The ninth FishOMania qualifier of the year was held at Makins Fishery on Wednesday, 21st May. The match was held on Lakes 2, 3, 4, Reptile, Snake, Lizard, Lagoon, Severn and Avon. It was another closely fought match, but a hard-pellet masterclasss from Ben Lord was just enough to secure the victory.

In a near sell-out field, Ben won the match with 166lb 4oz from peg 25 on Lake 4. While pre-match talk had Lake 2 tipped to produce the winner, it was Lake 4 that delivered the standout result. Representing DT Floats, Leicester-based Lord opted for a shallow long-pole approach with banded hard pellets, catching carp to double figures steadily throughout the match.

It wasn’t all plain sailing, however. Matrix-backed youngster Brad Lucas ran him close from peg 11 on Lake 2’s A bank. Fishing a mugging waggler to perfection, Brad weighed in 161lb 10oz. Just one fish short of the win. Whilst it might be a case of close but no cigar agian for Brad, his consistency this season will surely see him qualify for at least one of the big-money finals. Completing the frame was Danny Crewe, who landed 152lb 7oz of carp from peg 3 on Severn Pool to take third place.

Congratulations to Ben Lord who becomes the 12th angler to secure a spot in this year’s Grand Final.

List of FishOMania 25 Finalists to Date

• Dave Shires (2024 FishOMania Winner)
• Andy Power
• James Howarth
• Kristian Jones
• Joost Vos (International Qualifier)
• George Reynolds
• Dylan Mertens (International Qualifier)
• Steve Openshaw
• Jamie Hughes
• Dale Shepherd
• Gary Thomas
• Ben Lord

The next FishOMania qualifier heads to Gold Valley Lakes in Aldershot on Wednesday, 28th May. Limited tickets remain avaiable. Visit the Angling Trust Competitions website to book your place and a chance to appear in this year’s Grand Final.

This year’s FishOMania Grand Final takes place on Saturday, 19th July, at Westwood Lakes in Boston.

Spectator tickets are now available.

• Entry: £7.00 per person
• Group of 4: £20.00
• A service fee and £2.95 booking fee per order apply
• Parking: £7.00 per car / £10.00 per van (available when booking)

Head over to the FishOMania website to get your tickets now.