Watson In The Final
Louth ace qualifies for fifth Fish 'O' Mania Final.
Former Fish 'O' Mania champion Nathan Watson has qualified for the final for a fifth time after winning the qualifier at Woodland View Fishery.
Nathan, who was also crowned ‘Champion Of Champions’ after winning a match between all previous winners, was overjoyed to have qualified once again. He explained: ”I wasn’t that confident when I drew Peg 11 on Ghost Pool, as the wind was pushing over my back, and though I had some room, the windward end of the lake looked far more appealing.
"My match got off to a disastrous start, too. I started off shallow, but after around 20 minutes fishing I got snapped, and a big carp made off with my favourite float! I was gutted. I must have had it 20 years!
"I had a sandwich and a cup of coffee to calm down and cast the pellet feeder out while I was eating. I managed another carp on this, but with Mark Pollard on the next peg now catching well down the edge, I had to give it a go. Some geese had been stirring up the bottom in one of my margins, so I dropped in here just feeding a few dead maggots via a Kinder pot, and the result was instant! Five carp later and I felt I was back in the race.
"For the remainder of the match, I alternated between either margin, taking a succession of good fish. When the scales arrived, I recorded 152lb 8oz. I wasn’t sure I had done enough – though I had several people message me on Facebook to congratulate me before the official result was confirmed!
Former Fish 'O' Mania champion Nathan Watson has qualified for the final for a fifth time after winning the qualifier at Woodland View Fishery.
Nathan, who was also crowned ‘Champion Of Champions’ after winning a match between all previous winners, was overjoyed to have qualified once again. He explained: ”I wasn’t that confident when I drew Peg 11 on Ghost Pool, as the wind was pushing over my back, and though I had some room, the windward end of the lake looked far more appealing.
"My match got off to a disastrous start, too. I started off shallow, but after around 20 minutes fishing I got snapped, and a big carp made off with my favourite float! I was gutted. I must have had it 20 years!
"I had a sandwich and a cup of coffee to calm down and cast the pellet feeder out while I was eating. I managed another carp on this, but with Mark Pollard on the next peg now catching well down the edge, I had to give it a go. Some geese had been stirring up the bottom in one of my margins, so I dropped in here just feeding a few dead maggots via a Kinder pot, and the result was instant! Five carp later and I felt I was back in the race.
"For the remainder of the match, I alternated between either margin, taking a succession of good fish. When the scales arrived, I recorded 152lb 8oz. I wasn’t sure I had done enough – though I had several people message me on Facebook to congratulate me before the official result was confirmed!
"I am delighted to be in the final again. You never know, if it goes well for me I might be able to afford to replace that pole float I lost!”
A very close runner-up was Craig O’Brien, who weighed 147lb 12oz from Peg 9 on Hay Pool. Craig had carp to 8lb on the feeder fishing tight across with meat. Third was another previous Fish ‘O’ Mania Champion, England feeder team international Steve Ringer. Steve caught carp to 7lb on the pellet feeder from Arles Peg 24. Team England regular Des Shipp took fourth place from Peg 34 on Back Deans. Des caught carp to 8lb plus some skimmers on corn over pellets to weigh 118lb 4oz. Fifth was top Stratford-upon-Avon angler Simon Fry, who took 107lb 3oz to the scales from High Pool Peg 24.
With only two Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers remaining for 2013 it will be interesting to see who the next angler will be who qualifies at Woodlands Lakes Fishery at Thirsk on Saturday, June 15th, to join the grand final line-up in July.
A very close runner-up was Craig O’Brien, who weighed 147lb 12oz from Peg 9 on Hay Pool. Craig had carp to 8lb on the feeder fishing tight across with meat. Third was another previous Fish ‘O’ Mania Champion, England feeder team international Steve Ringer. Steve caught carp to 7lb on the pellet feeder from Arles Peg 24. Team England regular Des Shipp took fourth place from Peg 34 on Back Deans. Des caught carp to 8lb plus some skimmers on corn over pellets to weigh 118lb 4oz. Fifth was top Stratford-upon-Avon angler Simon Fry, who took 107lb 3oz to the scales from High Pool Peg 24.
With only two Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers remaining for 2013 it will be interesting to see who the next angler will be who qualifies at Woodlands Lakes Fishery at Thirsk on Saturday, June 15th, to join the grand final line-up in July.
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