Spicy meat fools 17lb 4oz barbel

A twist on a popular supermarket bait helped Gary Morgan take this huge 17lb 4oz barbel during a session on the River Dove.

The Burton-on-Trent ace targeted a renowned hotspot on the Staffordshire waterway using luncheon meat flavoured with masala curry spice and just a couple of hours after casting out his tip was pulled round.

Despite the fish doing its best to find sanctuary in a set of nearby snags, his rig, comprising of 15lb mainline, a short braided hooklink and a size 4 hook, held firm and his prize was soon beaten.

Incredibly, it is the fifth time he had landed the fish and he told Angling Times: “This fish set my previous best at 15lb 15oz a couple of years ago but it’s put a lot of weight on recent months.”