John bags huge Hampshire Avon Barbel at 16lb 5oz

A huge congratulations from all at Hinders to John McGough on the capture of one of the Hampshire Avons finest Barbel. Johns a regular user of our Elips Range and consistently puts specimen barbel and chub on the bank. He's given us a fantastic account of his day leading up to the capture as well as some stunning photos.

Well deserved and thanks again!

"Its funny how things turn out at times when you never expect it to come good. I've been targeting a particular fish for 3 months now and working myself into a jibbering wreck as to how to catch it. Just recently I've been watching her feed and her unwillingness to feed on clean gravel. This fish would only feed under the weed or on a very 'dirty' silty bottom. I spent this afternoon once again observing her frustrating behaviour and at 5 pm decided to call it a day after this fish and not to return to the swim again. some fish I do believe just avoid capture year after year after year and grow big and old in their later life uncaught.

I decided to move to a different stretch at 5.30 pm and just enjoy the evening in an area where I wasn't continually looking in and where I could sit back and hopefully have the chance of a fish. Summer fishing on the Avon is tiring, frustrating and often unrewarding. I had been on the new stretch for a couple of hours and had recast just the once when a little into dark the center pin screamed into life. After 5 minutes of a heavy battle under the rod tip my prize slid over the rim of the net and I could see she was likely to be a bit special. I rest her in the net whilst I got the scales and camera ready. Lifting her onto the scales was a feeling that will live with me for a very long time, registering a weight of 16lb 5oz and a new personal best. It was also a fish that was unknown to me and not a fish I would have expected from there. Its funny how such a frustrating 3 months after a particular fish has come oh so good in the end. Once again I must thank Hinders Bait for doing the business yet again, a Blitz Dumbell wrapped in Paste with a pva bag of broken blitz dumbells and Medium Elips Pellets".

Hinders have got it... ...and it's catching!