Andy Benwell from Oxfordshire recorded a staggering weight of 30lb 4oz to finish top of the 61-man field. Fishing the competition thanks to winning the Garbolino Club Angler Of The Year in 2011, Andy put in an amazing performance on a stretch of the Dams & Lock AC waterway near Minworth in the West Midlands, nearly doubling his closest rival’s weight.
Andy’s impressive bag was mainly made up of skimmers, which came around two metres from the far bank in H Section at Forge Lane with the winner catching well on caster. Rightly over the moon with his day’s work, Andy goes through to the next stage of the competition with 31 other qualifiers.
However, as is the nature of the knockout competition, half the field won’t be taking any further part in the cup – including some huge names in the sport. Grant Albutt, Ian Didcote, Dean Barlow, Darren Davies, Matt Godfrey, Geoff Ringer (who missed out on the next round by just a single dram) and Jason Le Bosquet were all high-profile casualties – a fact that just demonstrates the exciting nature of this knockout challenge.
One man who will be cursing his luck is Somerset’s Andy Power. Last year’s Maver Match This £50k winner could well have booked his place in the next round with the only carp hooked of the day. Hooking the massive fish on worm with substantial tackle, the Preston Innovations man tried his hardest to control the lump, but unfortunately lost it before he could net the specimen. On estimates it was a fish that would have easily seen Andy through to the next round but it wasn't to be.
For the full results, tactics, story and videos of Round Two of the Drennan Knockout Cup, see the July issue of Match Fishing. Round Three will be held at Nottinghamshire’s Little John Lakes.
Thank you to Drennan for its continued support for the competition!
