Last cast throws up 26lb 4oz mirror

With his target venue flooded for the majority of the winter Dan Gilbert was relieved to finally slip the net under this 26lb 4oz mirror.

Braving freezing conditions, the Wiltshire-based Sticky backed rod fished a 14 hour overnight session and was staring a blank in the face but a take at last knockings changed his fortunes.

The fish fell to a White Chocolate pop-up fished over a light scattering of 16mm Vor-Tex boilies.

He said: “I was literally packing my gear away when one of my rods signalled a slow take. The fish put up a decent scrap but after 10 minutes I had it beat.”