Fish'O'Mania top prize increases to £30,000 - 21/12/2010
FOR the first time in its 18-year history, the top prize at Fish‘O’Mania is set to rise.
The 2011 champion will carry off a cheque for £30,000, an increase of 20 per cent on the previous first prize of £25,000.
Known as the ‘FA Cup of fishing’, Fish‘O’Mania is the only live televised coarse fishing match in the world, and now this year’s winner will have an extra £5,000 to go along with the most prestigious title in UK angling.
The reigning champion is Gloucester’s Neil McKinnon, whose come-from-behind win over crowd favourite Tom Pickering ended one of the greatest ever Fish‘O’Mania finals. 
Neil McKinnon won the title in 2010
In addition, due to the customary over-subscribed demand for match tickets, organisers The Angling Trust have turned the last of the 16 heats into a mammoth ‘last chance saloon’ 300 peg affair.
To enter Fish‘O’Mania XVIII, go to www.anglingtrust.net and follow the relevant links.
The Angling Trust website will be the only means by which anglers can enter Fish‘O’Mania XVIII.
The online entry period for Fish‘O’Mania XVIII commences on Monday, January 17 at 9am and is open until February 7 at 4pm. Match tickets are now £25, up from £20 in 2010.
Anyone wishing to obtain a ticket to take part in Fish‘O’Mania XVIII must be valid individual members of Angling Trust. To enter Fish’O’Mania XVIII, go to www.anglingtrust.net and follow the relevant links.
Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn said: “At long last we’ve put the prize-money up! I don’t think though, that winning Fish'O'Mania is necessarily about the money.
“Although 30 grand is always nice, this is more about going down in history as a winner of the biggest event in fishing.
“The tag ‘Fish’O’Mania Champion’ will stay with the winner forever and put him on to an exclusive club with many of the gamest match anglers in Britain.
“Each year more and more anglers attempt to enter this event and attempting to accommodate everyone without interfering with the structure and entry levels is not easy.
“Hopefully the final heat at Lindholme with 300 pegs will increase everyone’s chances of one of the coveted 16 spots in the final.”
Full list of Fish'O'Mania XVIII qualifying heats
Saturday, April 9 – Viaduct Fishery, Somerset
Wednesday, April 20 – Makins Fishery, Wolvey, Warwickshire
Saturday, April 23 – Lakeview Fishery, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Wednesday, April 27 – Woodlands View Fishery, Droitwich, Worcestershire
Saturday, April 30 - Packington Somers, Meriden, Warwickshire
Saturday, May 7 – Stafford Moor, Devon
Wednesday, May 11 – Monk Lakes, Marden, Kent
Saturday, May 14 – The Oaks, Sessay, North Yorks
Wednesday, May 18 – Holly Farm, Lutterworth & Peatling Pools, Peatling Parva, Leicestershire
Saturday, May 21 – Tunnel Barn Farm, Shrewley, Warwickshire
Saturday, May 28 – Moorlands Farm, Hartlebury, Worcestershire
Saturday, June 4 – Partridge Lakes, Culcheth, Warrington
Wednesday, June 15 – Octoplus Boldings, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Sunday, June 19 – Heronbrook Fishery, Staffs
Saturday, June 25 – Woodlands Lakes, Thirsk, North Yorks
Wednesday, June 29 – Lindholme Lakes, Doncaster, South Yorks
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