Dave Thornley doesn’t do much barbel fishing, preferring to target pike and carp most of the time, but that may soon change after he smashed the Warwickshire Avon barbel record with this 19lb 4oz fish on a session with his mate Jerry Gleeson.
Dave targeted a slack by an overhanging tree a rodlength out, where he fished a 14mm halibut pellet over small pellets. After a chub of just under 6lb, his rod roared off at 5.30am the following morning, and he connected with a far more powerful fish. However, a bit of weed ended up over its head, and it came to the net with ease.
Dave then went to get Jerry, who was left in awe by the size of the fish, which is being processed by the Barbel Society as a new record for the venue.
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