Barbel in England’s northern rivers seem to be getting bigger every season, and this 16lb 3oz cracker taken from the River Aire last week is the largest ever reported from Yorkshire.
Leeds angler David Benson had endured seven blanks on the spin before his fortunes changed during a short two-hour session on the popular waterway.
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“I just couldn’t get to grips with the river, so I was delighted when the rod ripped off and I landed a 12lb 10oz barbel using a huge chunk of garlic luncheon meat,” he told us.
“I was happy enough with that and started to pack away my kit, but then I realised that I had a bit of time left so had another cast. The rod flew off again, and when I weighed the fish, I couldn’t believe where the needle on the scales stopped!”
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