Alan Scotthorne clinched a debut appearance in the Angling Trust Riverfest Final on Hereford’s River Wye later this year by winning a 60-peg qualifier on the River Weaver at Northwich, Cheshire.

Alan drew on the point of Hulse’s Island – where the natural river and a canalised section join – Alan alternated pole and feeder to net 15 bream for 43lb 4oz.

“I noticed some bubbles from feeding fish 35 yards down my peg in the main river, which is where I caught 11 of my bream from using a 10ft Acolyte Feeder rod with 4lb Feeder & Method Mono and triple maggot on a size 16 B560 hook.

“I started on a cage feeder but lost two bream when it snagged on a shallow gravel bar in front of me. By changing to a green plastic version I landed the next 11 and only lost two others

“I also fed two pole lines in 8ft of water in the canalised part of my peg, which brought me four more bream over the match duration while I rested my main swim.”

Alans two most important decisions were:

1. Plumbing my peg to discover underwater contours before setting my seatbox. It’s something international anglers often do. It might look daft, but it’s time well spent on any peg or venue you don’t know well.

2. Switching from a cage feeder to a plastic open-ended feeder after losing my first two fish. Plastic feeders rise faster than metal versions and are less prone to snagging.

Looking ahead to the Riverfest Final, Alan added: “It’s a final that tests all-round skills perhaps more than any other. You might need to fish whip for bleak, fish the feeder for barbel and chub, pole  fish with a flat float for perch, or trot a big stick, waggler, Bolo for roach and dace.”