Round Two of Lure Battle 1v1 (Brought to you by Predator Tackle) is now complete and it delivered everything the format promises – pressure, drama and tactical decision-making in brutal conditions. With the field reduced to six anglers, three head-to-head battles unfolded across vastly different venues, from tidal systems and intimate marinas to vast northern waters. 

Big pike were landed, cards were upgraded in the dying hours and in some cases opportunity slipped away by the narrowest of margins. 

From missed follows and late zander to crucial perch that made all the difference, Round Two proved once again that success in Lure Battle 1v1 isn’t just about the biggest fish – it’s about building the right card at the right time.

Episode 7 – Robbie Northman vs David Jacobs

Episode 7 of the Lure Battle 1v1 marked the start of Round Two, with the competition narrowed from 12 anglers down to six. In this matchup, Robbie Northman (Savage Gear) faced David Jacobs (Wychwood Agitator), battling it out for a place in the final at Oxford Linear Fisheries.

Both anglers experienced an incredibly tough day. David, fishing a private venue, initially targeted pike after hearing they might feed better in the morning. Despite numerous follows and missed opportunities, he landed a crucial 86cm pike — a fish he hadn’t expected to catch. However, perch proved frustratingly difficult, and he struggled to get them to commit. Robbie, fishing tidal waters affected by previous salt surges, also found the fishing slow. He focused early on filling his card and managed three modest perch (19cm, 19cm, and 18cm), giving him an early lead despite not landing a pike by midday.

As the day progressed, both anglers adapted constantly. Robbie shifted tactics to finesse-style pike fishing and successfully filled his card with two small pike (58cm and 65cm), later upgrading one to 67cm. He then secured a significant late upgrade with a 37cm perch, boosting his overall score. Meanwhile, David added a 20cm perch and, in the closing stages, caught a 58cm zander, his third species but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

At the final weigh-in, Robbie’s full and upgraded card edged out David’s mixed-species effort. Despite David’s impressive 86cm pike, Robbie’s consistency and late perch upgrade secured him the win and will advance to the final.

Final Scores
David Jacobs – 155cm
Stuart Sutherland – 312cm (card completed)

Episode 8 – Lee Spillard vs Dan Brackley

Episode 8 of Lure Battle 1v1 featured a tense Round Two clash between Dan Brackley (Rapala) and Lee Spillard (Grundens). Fishing in tough winter conditions in the Lake District, both anglers had to adapt to cold water, limited feeding windows, and pressured fish.

Lee made the stronger start, prioritising perch early and quickly securing three for his card (26cm, 21cm, and 20cm). He then shifted focus to pike and steadily built momentum through the afternoon, first landing a solid 77cm fish before upgrading multiple times with pike of 88cm, 85cm, and finally 90cm. By late afternoon, Lee had a complete and competitive card made up of three perch and two quality pike.

Dan’s day was more stop-start. Despite seeing fish on sonar, he struggled to convert follows into takes early on. He eventually broke through with an 82cm pike and later upgraded to an impressive 94cm fish, the biggest of the match – as well as adding another 83cm pike. However, his heavy focus on pike cost him valuable time and he only managed to catch one perch (30cm) in the closing stages, leaving his card incomplete.

In the end, the format proved decisive. While Dan had the standout individual fish, Lee’s early perch strategy and fully completed card secured the win, sending him through to the final.

Final Scores
Dan Brackley – 237cm
Lee Spillard – 344cm (card completed)

Episode 9 – Kev Cox vs Stuart Sutherland

Kev (Fox Rage) started strongly on a small marina venue, quickly building a perch card on drop shot tactics before switching to pike. Within the first hour he had three perch (including a 35cm fish) and added pike of 57cm and 67cm to complete a full card early in the day. With steady rain setting in, Kev attempted to upgrade by moving venues, targeting bigger pike on rivers and gravel pits, but bites became scarce and the afternoon proved far tougher than the morning.

Stuart (Hart fishing), fishing from the boat in Scotland, endured an even more frustrating session. Despite marking fish on the sonar and trying multiple tactics, deep jigging, drop shotting, topwater, and working shallow areas  he couldn’t convert opportunities into landed fish. Changing weather, rising water levels, and inactive predators made conditions extremely difficult, and he blanked for the day despite persistent effort.

At the final check-in, Kev’s productive morning proved decisive. Even without afternoon upgrades, his early full card was enough to secure victory. Stuart exited the competition after a hard-fought but fishless day, while Kev advanced to the final alongside the other remaining qualifiers.

Final Scores
Stuart Sutherland – ZERO
Lee Spillard – 342cm (card completed)

On to the Final for Lure Battle 1v1 Competition 2026

When the dust settled, three anglers stood out. Robbie Northman edged through with consistency and key late upgrades, Lee Spillard executed a perfectly balanced strategy to overcome bigger individual fish and Kev Cox secured his place thanks to a decisive early full card. With Round Two complete, these three now advance to the final, where technology is stripped back and the ultimate Lure Battle 1v1 champion will be decided in a true bank-side showdown.