BILLY Burnell questioned his sanity when he went out in dreadful weather to fish on Clanfield Angling Club’s stretch of the Thames over Christmas.

But the secretary of the Oxford & District Angling Association ended up with a personal best barbel.

Burnell, who is also the Kidlington AS secretary said: “The wind and rain was absolutely incredible, making light feeder fishing almost impossible.

“So, I rigged up a groundbait feeder with a banded pellet rig and fished the centre channel.

“For nearly three quarters of an hour I cowered behind a pegged down umbrella wondering what on earth had possessed me to even think about fishing.

“But then the rod leaped round, I lifted into the bite and instantly thought I was into a good fish.

“When I first saw its flank, that thought became certainty. After a really good fight, I landed it, put it into a keep net.”

After a phone call, Clanfield AC’s secretary Ali Foreshew came out to weigh the barbel, which was 13lb 10oz.

A delighted Burnell said: “It was a personal best barbel for me – and, considering it was caught on the upper Thames, I reckon, an excellent fish.”

OTHER RESULTS

Oakfield Fishery (Wednesday, Red Kite & Woodpecker Lakes, 20 fished): 1 N Dean 28.7.8, 2 J Rogers (Frenzee GOT Baits) 27.4.0, 3 J Brewster (Dynamite Oakfield) 26.1.0.

Oakfield Fishery (Saturday, Red Kite & Woodpecker Lakes, 13 fished): 1 M Stickley (Ernest Turner) 48.8.0, 2 S Bull (Acorn Angling) 47.14.0, 3 C Timms 46.14.0 .

Oakfield Fishery (Sunday, Brook Lake 13 pegs): 1 G Thorpe (GOT Baits) 40.7.0, 2 W Ruban 22.8.8, 3 S Carter, (Dynamite Oakfield), 21.10.0.

TOMORROW’S FIXTURES

North Oxford AS: Victory Cup (Cherwell, draw, 8, fishing 9-2).

Littlemore AS: New Year Wake Up (Sandford Lock, draw 7.30am, fishing 8.45-1.45).