From left to right: Ian Smith, Simon Jarrard, Paul Lydiate, Carl Yeowell, James Lewis.
Saturday 23rd March was the commencement of the Feedermasters Superleague Qualifier, with 18 four-man teams battling it out for five places to join alongside the top ten teams from last year’s league.
The anglers representing Maver Milton Keynes (MMK) were Team Captain Ian Smith, James Lewis, Carl Yeowell, and Simon Jarrard. The British weather lived up to its unpredictable reputation, providing a mix of rain, hail, and gale-force winds – all after an overnight frost – but these horrible conditions didn’t stop the boys from putting in an epic performance.
James Lewis with a section-winning net from peg 116
James Lewis fished a brilliant match from peg 116 to weight 60lb 12oz to bring back a vital section win, with Simon Jarrard on peg 121 catching 51lb 12oz for a second in section, and 28lb 4oz being enough for Ian Smith to register third in his off peg 101. Carl Yeowell found himself in a tough area, placed on peg 55, yet still managed to register a tenth in section with 16lb to get some important points on the board.
A combined total of 16 points gave MMK the silver medal position and that important place in the Superleague. They will now face off against 14 other teams over four rounds, with the aim to reach the Superleague final at St. Albans in August.