A busy weekend of Golden Reel action came to a close at Hayfield Lakes on Sunday, 1st June, with another high-weight shootout deciding the latest qualifier. This time it was Jimmy Brooks who rose to the top, delivering a superb performance to book his place in September’s Grand Final at Larford Lakes.
After making the trip to South Yorkshire, Jimmy drew peg 68 on Big Adams. Sitting on the point of the island, conditions looked ideal with the wind off his back. On his Facebook page, Jimmy revealed that he wasted no time, mugging three early carp before switching to his shallow line with a jigger rig set around four feet deep.
From that point on, there was no stopping him. He caught steadily for over three hours before a change in species saw the Carrassio move in. The action became relentless, and by the end of the match, Jimmy had amassed a superb 242lb 13oz, more than enough to top the field and secure a place in the big-money final.
Runner-up on the day was Steve Cooke, who also enjoyed a prolific day, weighing in 234lb 6oz from peg 38 on Island Lake. In third place was Matrix-backed Brad Lucas, who posted 193lb 8oz from peg 70 on Island. Although already qualified for the semi-finals, his form continues to impress. Rounding out the top four was Michael Owen with 147lb 14oz from peg 72 on Island Lake. With Brad already through, both Steve and Michael now secure semi-final places.
Congratulations to Jimmy Brooks, who becomes the 13th angler to secure a spot in the 2025 Golden Reel Grand Final. Below is the complete list of the 13 anglers who have qualified for this year’s Golden Reel Grand Final so far:
Golden Reel 2025 Finalists
- Andy Power
- Kristian Jones
- Dale Shepherd
- Ryan Laycock
- Adam Richards
- Simon Skelton
- Neil Colcombe
- Sam Brown
- Danny Squire
- Kieran Marsden
- Colin Scott
- Mikey williams
- Jimmy Brooks
The next Golden Reel qualifier takes place on Saturday, 7th June at Partridge Lakes in Warrington. Tickets for all Golden Reel qualifiers are available at GoldenReelAngling.co.uk and cost £50.