“I regularly fish the middle Trent, and last weekend I was invited on a Friday night session by my mate, Mark Brayne.
“After setting up on the bank and baiting our swims, Mark had a 12-pounder at about 2am, and then at 6am I had a bite that the phrase ‘one-toner’ wouldn’t do full justice to… such was the ferocity of the take!
“The rod hooped over, and line peeled from the reel at a rate of knots as my boilie hookbait was taken. After a great battle I had a good fish in the net, but when Mark read out a weight of 17lb 6oz I couldn’t believe it!
“I’ll never forget the moment I watched the barbel swim away. Just incredible – what a fish!”
Stephen Hall – 17lb 6oz barbel