The Birmingham Anglers Association stretch of the River Anker at Bolehall has thrown up a massive barbel going 15lb, its second biggest ever.

Sutton Coldfield angler Barry Finch lost a huge, unseen fish early on in the session but put that right when the personal best barbel took a liking to his 11mm SonuBait Halihooker pellet presented in an area of slack water close to the far bank on a size 14 hook and 8lb line. He initially thought he’d latched into a carp, but it turned out to be a magnificent barbel 4oz short of the existing river record caught by Phil Smith in January.