Hotrods one of the favourites for the big weekend final

It is a final like no other as it’s split into two completely different types of venue with Decoy Lakes hosting half of the match and the other half on the Fen drains at March, Benwick, the Twenty Foot and Factory Bank.

Browning Hotrods will be representing this area and as they are no strangers to the big-time matches they are expected to be one of the favourites.

Their press officer Kye Jerrom said: “It’s the big matches like this that we fish for, and they make the effort of fishing three months solid in the East Midlands Winter League, worthwhile.

“Getting to the Angling Trust Winter League Final has taken a lot of work, but we love the challenge of fishing against the bigger teams like Drennan Barnsley and Daiwa Dorking and we know we can be very competitive in whatever match we fish.”

They do have home advantage but it isn’t as good as it could have been as the venues really are changing from week to week.

Angling pressure takes its toll too as more and more teams from around the country travel to fish the Fens.

DECOY TUESDAY OPEN

First place in this match went to Tony Dawson, who stood head and shoulders above the chasing pack.

Fishing off Beastie peg 10, Dawson opted for pole and feeder tactics to weigh in 88lb 13oz.

Hotrods angler Liam Darler came second with 52lb 1oz, followed by Tony Evans with 49lb 1oz.

DECOY SATURDAY OPEN

The Saturday Open attracted a big field as anglers prepared for the Angling Trust Winter League Final.

Many expected the Beastie Lake to produce the leading weights, but it turned out to be the Cedar Pool that came up trumps.

Top rod from Cedar 23 was Preston Innovation Black Horse rod Rob Dzialak. He fished close in for most of the day and caught F1s and barbel alternating between pellet and maggot to finish with a fine 133lb 15oz.

Runner-up was Anthony King. The Dynamite Baits-backed rod drew on Elm 14 and was another angler to catch well on a short line with maggot putting 133lb 7oz to the scales.

Third place went to Stuart Conroy with 92lb 2oz.

TONY EVANS WINTER LEAGUE

The final round of the Tony Evans Winter League at Decoy saw Richard Bond finish out in front.

He drew peg two on the Horseshoe Pool and finished with 130lb 2oz catching on the long pole with pellet then coming into the margins late on in the match with maggot.

Huntingdon rod Andy Leathers drew peg eight on Horseshoe and fished the feeder and pole to weigh in 100lb.

Then came city rod Martin Freeman, again on the Horseshoe Pool, with 99lb 4oz.

Overall winner of the six-match series was young Tom Edwards.

He has recently been sponsored by Dynamite Baits and tackle giants Maver and after winning five sections out of six matches you can understand why these major players in the tackle trade were after the 18 year-old’s signature.