Caerphilly angler Richard Aherne (AWA Shima) an Area Sales Manager joins the line up for the grand final for Fish ‘O’ Mania in July after qualifying on Saturday 28th May 2011 at Moorlands Farm Fishery, Hartlebury, Worcestershire.

Richard had a two line approach and fished one at 5 metres and the other at 13 metres to fish paste over sweet corn from peg 51 on Meadow pool to win the match with 124lbs 10ozs of carp to 12lbs. For the first hour Andy concentrated on the short line, but this only resulted in foul hooking a couple of carp which all came off, and seemed apparent at that stage that pellets were the wrong thing to feed. The second hour of the match Andy went onto the 13 metre line to start with corn on the hook, but once again he was only getting line bites. For the next three hours he kept catching carp, the biggest at around 12lb, and every time the bites slowed down more corn was potted into the swim which brought an instant result. After the fourth hour Andy proved that the tactics were working to net 18-20 carp. In the last hour of the match the fish had backed out which lead to Andy fishing at 16 metres on the paste to get a bite, but after having two fish on this line Andy had to give up on this method due to the wind. For the last thirty minutes he came back onto the short line which resulted in his last carp to give him his winning weight.

Richard Aherne said:

“I fished at Tunnel Barn Farm the week before and finished in sixth place, and managed to have a chat with Lee Richards and Bill Hill who both said that pellet and paste had been working well . This is my third year I have entered the Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers and I was lucky enough to get four qualifier tickets this year.”

“After I weighed in on Saturday it just didn’t sink in, and I was over the moon with my weight as I had some good anglers around me who had struggled. My intention on the day was to just enjoy myself and I certainly did that, and to be honest it still hasn’t sunk in that I won. I am really looking forward to the grand final, and have been told that it is a great experience and a great day to be a part of – let’s just hope I can catch some fish on the day.”

Variable weather conditions faced the anglers on Saturday at Moorlands Farm Fishery with it remaining windy all day and mostly overcast, with a brief but heavy rain shower in the early afternoon. There were some good weights on the day, but unfortunately many struggled for bites all day.

Runner-up Andy Benwell tried hard to make it two on the trot as he won this match last year.  Andy (Predator AC) fished paste over pellet at 6 metres and 13 metres from Peg 2 on Bank pool to take a net of carp to 10lbs, totalling 103lbs 9ozs. Third place fell to another AWA Shima angler Glyn Reynolds who drew Meadow 8 where he fished paste down the edge for 89lbs1oz net of carp to 13lbs.

In fourth place was Steven Seaborne from Ross-On-Wye also on Meadow from peg 54 where he weighed in 87lbs 12ozs of carp and skimmers. Mark Malin (Team Mosella) finished in fifth place with 80lbs 13ozs from peg 17 on Bank pool.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News