Peg 7 was the office for the day.
A common thought on qualifying competitions is that you have to rely on sheer luck to cross the finish line. And, whilst luck can play a small part in the end result, a belief in your own abilities and chosen match plan is vital to achieving those dreams – and that’s exactly how it played out for Maver-Dynamite North West man Craig Whittaker.
Embarking on the recent Feedermasters qualifier at the tricky Carr Mill Dam in St Helens, Craig’s started off strong at the draw by pulling out favoured peg 7, where he’d deploy his two-line approach.
After the first 40 minutes on the short line, with only a couple of small fish to show for his efforts, a change to the method feeder at 52m was the decided tactic for the remaining time.
A nice net of bream for Craig Whittaker, Feedermasters finalist.
With six skimmers in the net after four hours for approximately 3lb, a test of nerve became the newest battle. With anglers around Craig catching on their short lines, he was hoping his decision to stay long would prove fruitful – and it’s certainly paid off!
In the final few minutes of the match, two decent skimmers and a 3lb bream graced his net to boost his total weight to 7lb 1oz, winning his zone and grasping that all-important qualifying spot.
“I’m thrilled to have another go at the most prestigious feeder final around”, expressed Craig.
He will now compete in the two-day final held at Upper Tamar lake on September 27th and 28th, with the hopes of walking away with the £15,000 top prize and that sought after trophy.