On the first day of his trip, Stephen lost what he reckoned to be a double figure barbel whilst float fishing. With warmer weather rolling in, he knew he had a chance of tempting another one, so introduced hemp, crushed boilies and maggots with a bait dropper on a crease formed by an overhanging tree. When the time was right, he cast a 15mm boilie with the top shaved off to make it egg-shaped, and soon hooked a heavy fish that he battled to keep away from the main flow. Upon landing the barbel, Stephen was blown away by its size – a specimen hard to repeat on the rivers of his home county.

Well done Stephen!