After a promising forecast for the 13th Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier on Saturday 2nd June 2012, the weather took a turn for the worse as the draw took place leaving the anglers to face a cold, drizzly day, and this almost certainly affected the sport. That said this beautifully kept fishery – Partridge Lakes, near Warrington produced a cracking match.
Eleven of the thirteen sections were won with over 60 lbs and a quick calculation showed that the average weight per angler was over 26 lbs, even including 46 anglers who did not bother to weigh.
Top rod was Surrey angler, Ben Emery (Marukyu/Garbolino), a previous Fish ‘O’ Mania grand finalist in 2010. The 31 year old cabinet maker drew Peg 16 on the Holbar 2 pool and caught carp to 12 lbs to put 123 lbs 5 ozs on the scales. Early on he caught fishing shallow with 6 mm pellet, but as the day went on he switched to his left hand margin to take some real “lumps”. Ben’s wife sat behind keeping score and at the weigh in she was less than 10 lbs adrift.
Runner up on Holbar 1 pool peg 9 was accountant, Peter Plant, from Stone in Staffordshire. Peter fished caster shallow all day to take 81 lbs 11 ozs of carp to 8 lbs to the scales. Third spot went to Grant Albutt fishing Covey 48. Grant weighed 78 lbs 10 ozs of F1’s and mirrors to 5 lbs taken shallow on caster and also on a short meat line. Simon Skelton took fourth place with 78 lbs 3 ozs. He was three pegs away from Grant on Covey 51 and caught a mixture of ide, F1’s and carp to 5 lbs on pellet. In fifth place was Rob Pelling on Willow 19. Rob caught carp, ide and roach for a total of 76 lbs 6 ozs on soft hook pellet.
The 14th Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier action moves to Preston Innovations Boldings Fishery, Bridgnorth, Shropshire on Saturday 9th June 2012. With only three more qualifiers to go for this year it will be interesting to see who joins the grand final line up for one of the most prestigious matches in angling for a chance to win the coveted title of Fish ‘O’ Mania Champion 2012, and the major prize pot of £30,000 on Saturday 14th July.
