The fish was caught from the British Record-breaking King’s Weir Fishery on the River Lea and is, amazingly, the third barbel over 20lb currently in the stretch. It was caught during one of the venue’s fish-ins, in which members are allowed to fish right through the night. After enjoying a good laugh and some food with the other anglers, Andy kicked off his session on boilies but changed to a maggot feeder early in the morning. The river was up and coloured after recent rain, with mild weather giving him great conditions for a bite.

Andy was recasting his small feeder every 25 minutes, and using a hair-rigged maggot clip to hold a bunch of grubs. He had a knock on the tip at around 7am, and soon after recasting had a violent take, which was followed by his centrepin reel screaming away. An exceptional fight followed, before he netted what was clearly a big fish. However, it was only when Andy went to lift the barbel onto the bank that he realised it was in a different league to any other barbel he’d caught. Obliterating his previous PB by over 6lb, the barbel is not only a huge fish for Andy, but the fourth biggest ever reported, pipping John Llewellyn’s 20lb 12oz Thames fish. It’s also believed to be the biggest ever landed on a centrepin reel!

Well done Andy!