Everything seems to be going right for James Dent (MAP/Marukyu), a 21 year old Joiner from Yarm, with two recent wins under his belt already this year in the Dynamite Baits Festival and qualifying for the ‘Maver Match This’ Final, as well as coming second in the Milo Festival and being selected for Sensas U23’s England World Championship Team. James came to one of his favourite venues, The Oaks Lakes, in Sessay for the ninth Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier on Saturday 11th May 2013 as one of the anglers on form.
With a very cold North East wind blowing from across the new lakes and low overnight temperatures for the past few nights most attention focused on Maple and Cedar to offer the best opportunity which was the case in the final results. Drawing peg 55 on Maple put James on the more sheltered side of the lake, and using his knowledge of the venue he fished a pellet baited method feeder across to a bush on the far bank to put together 37 kilos 500 gm of carp to take the match and secure his place in the 20th Fish ‘O’ Mania grand final at Cudmore Fisheries on the 13th July. James said after the match that he had a great day and now had the grand final to look forward to.
In second place was Colin Scott, a Compressor Sales Engineer from Ainsworth, Bolton who crossed the Pennines to fish this qualifier, he also was drawn on Maple, peg 16. Colin fished pellet on the pole across to the far bank sedges for mirrors and commons to put together his weight of 25 kilos 750 gm. All eyes were on Nathan Watson, a past Fish ‘O’ Mania winner and regular competitor who drew next to the last and pulled out the always fancied peg 1 on Maple. Nathan from Louth in Lincolnshire swapped between pellet and meat hook baits towards the corner of the island and the aerator as well as long pole down the margins to the tight corner to finish the match with carp and an odd barbel and tench to give him 24 kilos 750 gm and third spot in the match.
Lee Brockbank an Electrician from Redcar fished his first Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier and drew peg 65 on Maple, fishing 4 mm pellet tight to the mud line on the far bank for carp, perch and ide for his fourth place spot with 23 kilos 500 gm. Two anglers tied for fifth place, regular Fish ‘O’ Mania angler Lee Bragden from Chapeltown in Sheffield drew peg 80 on Cedar, and Manchester Builder Mike Thompson drawn on Maple 63 both finished the match with 23 kilos 250 gm.
With only seven Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers left for 2013 the next qualifier heads to Barford Lakes, in Norwich on Saturday 18th May.
