25lb barbel brace ends run of blanks

A run of blank sessions on the River Loddon came to a welcome end for Mark Erdwin with the capture of two barbel for a combined weight of over 25lb.

The biggest of his brace topped the scales at 14lb and came an hour in to a short evening  trip on the Reading waterway after picking up his trimmed down 18mm boilie hookbait which had been glugged and wrapped in paste.

“It was a typical barbel bite that really pulled the rod tip round,” said Mark. “It hugged the bottom and powered off downstream before I eventually coaxed it back to the net. At 14lb it is a new venue best for me.”

He then rounded of the session with the capture of an 11lb barbel. Both fish were beaten with rigs tied with 18ins of 12lb Drennan Sink Braid and size 8 Ashima hooks.