They're not always the intended target, but large game fish are a possibility on Britain’s rivers.
That’s never been truer than this summer, thanks to cool, wet conditions favouring salmonids.
First up, Scott Elvin caught a 10lb 8oz brown trout from a Reading DAA stretch of the River Kennet. After it had snatched a homemade betaine and garlic boilie, he tamed it on a barbel rod and 12lb line.
“It was an amazing fight!” said Scott.
“I thought it was a barbel until it surfaced. There are a few big trout in the stretch but this was an incredible surprise, and probably the fish of a lifetime”
FIND A FANTASTIC SUMMER FISHING RIVER NEAR YOU IN THIS WHERE TO FISH GUIDE.
Another barbel angler to get a big surprise was Dave Rushton, who had a 10lb 6oz salmon on a 14mm Spicy Sausage squab at Collingham, on the Trent. Nicknamed ‘Usain’ for his speed at hitting runs, it was his mate Danny Hewitt who grabbed Dave’s rod after a screaming run, before passing it over.
“At first it felt like a typical adrenaline-filled barbel fight, but after some anxious moments it flashed and my mates Dave Benno and Danny both shouted in unison – ‘salmon’!” he said.
“After a quick picture it was away in a flash of silver!”
Completing an amazing session, the trio had over 20 fish, including a new PB barbel of 13lb 12oz for Dave and a 15lb pike for ‘Benno”.
GET ALL THE KIT YOU NEED TO LAND ANYTHING YOU HOOK BY CHECKING OUT OUR LATEST BUYER'S GUIDES TO RODS, REELS, LINES AND MORE.
Meanwhile, game angler Brian McGrath used a homemade Flying-C spinner to land a 20lb 6oz salmon by design on a break to Scotland.
Fishing the River Leven, near Loch Lomond, it took him just three casts to strike gold.
“Call it a hunch or pure luck, I headed for a deep pool. The lure seemed snagged, but there was sudden huge power as a seriously annoyed salmon took 50 yards of line off a tight drag as if it was nothing!” said Brian, who landed the beast on a Major Craft Triple Cross 10-45g rod, 30lb Dangan Bullet Braid and a 15lb fluorocarbon trace.
“It was a sheer joy to see it slide over the net, and one of my most special days in more than 30 years of angling,” he said.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SAFELY HANDLING TROUT AND SALMON IN THIS RECENT ARTICLE ON FISH CARE.
This page is a free example of the amazing content Angling Times Members get every single week. Becoming an Angling Times Member gives you access to award-winning magazine content, member rewards, our back issue archives, bonus content and more! Join our fishing community and find out more today!