If a match angler's success is determined by results alone, it's no surprise that Andy Bennett was voted 2023's Match Angler of the Year!
Polling 34.2 per cent of the vote ‘Bagger’, as he is known, finished clear of Under 20s World Champion Josh Duffy, who had a 23.6 per cent share of the vote. The other contenders didn’t even come close.
And 2023 was quite a year for quietly-spoken Manchester ace Andy, who collected over £80,000 in winnings from countless festival wins, plus one big title that’s eluded him for the last decade – the Maver Mega Match This crown.
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On a red-hot September Saturday, the Guru/Blakes Bait man finally got his hands on the trophy, winning in dramatic style at Hayfield Lakes. Never mind the money (which was £50k, by the way), this win was all about the title.
It takes Andy a step closer to matching sparring partner Jamie Hughes, who has won five of the ‘majors’ (including Fish O’Mania, Match This and Golden Reel). Sitting on three wins, Andy feels he’s well within striking distance, and that 2024 could be his year.
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“Match This was the big one for me, a title that I’ve wanted to win for so long,” Andy said.
“Now I’ve done it, I want to do it again. Not for the money, more for the title and to be able to look back and say ‘I won that twice or three times’, or whatever.
“I also want to catch Jamie Hughes up and be the angler that’s won the most majors. Money comes and goes quickly, but trophies with your name on them always remain.”
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There’s no reason to think that this year won’t see that gap between the two men narrowed. Andy’s only trouble will be fitting everything in, because while many think that a top- level professional angler has all the time in the world to chase down the big titles, the reality is rather different.
“Winning a Fish O’ or Match This is hard work,” he revealed. “You could buy 15 tickets and never have a chance from any of them. By contrast, the two- day mini festivals offer a more reliable chance of success and ensure you’re not out of pocket. I wouldn’t fish matches if it meant I never made any money. Nobody would!”
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According to Andy, a two-day event with a £1,000 prize is theoretically easier to win than a Fish O’ qualifier. To begin with, you only need to win your section, not the whole match. You also only need good draws in a festival, rather than outstanding ones on qualifiers.
“If I win my section on the first day with a good weight, then barring a disaster, I’ve as good as framed. On a qualifier I might catch 200lb, but if 300lb wins, I might as well have not weighed consistent. I have no right to expect to win a Fish O’ or Match This. It’s my week-to-week fishing that pays the bills.
“I’d still love to win the lot next year and beat Jamie, though!”
HIGHLY COMMENDED - JOSH DUFFY
At the age of just 17, Josh Duffy has the world at his feet! Still at college, Halifax-based
Josh has already secured a sponsorship deal with Preston Innovations, is fishing at the top team level with Preston innovations NW, and seems a certainty for the England Youth teams in the coming years.
His weekend of glory came in the baking heat of Portugal in August, taking on the River Sorraia in Coruche at the Under 20’s World Championships.
Scoring a section win and a second, Josh was harried all the way to the whistle by his team mate Billy Kirk, who also scored three points.
Total weight then came into play, and it really couldn’t have been closer. Josh totalled 7-995, while Billy finished on 7-915 – just 40g, or one small fish – separating the two!
HOW YOU VOTED...
Andy Bennett
34.2% of you voted
It’s been another title-filled year for ‘Bagger’, with Monkhall Festival, Drennan Winter Pole Champs and Angling Trust Zero Fit Silverfish wins being taken by the Manchester legend. The best of all though, was September’s Maver Match This crown, won in nail-biting style at Hayfield Lakes.
Josh Duffy
23.6% of you voted
August saw a day that the Halifax-based 17-year-old will never forget, being crowned Under 20 World Champion on Portugal’s River Sorraia with a three-point score – the same as his teammate Billy Kirk, with total weight being needed to split the pair!
Helen Dagnall
15.1% of you voted
Following on the heels of Josh Duffy’s World Champs win, England Ladies stalwart Helen took gold in the women’s event in the same month on Serbia’s Dunavac Canal with three points, the Warrington ace getting the gold on total weight countback.
Billy Kirk
7.6% of you voted
As his teammate Josh Duffy took the gold, Sussex-based Billy had to settle for the silver in the Under 20 World Champs in Portugal, losing out on total weight. The blow was cushioned a little by the team sweeping all before them to be crowned champions however!
Lee Kerry
5.9% of you voted
Largely sweeping the board on the team front as skipper of Drennan Barnsley Blacks, Lee also picked up medals with the England Feeder team and as leader of the Feedermasters FT team in the Feedermasters Superleague. Saving the best until last though, the Leeds man made it a memorable hat-trick of Feedermasters wins at Tamar Lakes.
Andy Power
3.7% of you voted
Despite making almost every final on offer, the Somerset powerhouse left it late to do his winning. A narrow second place in the Fish O’Mania Final got Andy warmed up, September seeing him win the Golden Reel title for the second time, followed by back-to-back wins in the Maver and Preston Innovations festivals at White Acres.
Jamie Hughes
3% of you voted
Although one of the big three didn’t go to the Wirral wonder, 2023 was still a fine year for Jamie with plenty of finals and a win in the On The Flyer TV Winter Classic, plus a new trophy to go into his cabinet – the highly esteemed UK Champs claret jug!
James Dent
2.6% of you voted
As if winning plenty with his Drennan Barnsley Blacks side at home wasn’t enough, the Yarm-based superstar enjoyed an equally fruitful foray abroad in September’s Meb’s World Champs, helping the side to a memorable comeback and silver on Spain’s River Ebro and taking individual silver into the bargain.
Stefan Gent
2.1% of you voted
His team might just have missed out on a medal in the summer’s Disabled World Champs on France’s Moselle Canal, but Stefan ensured there was something to cheer as he posted a perfect two section wins on the tricky venue to take individual silver – beaten to the gold by just 84 grams!
Mick Vials
1.9% of you voted
It was perhaps fitting that the angler to win this year’s NuFish FeederKing title was the man who created the event! Mick took victory at Southfield Reservoir with a last-minute bream, the trophy sitting nicely alongside the Feeder National win from the Gloucester Canal earlier in the year. He also picked up medals in the World Champs and Euro Feeder Challenge with the England Feeder team.
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