Monster roach taken on barbel gear

A short barbel fishing session on the Bristol Avon has produced the largest river roach of the season.....and one of the biggest to ever come out of the waterway!

The huge fish, which not surprisingly smashed the angler's previous personal best for the species, fell to a legered 10mm halibut pellet.

He said: "It's not the first time I've caught big roach while barbelling. Last season from the same stretch I pulled out 13 Roach over the 1lb mark to 1lb 9oz....but this fish was something else!"

Full details and more pictures in next week's Angling Times, on sale 19th June.