Before the draw nobody could make their minds up as to which lake at Tunnel Barn Farm Fisheries on Saturday 21st May 2011 would produce the winner.

Whilst superstitious people may consider 13 to be unlucky for some this proved otherwise for Simon Christian (Stimech Anchor AC) a Memorial Mason from Bilston who drew peg 13 on Club pool where he fished luncheon meat on the pole to the island and down the edge to net a succession of carp to 7lbs, F1s and barbel for a winning net of 145lbs 4ozs. This is only Simon’s third Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier match since 2007, and his win means there is another new face in the line up in the grand final.
Simon Christian said “I had an island to fish to on the far side down the end of Club pool and fished to the end of the island to the far bank, and an edge swim to the right of me to 9 metres, with an empty peg to the left. I could have gone further to the right, but did not need to as I had a lot of fish within my swim and caught 11 fish in the last hour which were bigger than earlier in the match. I am over the moon to win the qualifier as I do a lot of match fishing, but only started fishing again in the last four years after a 6-7  year break. I decided to branch out this year and apply for some Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers, and applied for six, and ended up with two tickets, with this being my first one. I am looking forward to the final, and have got a lot of information from Kieron Rich which will hopefully put me in good stead for the final. Kieron has offered to be my bank runner if he doesn’t make it through from his four qualifiers he has left”.
Blustery sunny conditions with low water faced the anglers in this latest Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifying match at Tunnel Barn Farm, however the fish still fed and there were seven weights over the magic ton and the lowest weight to win a 10 peg section was 63lbs.
Runner up from Canal peg 4 was Chris Telling (Daiwa Gordon League) from Gloucester. Chris a Driving Instructor pole fished chopped worm and caster down the edge at 13metres to finish up with 118lbs 9ozs of F1s, barbel and smaller carp. In third place was Stuart Ballard (Maver Midland/Dynamite Baits) landed 110lbs 9ozs from peg 37 on New pool.  Fourth place fell to Carl Jewitt (Blue Bell AC) from Hull, who took 108lbs 8ozs of F1s and barbel from Peg 9 on Canal. Simon Fry (Starlets AS) filled fifth spot with 105lbs 11ozs from Club peg 12.
Moorlands Farm Fisheries at Hartlebury, Worcestershire is the venue for the next Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier on Saturday 28th May 2011, with just six more qualifiers to go in 2011.