Brutal fight from a PB eel - Alan Rio

“I’ve found that hot and sticky nights during July and August are the best times to catch eels, so I set my sights firmly on a Surrey club lake to try and nab a big one.

“Targeting the marginal shelf, I baited up with five pints of dead maggots and chopped prawns before flicking free-running twig rigs over the top with gudgeon deadbaits.

“I usually use worms, but the perch tend to be a nuisance!

“In the early hours my right-hand rod signalled a bite and I struck into a powerful fish which shook its head all the way to the net.

“At times the fight was brutal with the clutch wound to maximum! When I got the beauty in the net and weighed it I was elated – a new personal best eel at 5lb 4oz.”

Alan Rio – 5lb 4oz eel