Dale “Bert” Shepherd is heading back to the FishOMania Grand Final after clinching yesterday’s qualifier at The Oaks Lakes in North Yorkshire.
On a sun-drenched day that saw a strong turnout of hopefuls, it was the experienced angler who rose to the occasion. Drawn on peg 9 on Sycamore Lake, Dale fished a combination of shallow and margin tactics to target carp up to 6lb. His approach paid off with a final weight of 180lb 14oz, enough to edge out a chasing pack in a nail-biting finish.
Just one decent fish behind was Kieran Marsden, who pushed Dale all the way from Ash Lake peg 14. His 172lb 2oz performance was equally impressive and would have won on many other days. Completing the top three was Peter Hopwood, who also fished Sycamore and finished with 148lb 9oz from peg 13.
The win guarantees Dale a spot in July’s £50,000 final at Westwood Lakes—an event he knows well from previous appearances. With current form and past experience in his corner, he’ll be one to watch when the big day arrives.
List of FishOMania 25 Finalists to Date
- Dave Shires (2024 FishOMania Winner)
- Andy Power
- James Howarth
- Kristian Jones
- Joost Vos (international Qualifier)
- George Reynolds
- Steve Openshaw
- Jamie Hughes
- Dale Shepherd
The next qualifier for this year’s FishOMania is this Wednesday, 14th May at Weston Pools Fishery in Oswestry.
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.
