Labour’s Parliamentary Spokesman for Angling, Reading West MP Martin Salter showed that he can catch fish as well as talk about the sport when he landed his personal best Kennet barbel of 10Ibs 9oz from the river near Newbury in a short evening session after work. Martin also took three other barbel and a chub in less than three hours fishing using a cut down halibut boilie fished below a feeder rig containing mixed pellets and hemp.
Martin Salter said: “I hardly ever get a chance to be out on the riverbank on a midweek evening as I am not usually home from the House of Commons until very late. Luckily for me the House business was over in time for me to get back to Reading and squeeze in a short but dramatic three hour session on one of my favourite barbel swims. The fish fought like a demon and was in pristine condition.â€
He added: “I have caught bigger barbel from the Avon and Loddon but for some reason the Kennet tends to produce lots of fish for me but I rarely seem to get amongst the doubles with any regularity.â€
