Coventry’s legendary specimen angler Phil Smith can’t stop catching big fish at the present! After his recent success with lots of big stillwater Tench and then Scottish Roach, the lure of running water meant he enjoyed a few early season Barbel sessions too.

First successful trip was to the Derbyshire Derwent, which resulted in a magnificient 12lb 4oz fish – just as Phil enjoyed listening to Andy Murray’s late finish in the Tennis on his radio, in one of the matches at Wimbledon! The Barbel was outwitted by a Dynamite Baits Monster Crab boilie fished over a bed of Chilly flavoured Hemp; the fish being landed on Phils Drennan Specialist Barbel 12ft 1.75lb rod.

Next trip saw Phil on the mighty River Severn, which although fining down was still carrying extra water, necessitating use of a 5oz feeder (it is important for it not to move once it has landed on the river bed!). His next take of the season from the desired quarry occurred when the rod slammed over – revealing it was definitely not a bream bite!

“As soon as I struck I knew this would be a better than average fish, it bored deep and ran the line off the clutch as it made its way downstream.” Phil explained. After an exhilarating fight where the fish then ran back upstream and then tried to get under the marginal staging, the fish was landed – a fine 10lb 10oz example.

For full details on the Drennan range of Specialist & Barbel rods, as used by Phil with much of his specimen fishing, click here.

Also, you can follow Phil’s excellent fishing blog via this link.