Trip Reports / Notable Guests / John Found, Barbel Society

NOTABLE GUESTS

John Found, Barbel Society

Guided by ben Stay 2 weeks, Suite Bungalow Result 80+ fish, 11 species

As Honorary Vice President of the UK’s Barbel Society, John Found has fished more waters than most anglers will ever see. He spent two weeks at TopCats putting the lake properly to the test.

Booked into a Suite Bungalow with private “Hideaway” access, John had the kind of extended, unhurried stay that lets an angler actually learn a lake rather than just sample it. Guided by Ben throughout, the pair worked methodically across TopCats’ different swims, adjusting tactics as they built up a picture of where and when each species was feeding.

The standout swim was Swim No. 9 — the lake’s most storied peg, with a reputation among regular guests that precedes it. John landed two Arapaima from it during the stay, on top of a broader tally of 80-plus fish across 11 species by the time he left.