News

First-ever ticket lands Doncaster man in final.
Marukyu-backed rod Craig Jones, an accountant from Doncaster, has won the Makins Fish 'O' Mania qualifier with a 99lb 8oz bag. Fishing his first-ever Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier, Craig brought a splendid 99lb 8ozs to the scales from Peg A13 on Lake 2. He only had a dozen fish with the biggest weighing around 15lb. He caught the bulk of these on the Method feeder tight to the island with an odd fish coming to the bomb, with 8mm pellets his main hook bait.

With the rise in temperatures during the preceding week, the expectations for a really good match were high at the draw. Unfortunately the wind strengthened during the day and at times was positively frightening. This severely restricted tactics, and as a result many anglers were simply unable to get the best out of their pegs.  Several pole sections also became the casualties of the ferocious gusts.

Even so, over 30lb was needed to win 10 of the 13 10-peg sections and the top six anglers averaged almost 70lb a man.

Runner up on the day was the ever-consistent Grant Albutt (Matrix/Bait Tech), who caught mainly carp to 8lb from Peg 21 on Lake 5. He caught on both meat and maggots fishing the bomb, and then later on down the margin. Grant amazingly has finished in second spot in seven qualifiers, and surely must make it to the grand final very soon.

Third with an excellent 74lb 15oz was 18-year-old Adam Logan from Ilkeston. Adam fished meat close in at Lizard Peg 29 taking carp to 15lb. Jamie Hughes was fourth with 74lb 10oz at A4 on Lake 2, just a carp ahead of Richard Woodsford who weighed 68lb 6oz further along the same bank at A15.