Just weeks after banking a stunning 12lb 2oz specimen, the Gardner Tackle-backed ace targeted a completely different southern Stillwater baited a 12ft deep marginal gully with maggot and hempseed. Little did he know he was about to enjoy the session of a lifetime…

After having a good run of double figure bream to 11lb 9oz Mike connected with a string of tench, which was topped by the 12lb 4oz tinca.

“I had a slow twitchy take, that straight away felt like a much better fish” Mike recalls.

“After a couple of minutes, I could see a very big tench in the clear water, and soon thankfully had her in the net.”

The fish is a new personal best for the Gardner Tackle-backed ace, who had all his fish on bunches of maggot fished helicopter-style with a maggot feeder.