Phil White’s current river campaign had, in his own words, been a pretty poor one so far – but that all changed in dramatic fashion when his tip pulled around on a recent evening session and he hooked and landed this huge barbel weighing 21lb 5oz.
It’s the second-biggest example of the species ever reported, and would have been a new British Record had it been caught a few months ago, before James Crosby landed the current best of 22lb 1oz from the River Lea.
Phil’s fish was caught from the Hampshire Avon, and is the river’s known ‘biggun’, having been landed a number of times over recent years – perhaps most notably when Pete Reading took it in 2019 at 19lb 11oz, setting a new record for the river. While Phil’s capture of the fish is at its largest reported weight, he’s not looking to claim a ‘new’ river record, as he knows the specimen has been landed at heavier weights, but the captures kept quiet.
THE BEST BARBEL RODS ARE REQUIRED TO LAND MONSTER FISH LIKE THIS ONE!
“I’ve been hoping for that barbel since Pete caught it, but I never really felt like I was close,” Phil told us.
“However, I’d heard rumours that it’d been landed a few times over the winter at up to 21lb 8oz, but had not been reported, and I’m certain one of those rumours is true."
“So, I’m not claiming a new river record – just to catch it was an unreal experience."
“I’d had a funny season, during which I’d caught little else to report, but the scale of this fish just blew me away,” Phil added.
“I didn’t get to sleep until 4am that night, such was the thrill of catching it! I’m a fairly ‘wide’ bloke, and the pictures don’t do the fish justice.”
Two homemade 12mm boilies presented below a size 12 hook on a 2ft hooklink, alongside a PVA mesh bag of Hinders pellets, tempted the veteran barbel.
“I’d been fishing for an hour when I had two knocks on the tip before it gently pulled over,” Phil revealed.
“I wound into what I was pretty sure was a carp, and the fish made two long and powerful runs. My rod had never bent so much!"
“So, when the barbel surfaced, I was in shock."
“The moment I looked into the net, I knew this was the fish I was after.”
IF YOU WANT TO CATCH A BIG BARBEL, HERE IS ALL THE TACKLE AND TIPS YOU NEED!
Subscribe to Angling Times magazine today. Choose a Print+ Subscription and you'll get instant digital access and so much more. PLUS FREE UK delivery.