RINGWOOD angler Gavin Barrett joined a growing line of anglers to have sampled the superb barbel sport of the Hampshire Avon when he landed this 17lb 6oz fish, a personal best.
After taking five barbel on a recent evening trip, Gavin was keen to keep the momentum going, so he returned to the river and headed for a slack he hadn’t seen anyone fish since he’d joined the controlling club.
Fishing a single hookbait just a rodlength from the bank, where the fast water met the slack, his rod tore off after 40 mintues.
Unusually for a barbel, the fish was determined to get under the nearside bank, but Gavin didn’t mind that as it was out of the main flow. After netting the fish he instantly knew it was a ‘seventeen’ as he recognised the distinctive tail that told him it was one of the stretch’s known bigger barbel. A delighted Gavin said: “It’s an incredible time to be an angler on this magnificent river!”
