | P. Orchard | Hillhead Sea Wall, Hampshire |
| Sole (Dover) | Solea solea |
6-8-10 | 1991 | N. Guilmoto | Alderney, Channel Islands |
| Sole (Lemon) | Microstomus kitt | 2-7-11 | 1980 | W. N. Callister | Victoria Pier, Douglas, Isle of Man |
| Spurdog | Squalus acanthias | 23-2-0 | 2018 | G. Mitchell | Start Bay, South Devon |
| Sunfish | Mola mola | 49-4-0 | 1976 | M. Merry | Fisherman’s Cover, Cornwall |
| Tope | Galeorhinus galeus | 82-10-0 | 2022 | M. Asprou | Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire |
| Triggerfish | Balistes capriscus | 5lb 14oz | 1995 | K. Lydiard | Lynmouth Rocks, Devon |
| Turbot | Scophthalmus maximus | 28-8-0 | 1973 | J. Dorling | Dunwich Beach, East Suffolk |
| Weever (Lesser) | Echiichthys vipera | 0-3-6 | 2001 | D. Thompson | Shambles Bank, Weymouth, Dorset |
| Weever (Greater) | Trachinus draco | 1-9-9 | 2014 | P. Robinson | Porthtowan, Cornwall |
| Whiting | Merlangius merlangus | 4-8-0 | 2014 | D. Backler | Orford, Suffolk |
| Wrasse (Ballan) | Labrus bergylta | 9-1-0 | 1998 | P. Hegg | Portland, Dorset |
| Wrasse (Cuckoo) | Labrus mixtus | 1-12-9 | 1999 | M. Hooper | Rosaire, Herm, Channel Islands |
For more information on UK record catches, click here.
* This is listed as a freshwater record due to the location of the catch.