The River Trent is Britain’s most popular barbel river, but there are certain stretches better associated with match angling, such as at Burton Joyce. It’s where the RiverFest final is held, but Chris Nash highlighted its big barbel credentials when he landed this belting 19lb 5oz fish from there.
Chris lives in Cornwall and had driven north to visit family. Fancying some barbel fishing, as there aren’t any in his home county, he booked two days on the stretch. During the first, his target species evaded him, however he had landed some nice roach.
On the second day, he moved to the swim next door and had landed a few silverfish before his reel screamed off and his 1.75tc rod bent double. An arm-aching battle followed in the rising river, but eventually Chris netted a fish that he couldn’t believe the size of. At 19lb 5oz, it’s one of the biggest barbel ever landed from the Trent, and fell to a big bunch of maggots fished on a size 12 hook.
Well done Chris!