The challenging tidal reaches of the River Trent held no fears for 15-year-old Mason East, who smashed his barbel PB by banking this thickset specimen.
He was fishing with his dad, Lee, over a weekend during which there were big tides and extra water in the river, and Mason put his faith in a 14mm boilie alongside a PVA mesh bag of matching baits. A 5oz lead was needed to hold bottom in the strong flow, but recasting every 30 minutes, his efforts soon paid off, with a number of fish to 12lb 13oz landed on his first night.
The following morning, the action tailed off, but Mason stuck to his plan of regular casting, and at 6am on Sunday morning his bite alarm went into meltdown once more.
He knew he’d hooked something really special, as the fish held deep for 10 minutes before finally coming to the net.
CATCH MORE BARBEL WITH OUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO FISHING THE RIVER TRENT.
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