Two-time Fish‘O’Mania champion Jamie Hughes will be aiming to win angling’s biggest prize for a record third time after he became the first man to qualify for this year’s Grand Final.
The 32-year-old from Bebington, Merseyside, triumphed over the 150-man field at Tunnel Barn Farm with a catch of 141lbs to beat second-placed Andrew Mann, who weighed in a shade short of 84lbs and will take his place at Cudmore Fisheries hoping to become the first man to win ‘The FA Cup of Fishing’ a hat-trick of times.
Hughes drew end peg two on the Canal Pool at Tunnel Barn Farm, and with prime position and his Fish‘O’Mania pedigree was immediately installed as favourite among those in attendance. His catch was made up predominately of carp and F1s, much as it had been at Cudmore Fisheries in last year’s Grand Final.
The Fish‘O’Mania XXIII finals weekend has been extended to include a Friday match where the 32 qualifying anglers will compete for 16 places in Saturday’s show piece event where the top prize has been increased to £50,000. Finals weekend takes place at Cudmore Fisheries, Staffordshire on Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9. Saturday’s Grand Final will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The 28 qualifying events take place from March to June with the next qualifier to be staged at Viaduct Fishery in Somerset on Wednesday, March 9.
