Final Result

Winner Jamie Hughes

Jamie Hughes

Winner Jamie Hughes

Winner Jamie Hughes with his bank runner.

Golden Reel Grand Final
Saturday 14^th September 2019
Larford Match Lake.

Saturday, September 14^th presented the third Grand Final at the incredible Larford Lakes complex in Stourport on Severn.
24 qualifiers held at many of the UK’s finest fisheries gave the opportunity to pocket £50,000 and the prestigious title of Golden Reel Champion 2019.
All 24 qualifying events fished extremely well with many of the finalists needing more than 200lbs to qualify for the September final.
The draw for the winning peg took place on Friday 13^th September at the very polished Gala night held at the five star Stourport Manor Hotel, where the competitors enjoyed a 3 course meal, entertainment and luxury bedroom accommodation at no cost to the finalists and their partners.
9pm the draw for the pegs was completed, but no one really knew which peg was the likely winner as permeant pegs 28, 30, 36, 38, 44, 46, 48, 14, 16, 18 & 62 were all potential winning pegs.

The weather on the day was superb for the public viewing with highs of around 22C, a gentle breeze and bright warm sunshine.
Conditions like this however, did not favour the anglers on the day.
Furthermore, Friday evening there was a massive ‘Harvest’ moon, which is something we only see every 18-20 years.
Big moons – hard fishing!!

Defending his Golden Reel Championship 2018 title was Andy Power who drew Golden Reel peg No 8 (permanent peg 22) which was not a fancied peg on the day.
Mick Bull, returning for the second year running drew peg 4 (permanent peg 14), a strong bomb & pellet peg, Andy Bennett also a 2018 finalist drew peg 9 (permanent peg 24) which had been producing big weights in previous matches.

Other returning 2018 finalists were Dan Hull, drawing peg 15 (permanent peg 44) which was the end peg on the Match Lake Burr bank and potentially a match winning peg, Mikey Williams peg 21 (permanent peg 56) and Jamie Hughes, peg 24 (permanent peg 62).

The start of the final produced early fish for many of the competitors but as the match progressed, the fish were clearly backing off with many of the resident carp swimming shallow and spooking easily.

The front runners after the first hour were Peter Upperton from peg 24 (permanent peg 62), Jordan Holloway, Andy May, Andy Bennett and Andy Power.

Most of the competitors started short with pellet, some on bomb and pellet and some down their edges.
It became evidently clear, that Peter Upperton was stealing a march, catching quality carp on meat down his edges and at the halfway point of the match, we were scoring Peter at around 65-70lbs.

Andy Bennett was catching carp long with pellet, as was Andy Power but no one other that Peter Upperton was bagging up.
As the match progressed, Andy May started to find some big carp short to pellet from peg 19 (permanent peg 52) and next peg to him was Jordan Holloway also finding big carp short and down his edges.

Peter Upperton at this point was well clear of the field and well in front of his neighbour, Jamie Hughes on peg 23 (permanent peg 60).
That being said, with around two hours to go, Jamie started to put together a string of quality carp from his edges.
Landing carp to 10lbs on corn, both Jamie and Peter Upperton were going fish for fish producing an epic last hours fishing.

With thirty minutes remaining, the scorecard was very tight with Peter Upperton in front, Jamie Hughes in second place and Andy May clear third.

Little more than 10lbs seprated first and second with both anglers losing some big fish and top kits being trashed.
The last 10 minutes, Peter had played a big fish but lost it right at the net, which proved to be very costly as Jamie Hughes had landed two big fish during the same 10 minute period.

So on the final whistle, no one knew the result as it was so tight between 1^st and 2^nd.

At the scales, peg 20 recorded Jordan Holloway with a weight of 86-4-0 securing 4^th place.

Third place was taken by Andy May with a weight of 112-6-0 from peg 19.

Second placed Peter Upperton was gutted to say the least. The lost fish in the last ten minutes of the final had certainly lost him the Golden Reel Championship 2019 title, weighing in 146-11-0.

A new champion in Jamie Hughes with a weight of 151-8-0 from peg 23.
Jamie’s late run of fish rewarded him the title of Golden Reel Champion 2019 and a massive first prize cheque of £50,000.

Afterwards, Jamie Hughes commented, “this is a brilliant match and Phil Briscoe has helped me to cement my position in the match angling all time greats.”
“What he does for angling and the high profile of angling events he organises is remarkable and we should all get behind him at every opportunity.”
“I’ll be back next year to hopefully defend this prestigious title.”

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