Will Raison booked his place in the 2019 Fishomania final with a classy performance at Partridge Lakes edging out venue ace Andy Bennett in a peg to peg battle 142 lb 7 oz to 140 lb 14 oz.
Both aces drew on the normally pleasure fishing day ticket Willow Lake and headed home the 143-pegger 1st and second but it was Will who qualified with just 1 lb 9 oz to spare.
here is Will's own account: "It's been a hectic week without a lot of matches, articles and open days at shops but yesterday I went to the Fish'o'mania qualifier at Partridge Lake’s.
It’s a place that holds a special place in my heart as Dorking won the Super League Final there and I've always wanted to fish it again as in my opinion its one of the best fisheries I've ever been to.
The day started with me leaving home at 4 in the morning and 230 miles later I arrived at the lake’s.
I drew peg 2 on Willow and asked Andy Bennett for his advice, he told me what he would do to the letter and as I rate him as the very best I obviously took his advice on board.
Then the big twist Andy drew next to me! Needless to say I felt a bit bad but Andy being the class act he is didn't complain about telling me about my peg.
We had a great battle with Andy forging ahead of me in the first two hours with Fls. I was catching steady and trying to keep near him then a change to fishing groundbait and dead maggots in the edge, saw me put a string of carp in the net.
I used the Advantage Baits F1 groundbait just loose in the cup with three big cups to kick off the swim. Then regular small amounts via the pole kit cup together with a only a few dead red maggots so as not to attract any small fish.
I used the new Daiwa short top kits with orange Hydrolastic on the top six down the edge with 0.16 mm to 0.13 mm lines. Shallow I used white Hydrolastic and a small dibber float on 0.16 mm to 0.15 mm diameter lines and a 16 hook at 14.5-metres.
Coupled with a few more carp shallow I felt I'd caught up with Andy. When I scales arrived I weighed 142 lb and Andy had 140 lb what a match and to say I was pleased was an understatement. My catch was mostly carp 3 to 4 but up to 8 lb plus 30 F1s averaging 1 lb 8oz-3lb apiece.
At the time I really didn't think about qualifying as the rumours were that there was a massive weight on Ribbon Lake. Putting the gear back in the van not really looking forward to the drive home a guy said ‘well done Will you've done it’ I said that I don't think so but he reassured me that I had. I was so happy through to another Fish O final !Many thanks to Andy he's such a class act and I wouldn't bet against him making the final himself!!!! Thanks to everyone at Partridge, awesome place." Will.
Abbi Kendall (pictured above with Will) won the Ladies Qualifier at Partridge Lakes Fishery with a total weight of 97 lb 3 oz!