Simon has been in search of a double figure barbel from the River Wear for over 9 years.

Simon was fishing the river as it was rising but gut feeling made him stick it out even though conditions were not perfect.

The first fish was a 9 pounder followed fairly quickly by the first fish of 11lbs 9oz setting a new personal best. The rods are cast out with a PVA bag full of mixed small  sonubaits pellets with a 11mm Sonubaits Halibut Pellet as the hookbait.

Later in the morning another fish of the same weight 11lbs 9oz fell to the same tactics!