On the way to work most nights, he’s dropped a bit of bait into three swims, and on sessions prior to the capture of the eighteen-pounder, he had managed three barbel of 13lb 11oz, 13lb 7oz, and 12lb 3oz, despite the Avon running very low. With heavy rain adding a touch of colour and pace to the river, Nigel knew he needed to go fishing and arrived to find a friend fishing his first-choice swim.

Walking to the next area he’s been baiting, Nigel dropped a PVA bag filled with crushed boilies, small pellets, and a few whole 14mm boilies in a weed-free channel close to the bank. His rig was a short six-inch braided hooklink, a size 10 hook, 3oz in-line lead, all presented below a back-lead, three feet up the line, and another right under his rod tip to pin everything down. It took just 30 minutes for the bite to come, and after a battle through the weed, Nigel drew a very large fish to the net. It smashes his previous PB of 16lb 12oz and left Nigel with a huge grin on his face for the rest of the session.

Well done Nigel!