Try using a white pellet, the same colour as your feed pellet for shallow work. I have confidence in it and always use the same pellet for shallow. Obviously sometimes they want meat or corn but that's what I do when using pellet.
Its about confidence you told me that

So find something that works and stick to it. I have used the same pellets since larford match pool when I was a guest on that Yale match and came second

And they certainly worked at Manor farm. I have used them on many fisheries and they have worked everywhere to be fair, so I'm sticking with them.
When I pulled your net out I was surprised because every-time I looked over your laccy was out

and I seen you standing up to land a few too

Just play them on the top 5 next time like I did, bloody magical hook spitting fish. I don't think I have ever lost so many fish.
The icing on the cake was, well I had 2. One spat the hook in the bottom of my keep-net and swam off laughing. How did he do that, I would love to know

And the second managed to spit the hook and tie a perfect knot about my stotz dropper shots

which I spent 10 mins untying because it was nearly the end o the match and I didn't want to tie another and my spare was too short :-[