I
Ian Cloke
Guest
Bates suffers for catching too many fish
THE Fish O'Mania event has been beset with many problems since its conception and last week it unfortunately involved one of Peterboro's local anglers yet again.
Last year it was Lee Thornton from Ramsey, now young Alex Bates from March made the mistake of putting too many fish into a keepnet at a qualifier at Barford Fishery, Norwich.
If his weight had counted he would have won the match and gone through to the ?25,000 final.
Unfortunately he broke the fishery rules and was consequently disqualified. As you can imagine the 18 year-old youngster was bitterly disappointed.
He said: "The last few days have been hell. I have been match fishing since I was seven years old and at present fish at open and team level with Sensas Mark One.
"I genuinely thought I had under a ton, but under-estimated the weight of the F1 carp which was 80 per cent of my catch.
"I was shocked to find that I had exceeded the fishery's weight limits. I accept rules are rules and wish it hadn't happened in a Fish 'O' event.
"Words can't explain how I feel but I am now even more determined to achieve my goals."
The buzz around the angling world is that it was a very harsh decision, but he accepted it like a true sportsman and I really do hope his time will come again in this event which never seems to be far away
from controversy these days.
THE Fish O'Mania event has been beset with many problems since its conception and last week it unfortunately involved one of Peterboro's local anglers yet again.
Last year it was Lee Thornton from Ramsey, now young Alex Bates from March made the mistake of putting too many fish into a keepnet at a qualifier at Barford Fishery, Norwich.
If his weight had counted he would have won the match and gone through to the ?25,000 final.
Unfortunately he broke the fishery rules and was consequently disqualified. As you can imagine the 18 year-old youngster was bitterly disappointed.
He said: "The last few days have been hell. I have been match fishing since I was seven years old and at present fish at open and team level with Sensas Mark One.
"I genuinely thought I had under a ton, but under-estimated the weight of the F1 carp which was 80 per cent of my catch.
"I was shocked to find that I had exceeded the fishery's weight limits. I accept rules are rules and wish it hadn't happened in a Fish 'O' event.
"Words can't explain how I feel but I am now even more determined to achieve my goals."
The buzz around the angling world is that it was a very harsh decision, but he accepted it like a true sportsman and I really do hope his time will come again in this event which never seems to be far away
from controversy these days.