Fishing holidays in Cornwall at White Acres

The Ringer Dynasty Rolls on as
Steve Banks another £25,000
Reports and pics: Angling Images

Steve Ringer Parkdean Masters Winner with Simon Altham representing Parkdean Holidays

£25,000 WINNER TAKES ALL FESTIVAL - sponsored by Parkdean Holidays

INCREDIBLE drama in the closing minutes of the 12-angler Parkdean Masters winner take all £25,000 Grand Final saw the lead change hands three times culminating in a remarkable 45-11-0 victory for Steve Ringer at the White Acres Country Park's Jenny's Lake. Steve, runner-up last year, and also a previous big money winner in the Fish O Mania final, emerged triumphant after this latest Cornish cliff hanger saw his early lead whittled away by former winner Harry Billing peg 5, and Des Shipp on unfancied 12.

Steve (Shimano Van Den Eynde) had started on the feeder and after a slow start began to put together a decent run of carp to about 6 lb but as his swim tailed off and the match drew to a climax he came under increasing pressure from former winner Harry (Drennan NW) and festival winner Preston Innovations and Sensas backed Des.Harry had been the first to change from feeder after just 15 minutes and started to build a small fish bag on the pole and chopped worm swinging roach, before getting among tench to 3 lb and carp to 4 lb. Shipp's fortunes increased considerably when a double figure ghost carp doubled his weight mid way through and signalled the start of a spell when he added three more decent carp in quick succession. Steve Ringer had been forced to switch to the pole to keep his flagging swim alive and his first look failed to produce a bite. However a second try with 90 minutes remaining brought a 7 lb carp plus a couple of small 1 lb tench and carp.

Steve Ringer in action as he lands his 25K match winning carp

With 15 minutes to go there was nothing to separate Shipp and Ringer when Harry Billing, hot on their tails, hooked an estimated 7 lb ghost carp in the tail. He played the fish for 15 minutes on white hydro elastic but unable to push the pole high enough due to tree cover, and with the soft elastic dragging across his body he dramatically lost the fish as he tried to net it at full stretch leaving him with 41-12-0 and his chances of the £25,000 just swam away. That left Shipp just in front but the final twist came in the last minute when Ringer hooked his 4 lb 8 oz match winning carp that was also fouled but landed five minutes after time to take him 2 lb 9 oz clear of Des' 43-2-0! Stunned Steve has lined up for no less than seven big money winner take all style events but still couldn't quite take in his latest achievement in writing his name in the record books as the only angler to win both the White Acres Parkdean and Fish O Mania £25,000 winner take all events.

Parkdean Masters winner Steve Ringer with his winning catch

'It just feels unbelievable, although I'd had a bit of feeling this was going to be my week after I had a bit of luck in the qualifying festival, but with an hour to go today I thought it was slipping away,' said the tackle consultant after taking a celebratory dip in the lake. He admitted that despite his regular appearance in these events it doesn't get any easier: 'I felt under tremendous pressure today as I drew a peg that I felt everyone wanted, then it just wasn't happening quickly enough'.
'However after a couple of hours I thought I'd win on the feeder because things were looking promising but it actually got harder. While I stuck at it for three hours I did have a few vital fish on the pole in the final 90 minutes,' he went on.
'The hardest part is getting to the final as everyone is trying to get there. Once you are there it's a class field that anyone can win and so you need a bit of luck somewhere along the line,' he conceded.
'Last year Darren Cox had a big fish late that cost me, but this year I had that foul hooker and Harry's lost a big fish late that has cost him,' he went on. The feeder line had produced about 25 lb of fish while Steve's pole additions were worth 20 lb and Steve fed neat Ringers groundbait through the open end feeder and a presented a large cube of hair rigged meat, while his pole line received good helpings of cupped in meat and corn.

Steve now £25,000 better off intends to use the money to buy himself a new BMW motor car.

LUCKY BREAKS
Reflecting on the luck that he had in the qualifying festival where he finished in seventh place with 33 points, Steve revealed he had a 10 lb carp jump out of his keep net on Pollawyn Pool but quick as a flash he managed to scoop it back up with his landing net and went on to win the section by 10 lb 2 oz!
He also acknowledged the luck when as he saw the official raise his arm to sound the final hooter at Bolingey - his tip flew round and a section winning 6 lb carp was the result.
'You have to have some luck to win, 'said Steve who also admitted that he hasn't yet got to grips with Gwinear where he had a nightmare.
At Porth he bagged 18-6-0 of skimmers on the feeder and then pole for a section second, Bolingey brought another section second with 36-14-0 before that recaptured carp helped him to a lake and section win on Pollawyn with 113-2-0. The final day saw a blistering last hour at Manaccan peg 6 saw him catch 19 carp to end with a section second and lake third 41-9-0.

THE WINNING TACKLE

Steve Ringer waiting for his 25K result!

Feeder Gear:
Rod: Shimano Beastmaster 911
Reel: Shimano Stradic FA4000
Reel line: 4 lb Shimano Exage
Hook trace: 0.18 mm diameter Shimano Silkshock
Hook: Preston Innovations PR 27 size 14

Pole gear:
Pole: 16m Shimano Aspire
Elastic: Maver latex grade 14
Rig Line: 0.16 mm diameter Shimano Silkshock
Hook: Preston Innovations PR 28 size 14.
Float: handmade Mick Wilkinson special.

WHAT THE OTHER FINALISTS SAID

Steve Waters Steve Waters (8th with 22-6-0, peg 16) said: 'I've never fished a big final like this but it has been an excellent experience. Looking back I should have fished the feeder all day long but it didn't pan out. I actually felt more pressure yesterday needing a result to get me into the final than I did today actually fishing for the £25,000! At the end of the day it's a 12-peg match and you are fishing against some good anglers - anything can happen'.

Ben Leach Ben Leach (7th with 22-10-0, peg 15) said: 'I enjoyed it and when it started the way it did for me with that decent carp I got a bit excited but I was'nt nervous at all really. I didn't think about the money really just treated it like a normal match. It was good to be here. When you catch a big fish like I had in the early stages you like to think there will be other opportunities to hook other bigger ones later in the match, however it died on the feeder line for me but then it also died on the feeder line for Steve and he's won it. He's caught on the pole but I couldn't see the float properly in the sun'.

Colin Mulholland (12th with 6-15-0, peg 13) said: 'It has been absolutely brilliant, I was very pleased to get here and I knew it would be hard today, and it proved that but I am not in the slightest bit disappointed I've had a brilliant day. Based on pervious results I knew this draw was not one of the best but Des has done brilliant out of the next peg so it just shows you. I've fished it totally different to him, I came to fish a certain method and its not worked. I qualified out of what I think was the hardest group with people like Tommy Pickering and Kieron Rich, so I've been against some of the best anglers to get here and that has pleased me'.

Des Shipp (2nd with 43-2-0, peg 12) said: ' I am gutted. I thought I had about 35 lb, and when I heard Harry had 41 lb I thought that was the end of that, then when I weighed 43 lb I thought here we go then. But I knew deep down that Steve had won I could just tell. The last two times I made the final i fed too many lines today I did not mess about feeding just a couple of lines and fishing with thicker lines and elastics. I fed meat and hemp with some corn and casters at 16 metres and had that big one and a good spell where I caught 4-5 fish that made me think things were going to start happening but it died after that. I know I've fished a good match as I haven't lost a fish and I feel I couldn't have done anything more off this peg. I've got the consolation of the festival win but I'd rather this match had been for two grand and the festival for 25 grand!

Simon Colclough (10th 12-1-0, peg 9) said:' It's been great fishing against all of the top anglers, At the start of the week I didn't really expect to get in the final but its been a great experience really, hopefully I'll get more chances in the future? Before the match I was quite nervous and realised what was at stake but once it started, it just felt like any other match making the same decisions and thinking the same way. There's a good variety of fishing styles on the Cornish circuit and it gives me good opportunities to practice these different methods'.

Kieron Rich (6th 24-10-0, peg 8) said: 'I can't quite believe what happened really, I had a lot of fish in my peg as I was getting plenty of liners but couldn't convert the activity to bites. I also thought I had a lot less weight than I did, I was 20 lb off the pace but really that wouldn't have taken many fish to catch up if only they had been feeding properly'.

Harry Billing Harry Billing (3rd 41-12-0, peg 6) said:' I am absolutely gutted what else can I say. I felt I fished quite well, could have been better but I know I've had my chance at the end but I've blown it when I hooked a 7-pounder in the tail and with five minutes to go I've lost it at the net. That tree has cost me 25 grand? I knew I would catch on the pole with chopped worm, corn, a few casters and a bit of hemp by regularly changing baits. The pole swim started with four roach then a tench about a pound before I started picking up 2-3 lb tench and a foul hooked a 4 lb carp that I landed. So to be honest I've foul hooked four fish today and got two out so on the averages I've not done too bad. I just tried to pull too hard at the end instead I should have let it tire itself out but you're not to know. There were lots of anglers on the bank today that could have won it - Pete Randle and Dave Jowatt both lost enough fish to win, then there's me and Des Shipp that could have won it, but it was Steve Ringer's day and to be honest I am pleased for him because he's been second about three times now in big money finals. I've got a pick up from the festival to look forward too and I've had brilliant two weeks - you can't beat it and there's always next year'.

Paul Filmore (11th 8-0-0, peg 5) said: 'If I was on them I'd catch them. I've just not had enough activity on the feeder and the pole line was pretty dead for me but i've had a great couple of weeks down here in the last two festivals and caught plenty of fish'.

Dave Jowatt (4th 36-13-0, peg 22) said: 'I've lost a couple of very big fish that could have won me the match, although i didn't think I had as much as I did. It's been a great experience'.

Pete Randle (9th 16-3-0, peg 19) said: 'It's been great to make the final and do well in the festival but I have had a nightmare today. I just could not get around losing big fish. They were in my peg all right but I could not get them to take the bait properly and ended up foul hooking them and losing most of them. It has been frustrating.

Steve Cooke (5th 25-8-0, peg 21) said: 'well done to Steve it's a great win. It never really happened for me today but I knew that dave Jowatt was doing quite well on the end peg.'

Champs dad Geoff Ringer said:
'I am immensely proud of Steve's achievement which I think is all the sweeter because of what happened last year when he was leading the final until the dying seconds when Darren had that monster fish landed after the whistle that beat him. 'I didn't think Steve had enough today after Harry weighed 41 lb then Des put 43 lb on the scales and I thought he'd get third place. However when Steve pulled his net out I thought it would be close.

'What an achievement to win both the Fish O Mania and White Acres Parkdean Masters'.

PARKDEAN MASTERS GRAND FINAL RESULT
1	Steve Ringer (Shimano VDE)	45-11-0	Peg 18
2	Des Shipp (Preston Innovations)	43-2-0	Peg 12
3	Harry Billing (Drennan NW)	41-12-0	Peg 6
4	Dave Jowatt (Fisherman's Way)	36-13-0	Peg 22
5	Steve Cooke (Ringer Baits)	25-8-0	Peg 21
6	Kieron Rich (Tricast Mosella)	24-10-0	Peg 8
7	Ben Leach (Milo)	22-10-0	Peg 15
8	Steve Waters (Drennan Oxford)	22-6-0	Peg 16
9	Pete Randle (MAP Garbolino Starlets)	16-3-0	Peg 19
10	Simon Colclough (Browning Wickford Angling Centre)	12-1-0	Peg 9
11	Paul Filmore (Mosella Welsh Wizards)	8-0-0	Peg 5
12	Colin Mulholland (Tackle Factory)	6-15-0	Peg 13

CLASSY SHIPP CRUISES IN AGAIN

White Acres Parkdean Masters 2003 Festival top three: l-r Ben Leach 2nd, Des Shipp 1st and Pete Randel 3rd.

TO reach the 12 man Grand Final the 180-strong field had to battle it out over five days of intense festival match action and heading the pack was none other than Preston Innovations and Sensas backed England International Des Shipp with a maximum 36 points.
Des triumphed after tying with Dorking team mate Milo backed Ben Leach but a superior dropped fifth result of 5 compared to his rivals 4 sealed the win worth £2000.
Yate based fork lift driver Des had a slow start to the week with 5 points after tying on 17-4-0 with Emma Pickering on Pollawyn. Peg 6 on Lamorna saw Des win the section with 62-7-0 of small carp on poled meat also good enough for a lake second. Moving to Gwinear on the third day a switch to worm paid off for Des with a 39-12-0 carp and silvers return for a hard won section win. Day four on Porth and Des relied on maggot for his pole based 19-8-0 lake and section winning skimmers and roach bag.
The big feller reverted to poled worm at Bolingey 36 on the last day for a fine 13 m located 52-4-0 carp bag to make it four straight wins after that opening disappointment.

BEN LEACH...CLOSE SECOND

Ben Leach 2nd place

Ben Leach came so close with a fine last day section win from Pollawyn's peg 2 thanks mainly to a big single figure carp backed up with some bits, that earned a place in the Grand Final.
Ben, recently signed up by Milo as a sponsored angler, can look to a four point return at bolingey as the only dip in his otherwise scintillating form that included maximums from Porth (12-2-0) , Gwinear (118-4-0), and Trelawney (57-15-0) to add to his last day 10-13-0 all worth the runner-up cheque for £900.

Bricklayer Pete Randle (MAP Garbolino Starlets) made the top ten for the first time with 35 points after some consistent performances on Trelawney (section 2nd), Gwinear (section 3rd), Porth (section win), and Bolingey (section win) and Pollawyn (section win and lake third) to earn the third place cheque for £800.
The battle for the 12 final places was keen with 32 points needed to make it in and with five anglers accruing that return two, Gary Gibson and Alan Barker were disappointed missing out thanks to inferior dropped fifth results.

BIGGEST FISH
Biggest fish of the festival and a cheque for £50 went to Jim Smith with a 19 lb 14 oz Bolingey beast while a cheque for £100 was Tom Pickering's reward fro his best festival match winning weight of 203-8-0 from Gwinear.
Bill Knott named Grand Finalist Colin Mulholland as his man of the match.

TOP 12 FESTIVAL RESULTS
1	Des Shipp (Preston Innovations Sensas)	36 points dropping 5	£2000
2	Ben Leach (Milo)	36 points dropping 4	£900
3	Pete Randle (MAP Garbolino Starlets)	35 points dropping 7	£800
4	Dave Jowatt (Fisherman's Way)	35 points dropping 5	£700
5	Kieron Rich (Tricast Mosella)	34 points dropping 5	£600
6	Simon Colclough (Browning Wickford)	33 points dropping 7	£500
7	Steve Ringer (Shimano VDE)	33 points dropping 6	£400
8	Steve Cooke (Ringer Baits)	33 points dropping 4	£300
9	Steve Waters (Drennan Oxford)	33 points dropping 3	£250
10	Harry Billing (Drennan NW)	32 points dropping 7	£200
11	Colin Mulholland (Tackle factory)	32 points dropping 6
12	Paul Filmore (Mosella Welsh Wizards)	32 points dropping 4

Lake winners

Day 1
Pollawyn, Dean Cherrington (Sensas Midland Match) 78-12-0; Trelawney / Manaccan / Lamorna, Simon Gould (Simon's 2000) 60-4-0; Gwinear Derek Hammond (Drennan Oxford) 132-3-0; Porth, Steve Clarke (Daiwa Trentmen) 20-9-0; Bolingey, Martin Green (MAP Garbolino Starlets) 78-8-0.

Day 2
Pollawyn, Richard Lawson (Colmic) 130-6-0; Trelawney / Manaccan / Lamorna, Paul Hiller (Daiwa Dorking) 81-12-0; Gwinear, Adam Westmacott (Daiwa Dorking) 149-15-0; Porth Steve Clarke (Essex) 22-7-0; Bolingey, Mark Vandercamp (Sensas Garbolino) 86-10-0.

Day 3
Pollawyn, Kieron Rich (Tricast Mosella) 63-4-0; Trelawney / Manaccan / Lamorna, Simon Colclough (Browning Wickford) 49-6-0; Gwinear, Harry Billing (Drennan NW) 179-7-0; Porth, Alex Bones (Match Fishing Magazine) 22-4-0; Bolingey, Allen Wright (White Acres) 79-11-0.

Day 4
Pollawyn, Steve Ringer (Shimano Van Den Eynde) 113-2-0; Trelawney / Manaccan / Lamorna, Geoff Ringer (Ringer Baits) 49-0-0; Gwinear, Adam Wakelin (Dynamite Baits) 150-10-0; Porth, Des Shipp (Preston Innovations) 19-8-0;Bolingey, Simon Gould (Simon's 2000) 74-2-0.

Day 5
Pollawyn, Paul Taylor (Stubpond) 74-11-0; Trelawney / Manaccan / Lamorna, Alan Barker (Ringer Baits) 52-7-0; Gwinear, Tom Pickering (Preston Innovations) 203-8-0; Porth, Phil Ringer (Essex County VDE / Ringer Baits) 20-0-0; Bolingey, Dean Cherrington (Sensas Midland Match) 61-9-0.