Adrian reports on his latest catch in his own words:
“I had decided that this season I would go back to winter barbel fishing as it had been a very long time since I’d caught my previous PB of 13lb 12oz and although I’d caught quite a lot of doubles in the intervening years I really wanted a big one and so as the water temperature was staying high and steady this was going to be my chance and it paid off very nicely!
I was on a night fishing section of the River Kennet and had three doubles plus an 8lb fish in three consecutive trips: 11lb 8oz, 10lb 6oz and a very fat 15lb 0oz lump sandwiched in the middle. It fell to an upstream presentation with the bait – a 10mm Dynamite Baits’ Spicy Shrimp and Prawn boilie – fished below a snag tree.
I used a Fox barbel multi-tip with a quiver so that I could see any drop back bite very clearly. The terminal set up was 2ft of 15lb weedy green Coretex and a size 10 S2 Kuro hook onto which I hooked a small PVA mesh bag of crushed and whole boilies.
As usual on upstream fishing it took a few short moments before I realised it was a big, powerful fish and I had to hold it from the snags but once it was under the rod tip it was just a matter of time as it just circled around. When I had it in the net I thought it might not be that big but when I saw the depth of the fish I knew a new PB was on the cards, and it ended a ten year wait in style.”
