Rising river just the ticket for a big barbel

When you’re faced with a rapidly rising river it can be easy to give up and go home. Liam Twells was close to doing this on the middle Trent, but he decided to head downstream and was rewarded with this 16lb 3oz barbel.

“I couldn’t get to my normal peg due to the high river levels, but I settled into a swim downstream, and had a session to remember,” he said.

“I was quickly into a 14lb 10oz barbel which I was more than happy with, so I started to pack up at around 7am as I had to get to work. But then my right-hand rod hooped over and line was stripped from the reel!

“After a 15-minute battle the fish came to the surface and my heart started pounding. Eventually I got it in the net and was buzzing. What a moment!”

Liam Twells 16lb 3oz Trent barbel