The plan
Peg 6 on Laurels is one of those draws that always gives you a chance. Going in, the approach was simple and structured — three lines, three options, no fuss.
| Short pole | Margin line | Bomb to the Island | ||
| Top kit +3, roughly 3'6" depth. Light feed of 4mm pellets to open. | Same length, shallower at around 2'. Primed with micros, pellets, and corn. | Starter and backup throughout the session. |
Early doors – the bomb delivers
With both pole lines left to settle, the session opened on the bomb — and that decision paid off almost immediately. Within five minutes, the tip pulled round, and a solid mirror carp of around 7–8lb was on, giving the MAP Pro Generation 10' Feeder Rod a proper workout. A great start, and exactly the kind of early fish that settles the nerves.
A small skimmer followed, but then things went quiet. A brief switch to the pole — a roach and a skimmer — wasn't enough to justify staying, so after topping up with a small helping of pellets, it was back to the bomb. That produced a decent F1, but again the swim quickly died.
This pattern became the theme for the first half: short bursts of activity, long quiet spells in between. Patience was the only answer.
The match turns – F1s on the pole
By around 1:30 p.m.—three hours in— things finally changed. A bite on the short pole produced a good F1... then another... What followed was the best spell of the day: a steady, controlled run of F1s coming confidently to the short line.
Feeding was kept tight — just a few pellets at a time, the classic little-and-often approach that keeps fish competing without killing the swim. It was working perfectly, and the net was filling nicely.
Reading the margins – the match is won
By 3:00pm, the pole run began to tail off. But rather than chase it, the instinct was to read the situation. The signs were there: the float was moving, there were liners, and the fish felt like they were pushing into the edge.
Within a minute of dropping into the margin, the first F1 was in the net. Then another. One fish came back foul-hooked in the tail — always an interesting moment on the pole — but with patience it was safely banked. After that, it was a steady, confident run of margin fish all the way to the all-out whistle. Classic late-match behaviour, exactly as the pellet-based approach had set up for.
Final result
| Weight | Position | Field | ||
| 40lb 13oz | 8th / 21 | 21 anglers |
| Position | Angler | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Brad Lucas | 103lb |
| 2nd | – | 87lb |
| 3rd | – | 65lb |
| 8th | Me | 40lb 13oz |
The top weights were exceptional — Brad Lucas in particular clearly had a red-letter day. But 40lb+ for 8th from 21 anglers is, I think, a genuinely solid result. Built on patience and smart fishing rather than a lucky draw.
Key takeaways
- ✓ Kept calm in the quiet spells — no panic, no rash decisions
- ✓ Managed all three lines properly throughout the session
- ✓ Fed sensibly — little and often, never overdoing the pellets
- ✓ Read the late movement to the margins at exactly the right moment
- ✓ Converted well when the fish arrived — no missed opportunities
Find them → stay ready → take your chance → finish strong.
That's what this session was all about.