Monster fish caught by fishermen using their dead pal as BAIT

TWO anglers landed a monster fish using their dead pal as bait.

FISHERMAN’S GRAIL: Anglers Paul Fairbrass and Cliff Dale with the 12-stone carp

Paul Fairbrass and Cliff Dale were supposed to go on a trip with friend Ron Hopper but he tragically died of cancer.

So they blended his ashes into their fishing bait, which helped them snare a 180lbs catch.

Keen fisherman Ron, 64, from Hull, East Yorks, was given just weeks to live after being diagnosed with liver cancer in December.

BAIT: The ashes of Ron Hopper were introduced into the bait

The trio had already arranged a holiday to the Far East and the marine engineer asked his mates to scatter his ashes around a lake.

But they decided to turn them into ‘boilies’ – round balls of bait which they called ‘Purple Ronnie’ – which hooked a 12-stone Siamese carp.

Paul said: “A few days before he died he asked us to take his ashes to Thailand and scatter them around the lake.

“I told him we would go one better than that and turn him into boilies and catch a big fish with them.

BNPS

TRAGIC: Ron Hopper died of cancer

“He just cracked up and said it was a brilliant idea.

“It seemed like it was destiny we would use Ronnie to catch one of the biggest fish in the lake.

“It’s what he would have wanted.”