The Rivers of Essex aren’t often in the headlines for big fish, but James Willsmer changed that recently when managed this chub of 7lb 8oz from a venue near his home in Chelmsford prior to the close season. The river he fishing is one that was historically known for good… Read more
Just two minutes after moving his smelt hookbait next to a tree in the margins, Alix Hepworth was rewarded with this 31lb 8oz PB pike. He was fishing a 100-acre midlands stillwater (a non-trout water) and, on the bright and calm day, felt he was looking at a blank. But… Read more
Phil White’s river campaign had, in his own words, been a poor one, until his tip pulled around one evening session at the end of the season and he landed this barbel of 21lb 5oz. It’s the second biggest ever reported and would have been a new British Record if… Read more
It’s been a fantastic winter for grayling, but the best was saved until last, after Daniel Bouskila landed this stunning 3lb 8oz fish prior to the season closing. He caught it from a small carrier stream of a southern chalk stream, having found the main river up and coloured. In… Read more
After enduring a spell of lost fish on the float, Keith Woods knew something had to change and, after making a few tweaks to his set-up, was rewarded with this 7lb 12oz chub. He’s been fishing the River Lea at Kings Weir but had ‘bumped’ lots of fish this season…. Read more
Fernando Costa hadn’t fished much over the last few seasons due to work commitments and some health issues, but early March he visited the Colne and landed this 16lb 5oz barbel. Fishing with his friend Rui Pedro (both are London-based chefs, originally from Portugal), the pair arrived on Saturday morning,… Read more
