This season, two-times Drennan Cup winer Simon Daley has been on a bit of a big-barbel mission. Having landed huge fish from the Lea, Hampshire Avon and Itchen, he decided to try for them on a stretch of the Dorset Stour at the end of the season.
With the river flooded, Simon targeted a spot in a slack just a few feet off the bank.
Using a homemade boilie on his usual rig, comprising of a short hooklink below an inline lead and a backlead to pin everything down, he had landed a 6lb 13oz chub and was contemplating packing up when his rod hammered over.The fight that followed was one that will live long in Simon’s memory, with the powerful fish hammering around in the powerful flow. With his heart pounding, Simon slipped a long and lean specimen into the net, with the weighing 16lb 1oz. Amazingly, just a few days beforehand, Simon landed barbel of 15lb 6oz and 11lb 4oz from the River Lea, although those two were caught on trotted maggots whilst he was trying for chub!
Using a homemade boilie on his usual rig, comprising of a short hooklink below an inline lead and a backlead to pin everything down, he had landed a 6lb 13oz chub and was contemplating packing up when his rod hammered over.The fight that followed was one that will live long in Simon’s memory, with the powerful fish hammering around in the powerful flow. With his heart pounding, Simon slipped a long and lean specimen into the net, with the weighing 16lb 1oz. Amazingly, just a few days beforehand, Simon landed barbel of 15lb 6oz and 11lb 4oz from the River Lea, although those two were caught on trotted maggots whilst he was trying for chub!
Well done Simon!