This last weekend we held our 5th Silver Maniac. As the title says, this is a competition catching just silvers. Over 70 top class anglers from all over the UK lined the banks of the Moor. The weekend started on Friday with a practice match and the qualifying match was on Saturday. The top angler in every five qualified for the 16 man final on Sunday on Tanners where the top 4 would share the £2000 cash prize. Maurice Williams won the Friday practice match from Pines 24 where he caught 33lbs of skimmers. 2nd was Steve Mayo with 33lbs of roach and tench from Woody 16. 3rd overall was Chris Davies who had a wonderful day on Woody 34 weighing in 32lbs.

Des Shipp with 45lbs of skimmers off Emilies to win the Qualifier on Saturday

Des won the Qualifier on Saturday with a tremendous catch of skimmers from Emilies 5. At one stage I thought he was on for a ton, they were lovely fish. Ade Marshall qualified from Tanners 13 with 24.2, Simon Jones on Tanners 4 23.4, Jake Marshall on Tanners 11 15.12, plus Lee Werritt took a terrific 22lbs from Tanners 16 on pellet. On Woody, Frank Holden landed 27lbs, Tim Pallant qualified from peg 16 with 23.10lbs, Mike Etheridge scraped through with 12.13, Pete Randell fished a terrific match for 19.6lbs off 36. Jelly John Woodrow fished a stormer on Pines 10 22.12lbs on pellet, Bob Paulton winkled out 17.3 on Pines 5 in a very tight section. Josephs fished quite well despite anglers being a little scared of this lake. Mark Goddard fished a brilliant match on the Dam Wall for 27.14 of skims on worm. Michael Buckwalder 24.5lbs from the Bridge peg, Ricky Johnson drew the point peg 21 and found skimmers for 19.6lbs. Ian Didcote jumped out of the pram, thought he was going home but managed in the end to scrape through by ozs with 19.15. Unlucky Ricky Green just missed out. Fastest loser was my mate Terry Molloy down Emilies, 2nd behind Des with 21lbs. Thats the boys in the final - GOOD LUCK.

The final on Tanners was fished in flat, bright conditions but it proved to not put the skims off. Being so warm seemed to upset the roach and they did not feed properly all weekend but the skims made up for them in the most thrilling final we have ever held, Mark Goddard pipping Des.

Mark weighed in 42.3 from peg 4, skimmers long on the pole at 16m on pellet. Next to him was last years winner Ian Didcote who fished a fantastic match for 41.00. Des weighed in 41.2. A fantastic final! Mark a deserved winner especially after his qualifying performance on Josephs on Saturday. Well done Mark - great for your first time at the Moor. We are holding a 4 day Silver Festival in March and some places are available, just call Andy for info.

MARK GODDARD WITH HIS WINNING BAG 42.3LBS OF SKIMS

MARK AND HIS CASH PLUS TROPHIES, WELL DONE MARK