Trent barbel personal best is worth a soaking

Donovan Stowe braved torrential rain and was duly rewarded with a new personal best barbel from the River Trent.

The 15lb 11oz specimen was taken by the Nottingham-based 33-year-old on a piece of luncheon meat mounted on a size 8 Fox hook and a 20lb Gardner braided hooklink, and beat his previous pb for the species of 14lb.

He said: “I’ve never known a fish to run and fight so hard. It took me well over 10 minutes to land as every time I got it near the net it just charged off again.”

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