Ahead of this Saturday’s Fish‘O’Mania at Hayfield Lakes in Doncaster we profile the 24 anglers taking part, starting with the first six who qualified for this year’s Grand Final.
Roland Lucas (Somerset)
Qualified From: Viaduct Fishery (89.96kg) Previous Fish’O’Mania Finals: 2015 (12th)
Roland qualified for his second Fish‘O’Mania Grand Final at Viaduct Fishery in his home county of Somerset. He says competing at Fish‘O’Mania in 2015 is a career highlight.
Jamie Hughes (Wirral)
Qualified From: Tunnel Barn Farm (66.31kg) Previous Fish’O’Mania Finals: 2008 (9th); 2012 (4th), 2013 (1st), 2014 (12th); 2015 (1st); 2016 (10th); 2017 (1st); 2018 (11th)
Jamie Hughes is ‘Mr FishO’. He has won the tournament a record three times and this year will fish an unprecedented eighth consecutive Fish‘O’Mania Grand Final. Last month he won the 2019 Diawa Masters but unsurprisingly classifies his history-making Fish‘O’ wins as his career highlights.
Simon Skelton (Leicestershire)
Qualified From: Woodland View (51.71kg) Previous Fish’O’Mania Finals: Debut
Leicestershire angler Simon was county champion in 2011 and has qualified for his first Fish‘O’Mania Grand Final this year. The 39-year-old has been fishing since he was nine and owns his own plumbing business.
Luke Webster (Worcestershire)
Qualified From: Moorlands Farm (75.78kg) Previous Fish’O’Mania Finals: Debut
Luke, a 29-year-old electrician, qualified for this year’s Grand Final after netting over 75kg at Moorlands Farm in April. “I’m over the moon,” said Webster. “With Moorlands being the first commercial I ever fished and qualifying on my first try, it’s like a dream come true.”
Ben Hagg (Somerset)
Qualified From: Viaduct Fishery (87.57kg) Previous Fish’O’Mania Finals: Debut
Ben makes his FishO debut this weekend. The 28-year-old carpenter says he has a real competitive streak and hates losing.
Paul Gibson (Stoke-on-Trent)
Qualified From: Heronbrook Fisheries (54.6kg) Previous Fish’O’Mania Finals: Debut
Another FishO debutant, Stoke angler Paul has previously fished the Golden Reel final. The 52-year-old has been angling since he was seven and works as a window cleaner.
Spectator tickets to attend Fish‘O’Mania are free of charge and available to download at www.fishomania.net. Fish‘O’Mania will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Arena from 11:30am on Saturday, July 13.
