SCOTTHORNE IS BOUND FOR RIVERFEST FINAL
The only place for your news, results and tactics from the UK match scene Star wins Weaver qualifier with emphatic 43lb of bream
THIS year’s RiverFest Final will have one of match fishing’s biggest names competing.
Five-times World Champion Alan Scotthorne secured his place in the two-day autumn clash on the River Wye following his victory in the latest qualifier on the River Weaver.
The Drennan/Sensas star had a dream draw, peg 5 on the point at Hulse’s Island, and made no mistakes as he bagged 43-4-0 of bream fishing a combination of groundbait feeder and long pole.
He finished with 15 fish, almost 20lb clear of runner-up and fellow qualifier Ben Roberts on 24-4-0. Steve Whitfield took the other RiverFest Final place with 16-8-0, third on the day.
Elsewhere on the qualifier front, Marukyu man Stu Fotheringham earned his place in next month’s Golden Reel match as he won at Bag ‘Em Baits Larford Lakes with 154-9-0 of carp from the Match Lake.
Down south, Garbolino star Mike McMillan conquered Monk Lakes to win through to the Maver Match This Final with 198-6-0 of carp off Lake 2.
Feeder-masters visited the tidal River Trent where the competition was fierce. Angling Direct’s Mick Hanks took a modest 15-2-0 of skimmers and roach on the tip to win, with runner-up Shaun Rampling weighing in 13-14-0.
The week also saw some big festivals on natural and commercial waters. Maver star Andy Kinder took the Guru Barston Lakes event with a perfect three points – although he needed total weight to win because Darren Cox also finished with three section wins.
On the Staffs/Worcester Canal the eagerly-awaited Wolverhampton AA sell-out event saw canal king Paul Turner win with six points. The venue produced some superb weights of chub, skimmers and small fish, Simon Preece having the best individual weight on day one with 35-7-15!
Barford AA’s three-day event on its stretches of the Warks Avon saw Quron’s Dave Petch take a winning four points from Paul Norledge, the final day of action seeing the best weights as Dave Foxall took 36-15-0 of chub and barbel on meat. Tony Marshall had chub and barbel on maggot feeder for second with 34-12-0.