THE biggest barbel of the season has been landed from the River Thames, weighing an almighty 20lb 9oz and falling to the rod of Marcin Kazimierczak.
Targeting the river around Sunbury with his cousin Tomasz, the pair arrived at 8pm and only had to wait a couple of hours before Marcin’s Baitrunner reel burst into life.
Polish angler Marcin, who lives in Northolt, has fished in the UK for 10 years, but admitted that he’d never experienced anything quite like the fight that this barbel gave him.
“As soon as I lifted my rod, I knew it was something very heavy and quite special,” he told us.
“The fish took off like a torpedo, and every time I managed to gain a few metres of line it would just take them right back.
“After seven or so minutes I saw this monster barbel surface, and as the fight neared its end I had a nightmare moment when I saw the landing net was tangled in some sticks. Thankfully, Tomasz was on hand to help, and landed it safely.”
The fish fell to a hair-rigged 14mm spicy sausage pellet presented on an 80cm-long braided hooklink.
“I’m very happy to catch a barbel like this – I’ve not had many like it!” Marcin added.
“After a few quick pictures, we carefully returned the fish and it swam away very strongly.”
