There are few better ways to use your holiday than going fishing, but it’s even better when you land a special fish whilst doing so, such as this stunning 17lb 5oz barbel with an excellent photograph of it to match!

Caught by Waterlooville angler, Darrel Hughes, the fish came from his local Hampshire Avon and is yet another example of what this iconic venue has to offer. Like other anglers have reported, Darrel has found the fishing tricky on the Avon this season, but he used his time off wisely, baiting half a dozen spots and fishing working his way between them. After landing a twelve-pounder early in the week, he returned to a spot where he’d been feeding a bit of hemp and a few crushed boilies. With the river rising around a foot following rainfall, conditions were ideal, and it didn’t take long before the rod slammed round, and he was into a powerful fish.

It fought deep in six feet of water, but his size 8 Super Specialist held firm, and before long his new PB lay in the net. Darren fished a trimmed down 18mm boilie below a 3oz inline lead, above which he used a 2oz back lead to keep everything pinned down.

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