Once again the weather played its part in the penultimate round of the 2012 Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifying matches at Woodlands Lakes, Thirsk with heavy rain and thunder storms in the days leading up to the match.
On the day it was current Fish ‘O’ Mania Champion Shane Atkin (Billingham Angling Club) who took the honours. The 31 year old angler from Billingham, Cleveland drew peg 23 towards the far end of Skylark Lake to put 78lb 12oz of common and mirror carp in his net, fishing method feeder with a banded 6mm pellet on the hook he caught steadily throughout the day to secure his place in the Fish ‘O’ Mania grand final for the second year.
Second place went to Fish ‘O’ Mania regular Greg Norris (Garbolino/Bagem baits) who drew peg 16 on Curlew Lake. Greg fished paste at 6 and 13 metres to land carp and skimmers to make up his 74lb 15oz weight with his biggest carp going 15lb.
The most unfortunate angler on the day was John Pease from Doncaster, pegged 15 on Skylark. John fished method feeder to put together a weight of 74lb 14oz of carp but missed his net with one carp of around 4lb that might have put him in main contention for a place in the Fish ‘O’ Mania grand final.
In fourth place was Paul Burton (Anglers World Holidays) from York fishing method feeder from peg 6 on Kestrel who finished the match with 69lb 4oz. Fifth place was taken by Rob Minikin (Sonu Baits) with 61lb 9oz from Partridge 27 fishing pellet shallow at 14 metres.
Garbolino Lindholme Lakes, Doncaster hosts the final 300 peg qualifier of the year on 27 June and this is the last chance for anglers to compete for the final place to fish for one of the most prestigious titles in angling at Cudmore Fisheries on Saturday 14 July in the Fish ‘O’ Mania grand final.
