Double figure Barbel from Bristol Avon

Fishing a free stretch of the Bristol Avon for the first time, Phil Chun decided to try a swim with a large bush on the inside of a bend. Phil was going to put in a lot of free bait, then on second thoughts he decided to just fish a PVA bags full of Bag or Boat mixed pellets. Tackle was an Avon action barbel feeder rod, matched with 8lb breaking strain line, with a simple running rig, with a short mono hook length. Fishing a hair rig he baited with a 16 mm drilled crab pellet, with a tiny rubber pellet to hold it in place.
First cast to the bush, and quickly the tip wrapped around, the culprit was a chub of around 3lb. In the next two hours Phil landed, 2 more chub around the same size and 4 barbel up to 6lb. After a quiet spell he put in six ready made up bags of pellets under the bush by hand to see if he could get the fish on the feed.
Ten minutes passed then the rod started to tap, all of a sudden it pulled around. Twice this happened in quick succession. The culprit both times where new PB barbel one of exactly 8lbs and one of 8lbs 1oz. Third cast after baiting with the bags and the tip was pulled from the rod rest by what felt like a powerful fish, after a tremendous scrap with the fish making several lunges for the bush, it was eventually beaten by steady pressure and well balanced tackle. Phil eventually netted a big barbel. On the scales it weighed 12lb 4oz. A truly awesome evening session. Speaking to local tackle shop, it seems the fishing has been rather slow, as far as they know the Avon hasn't produced a double all year!!!!
Phil had this fish just two days after catching a personal best bream of 15-6-0 This season Phil has caught personal best carp tench bream and barbel see picture