The videographer is well-known in carp fishing but has just become the envy of many coarse anglers nationwide, having landed an almighty 18lb 10oz barbel, plus canal perch of 4lb 4oz and 4lb 8oz. Amazingly, before landing these fish, he also banked a 49lb 9oz carp from a Cotswolds pit.

He joked “I’ve definitely stepped in something, after landing the carp in freezing conditions I had barbel on the brain. Last year, I photographed the Lea record at 19lb 14oz, and decided I’d very much like to catch that fish myself!”

After landing a 15lb 10oz personal best in January, a three-day window of opportunity arose as temperatures started to rise, and Oli baited a couple of areas with scalded pellet, flaked boilie, crushed caster, hemp, and maggots.

“This stretch of the Lea is busy at times, but thankfully it was quiet when I arrived, on the second evening the plan came good and following a couple of indications the tip slammed round. It stripped 30 yards of line as it took off downsteam, but thankfully I was able to slow it down and lead it back up.”

With shaking knees, Oli netted the fish of his dreams, that same River Lea record barbel but slightly down in weight, at 18lb 10oz.

Well done Oli!