STOCKTON'S Barry Smith enjoyed an incredible and hectic final 60 minutes to claim the individual title with 8.450 kg in the Embassy Division Three National Angling Championship recently.
Smith, a 48-year-old diesel fitter from Fairfield, only had a few small roach and perch in his net at the competition on the Stainforth and Keadby canal, near Crowle, when, with 70 minutes to go, he spotted an angler next to him land an eel.
He said: "I was hoping I would get a bonus eel to boost my weight, so I went over the far bank with some chopped worm and switched to a groundbait feeder with worm on the hook."
His first bite on the far bank netted him a 1 kg plus bream and he went on to land six more bream to race to an impressive victory and £2,511 in prize money.
He said: "It was an incredible final 60 minutes and to win the Embassy national title is just unbelievable. I have fished in ten previous nationals, but never really achieved anything. My previous biggest pay day was just £260."
Unfortunately, Smith's Yarm AA team could only finish 24th - outside the top ten teams who were promoted to division two. A total of 55 teams of 12 anglers took part.
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