The 2025 FishOMania is just around the corner, returning once again to Westwood Lakes, Lincolnshire, on Saturday, July 19. To kickstart the excitement for this standout event, we present an exclusive profile of all 25 participating anglers, offering insights into their backgrounds.
Andy Power was the first to qualify for FishOMania 2025, coming out on top at the Tunnel Barn Farm 1 qualifier in Warwickshire on March 29. The second to qualify was James Howarth at Boldings Pools in Shropshire on April 9, followed by Kristian Jones at the Westwood Lakes 1 qualifier in Lincolnshire on April 19. George Reynolds and Stephen Openshaw were the next to qualify after their successes at Partridge Lakes in Warrington on April 26 and Old Hough on May 3, respectively.
Meet the 2025 FishOMania Anglers:
Full name: Andy Power
Age: 37
The first place you ever went fishing: North Devon, where I caught a Rudd
Your favourite place to fish: The sea
What would you do with the £50,000 if you won?: Buy a new van and build a Koi pond.
Favourite fishing method: Waggler
Your first FishOMania memory (as a competitor or a viewer): Sat on the sofa for five hours as a kid watching the final, thinking I could win that.
Bank runner’s name: Neil McKinnon
Best FishOMania finish to date: Three-time runner up
Full name: James Howarth
Age: 36
The first place you ever went fishing: Stone Pit
Your favourite place to fish: Clay Pit at Weston Lakes and Bolingey Lakes
What would you do with the £50,000 if you won?: Go on holiday with my family and spend some money on my house
Favourite fishing method: Meat on the short pole
Your first FishOMania memory (as a competitor or a viewer):
Watching Andy Bennett lift the trophy for the first time there was loads of us there and the atmosphere was great
Bank runner’s name: Andy Bennett
Best FishOMania finish to date: 8th in 2022
Full name: Kristian Jones
Age: 26
The first place I went fishing: A Pond near my home in Ellesmere Port fishing for crucians and tench
Your favourite place to fish: Weston Pools
What would you do with the £50,000 if you won?: Maybe go on holiday and then invest the rest
Favourite fishing method: shallow fishing on the pole
Your first fisho mania memory: watching Shane Atkin win in 2011
Bank Runners Name: Kieran Marsden
Best fisho mania finish to date: Winner in 2022
Full name: George Reynolds
Age: 24
The first place you ever went fishing: Ash Lodge
Your favourite place to fish: Ash Lodge
What would you do with the £50,000 if you won?: Probably invest it
Favourite fishing method: Mudline fishing
Your first FishOMania memory (as a competitor or a viewer): Watching Kristian Jones win it.
Bank runner’s name: Liam Fell
Best FishOMania finish to date: This will be my first time!
Full name: Stephen Openshaw
Age: 64
The first place you ever went fishing: Birkenhead Park Lane
Your favourite place to fish: Monk Hall
What would you do with the £50,000 if you won?: Give it to my wife…
Favourite fishing method: Castor shallow
Your first FishOMania memory (as a competitor or a viewer): Watching Jamie Hughes win his first FishO title!
Bank runner’s name: Peter Cooper
Best FishOMania finish to date: This will be my first time.
