38lb 8oz mirror at long range

In-form James Hawtin bagged this 38lb 8oz mirror as his run of fine captures shows no sign of slowing down.

The Derbyshire rod has now banked two 40s and 11 30s this year and took his latest specimen from a North-West stillwater.

The 31-year-old head chef also managed a 24lb 1oz carp during a 24-hour session in which he fished a large spread of bait at 125 yards’ range.

James said: “I turned up at the lake and saw fish at range, so I banged out a rig at that distance and put a large spread of bait around it.

“I continued to see fish over the spot and it didn’t take too long for the middle rod to melt off – it was a 20 so I was happy with that. Then the following morning the left-hand rod took off with a slow take and I lifted into what felt like a good fish.

“She was plodding around and 15 minutes went by before the fish finally rolled over the net. I was really made up with this one!”

James used Sticky’s Krill boilies and fished with a stiff rig incorporating a Nash Fang Twister hook, a 5oz zip lead and a Korda IQ hooklink.