Those were the days! Specimen Angling By Design is a book I often pick up for a read from my bookshelf and 'the sopley fish' is a super article.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
With this in mind I have made the short drive to the area where those fish used to inhabit on a few occasions in the past and also quite recently, armed with bait dropper, a few pellets and of course the polarising sunglasses...
Unfortunately as you have probably guessed, the area in question only appears to contain a few chub nowadays!
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
However, a few weeks ago, just a short distance away from 'the sopley fish' area, an angling pal and I spotted two huge barbs grubbing about on the free offerings we bait-droppered in a short time previously. I looked at my mate and his jaw had dropped almost to the ground, confirming my thoughts that the barbel being observed were the fish of dreams.
Unfortunately I had other commitments the following day but my pal was understandably eager to try and outwit these two monster barbel from their lair, a pact was made that he would keep me updated by txt message on any further developments...
The following day at around 5pm my mobile phone buzzed into action and on opening the message it simply said '14lb 6oz'...
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif)
I was stunned, and made the short drive to the swim for photographs and handshakes!
The following day my phone sprang into life again mid aftenoon, this time the message said '14lb 7oz'
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif)
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif)
As before, I hightailed it to the area where my mate had the fish sacked up in the main flow of the river. On arrival we photographed the scale perfect specimen, then carefully released her, watching as she melted back into the depths of the Hampshire Avon. We were astonished at what had occurred...what a pair of barbs!
We noted the obvious distinguishing marks from both fish for future reference in a daze...
I can’t wait to observe any summer/winter fluctuation of these barbel, and was glad to have read your article in the book which almost mystically drew us to this particular area of the river to capture not one, but two fish of a lifetime!
The 14lb 7oz Barbel...
![Image](http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae196/dawkie/DSC00084-2-1-1.jpg)
kind regards,
Dawkie.