ARTHUR’S ARCHIVES Inside fishing history

Angling historian Keith recalls the very start of what was to become the series everyone wants to win – Fish O’Mania

WITH the showpiece Grand Final of Fish O’Mania looming large in the diary, it’s time to have a little retrospective look at

the first angler whose career was kickstarted by taking home the trophy.

While Ian Turner had done the business in 1994 at Mallory Park it was Andrew Jennings, the 1995 champion, who became the first real Fish O’ celebrity. Andy was a completely different character to the quiet man from Worksop, and took to the role of champion like a duck to water.

The match was held at the relatively new Hallcroft Fishery, very much in the early stages of its development and looking a bit like a moonscape.

The Daily Mirror was headline sponsor so the event was big news in the days before it took on more of a life of its own.

Sport on the day wasn’t great, but Andy found enough of the venue’s better carp, weighing in 19.56kg to comfortably fend off Sean Ashby’s 12.56kg in second, even though Sean picked up the big fish prize.

Andy became one of Fish O’s stars and finished 14th in the 2010 Champion of Champions final at Cudmore. He also captained the team – featuring Robin Goforth, Steve Davis and Alan Scotthorne – that won the celebrity event in 2001. It was held at Fish O’s current home, Hayfield Lakes. The event switched to Hayfield in 1997, a move brought about by the lack of carp caught at Hallcroft in 1996 – skimmers and roach don’t give the camera crew a chance to focus on fish actually being caught and believed viewers wanted to see big fish.

Although those 1996 weights were much lower than those in the first two finals – Dave Pimlott won with just under 15lb – as far as most match anglers were concerned it was a great contest with just ounces separating the top six, any of whom could have won literally in the final minute.

A young lad called Steve Ringer finished second. I wonder what became of him?

“In 1996 a young lad called Steve Ringer finished second...”