Massive pike caught in Lake Ungurs, but Latvia's record still stands

Angler Roberts Valters landed one of the most impressive pikes caught in recent times in Lake Ungurs, with the fish weighing 15.7 kilograms and measuring 125 centimeters in length. The catch once again confirms that this lake in Cēsis municipality is still home to pike of remarkable size.

Record remains unbeaten

While Valters' catch was impressive, it fell short of Latvia's national record, which has also belonged to Lake Ungurs for more than three and a half decades. In 1989, angler Vilhelms Petjukevičs caught a 19.56-kilogram pike there, measuring roughly 138–139 centimeters. That result has not been surpassed since.

Valters' pike was just under four kilograms short of matching the record. Even so, the catch is considered an outstanding achievement.

Fish released back into the lake

After reeling it in, the angler chose to release the fish back into the water, meaning the giant pike continues to swim in Lake Ungurs. It is possible the fish will keep growing over time and could become even larger, potentially approaching or even one day surpassing the current national record.