Having found the River Thames pushing through, Neale Woodward targeted the crease between a near-bank slack and the main flow and landed this excellent 17lb 4oz barbel.
Using a 5oz lead to hold bottom and a short six-inch fluorocarbon hooklink, he hooked the fish on a fishmeal boilie presented over a scattering of matching feed.
As darkness set in his alarm screamed off and Neale connected with what he knew was a substantial fish. It powered into the main flow before snagging him in the margin. Once it lay resting in the net, he could see immediately that it was a special fish
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Well done Neale!