ANDY Benwell, who is sponsored by Predator Tackle in Kidlington, has qualified for this year’s televised Fish O Mania final, which is being held on Saturday, July 17, at Cudmore Fishery, Stoke-on-Trent.

He will be up against another 15 qualifiers and is bidding to take home the winner-takes-all prize of £25,000.

Andy qualified at Moorlands Farm Fishery when he came out on top with 98lb of carp on the pole at 13 metres with paste. He landed 17 carp to 12lb.

Meanwhile, the Oxford United v York game at Wembley meant attendances on the local match scene were a bit thin last Sunday.

Kinloch AC were over at Ridgeway for a club match with 16 matchmen turning up.

Fishing the pole well over and switching between maggot and pellet, Eddy Weston weighed in a net of carp going 54.4.0 to take top spot.

Bill Fagan used a feeder with sweetcorn to finish runner-up with 50.4.0 of carp, and third with 39.8.0 was Andy Pickett, who caught carp on pellet and maggot.

With only one match left in this year’s Predator Tackle Spring League, there is still everything to play for.

Last Sunday, 20 anglers fished Lower Court Farm and it proved hard.

At the final whistle, Scott Miller (Predator) was the winner with 54.2.0 of carp on pellet well up in the water.

Gerry Foley fished paste down the edge to take second place with 35.14.0, and third with 34.12.0 was Andy Wiffen (RS Baits), who struggled to find fish well out and moved his bait closer to catch some on pellet.

Masons fished their first match of a new season at Spittle Farm, where two of the anglers didn’t bother to weigh in.

It was skimmers or nothing in this match, with winner Nick Newitt catching 17.9.0 of them on pole with red maggot over groundbait.

Pete Callaghan used the same tactics for 10.15.0 of skimmers to take second place, followed by Ian Davis with 9.7.0 of skimmers.

He switched between maggot and chop.