Decent weather again greeted the 130 competitors for this, the 13th Fish O Mania qualifier at this picturesque and excellent Partridge Lakes Fishery on Saturday 1st June 2013.
11 lakes were in use including the new Covey 5 Lake, and the fishery staff were expecting good weights to be recorded as a result of a change in the weather and the previous week’s good weights, even though there was a cold north easterly wind blowing, which was still adding a chill to the water. They weren’t to be disappointed as the top six anglers all recorded over 100 lbs.
Drawing fancied peg Pine 2 was Jamie Hughes an angling coach from Wirral, Merseyside and no stranger to the Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers. Setting his stall out to fish shallow at 11 metres, loose feeding casters with caster as hook bait, he caught almost straight away, although they weren’t the type of fish he was hoping to catch, mainly rudd and the odd small F1 thrown in for good measure. Not being deterred by this lack of decent sized fish, he persevered and was rewarded after the first hour with the bigger stamp of F1’s and carp moving into his swim and caught steadily for the remainder of the match. His final tally was 148 lbs 14 ozs, made up of carp and F1’s to 3 lb which booked him his place into the Fish ‘O’ Mania grand final.
In second place, drawn on new lake Covey 5 peg 105 was Brian Shepherd, (Upholland Labour Club), an accountant from Skelmersdale. Brian caught over 200 F1’s to 2 lb and finished with 127 lbs 11 ozs. His tactic was different to the winner, using 6 mm pellet at 11 metres and at depth. Third place went to another regular Fish ‘O’ Mania competitor, Neil Machin, (Bag Em, Garbolino), a logistics manager from Stoke on Trent. Neil drew Holbar peg 12, and fished pellet and paste to record a total of 122 lbs 10 ozs catching carp to 8 lb.
Fourth spot went to Eddie Bridon, (Ultimate Barnsley Blacks), a plasterer from Durham who drew Covey 5, peg 119. Eddie fished short and shallow; using micro pellets and groundbait, catching F1’s and carp to 3 lbs to record a weigh of 110 lbs 1 oz. In fifth place was Paul Burton, (Anglers World Holidays), a joiner from Copmanthorpe, Yorks. Paul drew Covey 1, peg 7 and like the winner fished caster shallow to record a weight of 104 lbs 2 ozs.
The Fish ‘O’ Mania action heads to Woodlands View Fishery in Droitwich on Wednesday 5th June with another place up for grabs to secure in the grand final in July.
