Roger Marlow and Dean Guest are through to the inaugural Canal Pairs Championship after a wind-lashed day on the Loughborough Canal qualifier. 

“After drawing peg 27 on the Hawes Plant Hire section I got to my peg with an open mind,” Roger explained. “With winds up to 40mph I decided to concentrate on maggots down the middle and squats and pinkies over groundbait on a 7m line. I used my favourite Drennan Roach float in 0.5g size with Fine Match hooks in size 20 and 22 to 0.08mm Double Strength. 

“I ended up with 2kg. All roach except for one perch and don’t think I’ve ever fished in winds like that in my life!”

Dean had a similar day on the Swingbridge section: “Due to the wind I caught at just 5m, fishing to my left and right with pinkies over groundbait depending on which way the canal was pulling. I used 0.2g and 0.4g rigs with pinkies on a size 22 Silverfish Maggot hook to catch a mixture of roach and skimmers.”

The Drennan Leicester pairing finished 3rd overall, earning them an all-important place in the 110-peg Angling Trust and Canal & Rivers Trust Final on the Birmingham-Fazeley Canal in October.