River Dearne barbel record
Wayne Hopkinson has smashed the River Dearne barbel record with the capture of this 15lb 4oz specimen.
The Rotherham-based rod targeted a rarely fished area of the South Yorkshire waterway and cast out a simple blockend maggot feeder rig over a shallow gravel bar surrounded by lots of streamer weed.
Wayne told Angling Times: “To see the size of this fish from such a small river was a shock and a real eye opener to us. I had only decided to fish the river as I’d heard a rumour of a big fish with a distinctive bend in tail.”
The previous biggest barbel reported from the River Dearne was a fish of 11lb 1oz caught by Michael Tackacs in October 2011.
