Record breaking ling caught off Muckle Flugga

There was big excitement all round for James Isbister from Cunningsburgh and friends, while fishing off Muckle Flugga on Saturday.

After a 20-minute struggle James managed to get a huge ling – or olick – weighing in at 67.46lb, breaking the 23-year-old British record by 10lb.

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Around Fetlar is another good spot.

The unassuming James, 38, is six feet five inches tall but the fish is almost as big.

“I was very happy and over the moon,” said James, who has been fishing since he could walk. The fish is being kept in his mother’s freezer, having displaced a few lambs, awaiting confirmation from the relevant authorities of its record breaking status.

He said the fish was unlikely to end up on the mantelpiece in a glass case, but he had no recipes in mind so far.

James is no stranger to big fish as last year he caught a 48lb olick. He also praised his two boys, Danny, aged five, and Robby, four, who helped construct the fishing rig the day before. He thinks it will be some time till he has a chance at fishing like this again.

One of his outstanding memories of the whole experience was the beautiful day. “T-shirts in February, wha wid o believed hit?” he said.

Stephen Gordon