DANNY Mason's tactic of using a long rod to fish the margins on peg seven on the Fennes' Hill and Black lake proved a good one in the Braintree Club's John Doyle Rod and Reel Trophy.

Mason landed seven carp to add to a few silvers for a clear win with a 69-8-0 total.

A long way adrift was Matt Gould, with one small carp and four F1s weighing 13-14-0 for second.

The club`s Friday Sweep at Notley saw Bob Reed take an early lead with F1s and adding a small carp late on finished with a match-winning 21-14-0. Second place was again secured in the final minutes as Pete Thompson landed a good-sized mirror, only to have Jim Loosley land his third carp on the whistle but size counted and Thompson held on to second place with 17-5-0.

Reece Hearn fished a 40 peg two-day Festival at Western Lakes near Boston and the Matrix/Image/Bagum Baits man found the fishing was perfect for a margin approach.

Saturday on Skylark produced 71 fish, F1s and carp to ten pounds for a total of 232-0-0 to win the section and the match.

Sunday's match was on Falcon, which is mainly small carp and F1s, 290 of which found their way into his nets and weighing 238-0-0 gave him another section and match win and his first overall Festival win.