Drennan’s Ian Brooker caught this huge Thames Barbel weighing in at 16lb 11oz recently from a local stretch of the river on a short evening session.

With the first frost due that evening and the river fining down with plently of colour he knew there would be a good chance of getting a bite.

Arriving just after dusk he fished with a long 4ft 10lb Fluorocarbon hook length with a Size 8 ESP T6 hook on a simple running rig with a couple of large glugged pellets and PVA bag of freebies. This was cast just two rod lengths out with a 5oz lead and a large bow of line to help hold station in the strong flow.

“Because of the flow and amount of rubbish coming the down the river I was able to hold bottom for about 40 minutes before the rig began to move, it was just after it started to slowly bounce round when I received quite a subtle bite which I struck into and knew immediately that I was into a good Barbel but didn’t quite know how big until I lifted her out and onto the mat.”

The fish was beaten with 10lb ESP Syncro XT mainline and a Martin Bowler 1.75lb Barbel Rod. Click here for more information on this fantastic rod.