He told us “I had been targeting the River Lee in search of a decent barbel or chub and it couldn’t have gone any better. On only my second session I set up in a swim which I had prebaited 2 nights previous with a couple of handfuls of 20mm pellet and a few chunks of peperami. I decided to go with some fairly simple tactics and set up a running rig with a 3oz gripper lead to hold bottom. On the business end I fished a 20mm pellet with a pva bag filled with 10mm pellet on one rod and on the other I opted for generous chunk of peperami with a bag of smaller cuts of the same.

I cast the pellet rod onto the prebaited area and the peperami rod a couple of rod lengths upstream and instantly received a couple of small taps. I sat patiently for a further 10 minutes before the tip signalled a rattle before it went round and I was in. After a crazy battle this old brute of a chub popped its head up and soon graced my net leaving me in total shock as I’d only landed chub to around the 2lb mark previously. I could tell this was a special one what some might say “fish of a lifetime” so I left it for 20 minutes to rest in the net as I awaited my friend Dan to do some catch shots. At 7lb 8oz I have smashed my pb and am now mega keen to get back out on the river hunt for a big barbel.”