Massive barbel! River records shaken as near-20lb barbel hit the bank this week
Near-20 pounder from ‘difficult stretch’ is best of the lot
ACOLOSSAL 19lb 11oz barbel has topped another fantastic week for the species, which saw dozens of specimens banked from numerous rivers across the country.
The record-nudging fish fell to Essex angler Paul Faint when it took a liking to a couple of hair-rigged 10mm pellets fished on an undisclosed stretch of the River Thames.
Speaking to Angling Times, Paul described the effort it took to catch such a specimen from a very difficult stretch of the waterway.
He said: “Despite it being cold I decided to try an overnight session on a stretch of the Thames that is notoriously hard for barbel. I had a gut feeling that there could be a real chance of a huge fish. “I’ve done about 20 overnighters in the past two years on this bit of water with only one 8lb barbel to show for it – but I just knew there was bigger fish somewhere there for the taking.”
Paul, who receives a third weekly Drennan Cup award for his catch, fed four pints of hemp and a pint of 4mm pellets to a line of clean gravel in the middle of the river, knowing that this would offer his best chance of a bite.
It was a decision that proved fruitful roughly three hours into his session, when the huge fish took off with his bait.
“When I struck at the bite the fish tore off 20 yards of line and
“After it was carefully weighed and witnessed I rested the fish and returned it to the water”
made for an overhanging tree. I slowly pumped the reel to try and get it back out,” Paul added, “and luckily I succeeded.
“After a 10-minute battle the barbel crossed the net cord, and after it was carefully weighed and witnessed by a friend I rested it and returned it to the water.
“This was the only bite of a night that was bitterly cold, but it was well worth the effort.”
On the right is the pick of the week’s other big-barbel...