Important Information

UK Barbel Masters 2026

The final will be a 48 hour match (50 pegs).

• Friday 2nd October 2026 to Sunday 4th October 2026.
• Arrive from 0700.
• Draw at 0900.
• Fish from 1100 Friday to 1100 Sunday.
• The final presentation will take place at approx. 1230 on Sunday 4th October 2026.

The anglers competing in this years final are

1 James Benfield

2 Paul Townsend

3 Dave Hough

4 Andrew Bate

5 Richard Brown

6 Przemek Dyk

7 Francis Lee

8 Owen Kelly

9 Lee Martin

10 Richard Count

11 David Parker

12 Rob Kenyon

13 Adam Bruce

14 Justin Stoddard

15 Jamie Graves

16 Glen Davenport

17 Bruce Hobbs

18 Paul Sparkes

19 Lee Ellis

20 Nathan Elbourne

21 Stuart Glover

22 Robin Grew

23 Gary Barron

24 Paul Cotterill

25 Mike Lloyd

26 Nick Ince

27 Andy Rogers

28 Reece Swaith

29 Greg Gibbard

30 Adam Miller

31 Dean Gymer

32 Richard Cottrell

33 Clinton Clouting

34 Ricky Mitchell

35 Ben Wilson

36 Nick Render

37 Lewis Boardman

38 Wayne Keyte

39 Mark Brayne

40 Ryan Spencer

41 Daniel Worral

42 Michael Wasilewski

43 Rob Annable

44 Mark Fox

45 Adam Brettoner

46 Ben Iley

47 Sniz Roberts

48 Eddie Turner

49 Mark Kirkham (Champion 2025)

50 Ian Moore (GOLDEN TICKET)

Note in the event that the organisers and/or A1 Pits determine the river is not safe to fish, should flooding occur etc, the qualifiers/final will be moved to 1 week later or until the qualifiers/final can take place.

The Rules

• The UK Barbel Masters is a Feeder/Lead & Float only competition, as such there are a few simple rules to help competitors.
• Deepers are not allowed. Anglers can as soon as they are at their peg use a lead to find any features in their swim.
• The use of spoppers for baiting is not allowed. Any bait introduced must be via a feeder, catapult, pva mesh or by hand.
• No bait to be introduced prior to the start of the competition.
• Feeder/Lead & Float only, rolling meat is allowed.
• Only two rods to be in use at any one time.
• Rods and reels must be used.
• Fishery Rules apply.
• No braided main lines to be used.
• No fixed lead set-ups (semi fixed is ok), leads must be able to separate from the line if snagged.
• No rods to be left unattended.
• Anglers must have 2 landing nets available to land any fish caught.
• Toilets are not available, bag and bin your personal waste & litter, do not leave it at the venue.
• No lighting of fires allowed and any cooking apparatus must be raised off the floor and not leave scorch marks.
• The peg the angler draws is the peg they fish in the match. There is no exchanging of pegs.
• If an angler leaves before the end of the match, they will be disqualified and therefore forfeit any cash and sponsor prizes.
• No angler can receive any help in the match in relation to casting rods, landing fish, swim baiting.
• Anyone breaking the rules will be disqualified.
• The events organising committees’ decision is final.

FISH WELFARE

• Please use a large, deep, fine knotless meshed landing net and always allow the barbel time to recover in a sufficient depth before removing the fish from the water.
• Transfer the fish, in the net, from the water and place the fish on a wet unhooking mat whilst you remove the hook. After the hook has been removed return the fish back to the water in your landing net and allow further time for it to recover.
• We have a weigh and release policy. We will have dedicated marshals who will weigh the barbel individually and released soon after capture.
• Please ensure that all barbel are nursed so as they are fully recovered before release.
• Unhooking mats must be used whenever a fish is to be laid on the ground, even if it is in a landing net.

Additional Information for the final

• The competition winner will be the highest overall weight of barbel in the match (they will be excluded from the section winnings/places but not the biggest fish prize).
• The competition second overall will be the second highest overall weight of barbel in the match (they will be excluded from the section winnings/places but not the biggest fish prize).
• The competition third overall will be the third highest overall weight of barbel in the match (they will be excluded from the section winnings/places but not the biggest fish prize).
• In the event of a tie it will be decided on the most number of barbel caught by the anglers tied, if it is still a tie the biggest barbel they caught, then the time of the first barbel caught. If it is still a tie then the prizes will be split.
• The biggest fish winner will be the biggest fish landed in the match (in the event of a tie the prize will be split).
• Section prizes will be for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the sections of 10 anglers based on the highest overall weight of barbel in the match. The overall winners 1st, 2nd and 3rd are excluded from the section prizes. In the event of a tie in any of the sections it will be decided on the most number of barbel caught by the anglers tied, if it is still a tie the biggest barbel they caught, then the time of the first barbel caught. If it is still a tie then the tied anglers names will be drawn.
• In the event that insufficient anglers catch in their sections then any remaining prizes will be drawn for those sections (only anglers present at the presentation will have their names in this draw).

The UK Barbel Masters committee reserve the right to alter any of competition rules as required.

The final prizes

Overall Winner £5000 plus £1000 rrp of prizes which are a set of custom made 13ft 2.75 Code Chipher Rods and a Trakker Levelite longback recliner chair camo

• Plus sponsors prizes which include

3 Okuma Reels and a £441 RRP Dynamite Bait Bundle,

Reuben Heaton Specimen Scales 30 x 1/2 oz and pouch,

£100 Foxy Leads,

Cadence 2 barbel rods and 2 reels,

£50 Billing Tackle in store voucher.

Overall 2nd £2000 plus £500 rrp of prizes which is a Trakker summit x brolly system supplied by Leigh Tackle

• Plus sponsors prizes which include

£301 RRP Dynamite Bait Bundle,

£100 Foxy Leads,

Cadence £300 online voucher,

£50 Billing Tackle in store voucher,

Barbel Fishing Competition prize - Fox large strip light.

Overall 3rd £1000 plus £500 rrp of prizes Trakker summit x brolly system supplied by Leigh Tackle

• Plus sponsors prizes which include

£201 RRP Dynamite Bait Bundle,

£100 Foxy Leads,

Cadence £200 online voucher,

£50 Billing Tackle in store voucher,

Barbel Fishing Competition prize - Korda compac olive weigh sling.

Biggest fish £500 (final only)

• Plus sponsors prizes which include

£75 Foxy Leads,

Future Reel Services - 2 free reel services,

Korum Specialist chair - Essex County Angling,

£50 Billing Tackle in store voucher.

Sections (5 sections of 10 anglers)

1st £500

• Plus sponsors prizes which include £75 Foxy Leads, Vortex - Bait Bundle, 6 months Angling Times on line subscription and a SkerKro online store voucher.

2nd £350

• Plus sponsors prizes which include 72 hours free fishing on A1 pits river section and a £10 Independent Fishing Tackle (Doncaster)

3rd £200

• Plus sponsors prizes which is 24 hours free fishing Gunthorpe Lock Fishery.

There's also a prize from Severn Valley Barbel Products for the fish barbel caught in the final.

Please note that the cash prizes will only be paid via bank transfer and are subject to all places being filled. Should we not fill all the places the cash prizes will be reduced according to the number of anglers participating in the event. Additionally the sponsors prizes may change and full details will be updated on our website and on our Facebook page.

• all sponsor prizes are subject to them being received by UK Barbel Masters from the relevant sponsor.