Having had an unsuccessful Pike trip to the River Arun at Watersfield rather than just going home Ian Duffy switched his attention to the Rother in the hope of catching one of it’s specimen Barbel.

He was certainly glad he made that spontaneous decision because within thirty minutes of setting up in his chosen swim his rod bent right round and after a good ten minute fight which tested his tackle to the limit he landed this 14lb 1oz PB Barbel .