The Great start enjoyed by Chew anglers slowed quickly last week with the onset of cold, windy conditions but there was still plenty of action.

Most fishermen searched for sheltered spots to fish and although the boats had some success behind the Island and tight to the North and East Shores, bank anglers struggled to find fish in most areas. Later in the week things improved as the wind swung away from the cold directions and eased in strength.

With the improving weather there has been a huge increase in the amount of black buzzer hatching and at times the air has been thick with clouds of these midges.

These have also encouraged the fish to feed a little closer to the surface and floati9ng lines with black buzzer nymphs or black Diawl Bachs fished slowly have accounted for very good bags of fish.

Early morning or in the windier spots try a black or green mini tadpole or goldhead. Best banks have been Wick, North Shore or Herons Green while boats have fared well in Wick Green, East Shore, The Island and North Bank.

It was a difficult start at Blagdon due to the wind and cold weather. When conditions allow Green Lawn and Rainbow have been very good.

Pegs, Ash Trees and The Firs are best in Northerly winds. Boats have caught well in Butcombe, Rugmoor and Holt Bay.

Fly patterns the same as at Chew though sinking lines have been more popular.

Roger Harris took a fine 7 lb 4 oz brown from the bank while Robert Young took a fine 6 lb 0 oz brown also from the bank.

A very good start at all three tanks at the Barrows although the size of fish is slightly smaller than usual at 1 lb 5 oz.

As always the mouse has done well as have smaller lures and boobies. Ken McLean took a nice 4 lb 8 oz brown on an olive booby.

Chew produced a total catch last week of 1924 fish averaging 2 lb 2 oz topped by a brown of 5 lb 8 oz and rainbow 5 lb 2 oz with 132 limit bags.

At Blagdon 637 fish averaging 2 lb 5 oz were taken topped by a brown of 7 lb 4 oz and rainbow 4 lb 3 oz with 40 limit bags.

The barrows yielded 787 fish averaging 1 lb 5 oz topped by a brown of 4 lb 8 oz and rainbow 4 lb 0 oz with 59 limit bags.

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Trout fishermen have also enjoyed a good start to the season on the Wessex Water fisheries. Clatworthy fish well last week with 336 fish taken. Syndercombe Bank has fished well throughout the week. Doug Cotton took a fine 6 lb 2 oz rainbow fishing from a boat.

Lures fished well down are taking most fish. At Hawkridge 266 fish were taken. Brian Stone took the best fish of the week with a 3 lb 8 oz rainbow.

Mike McColl took a five fish limit bag for 11 lb 8 oz. Fish are falling to Black and Green Fritz, Booby’s, Gold Head Damsel and Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear.

At Sutton Bingham 353 fish were recorded. The start of the week was a lot slower due to the strong North West winds.

Gold Heads took most fish although some fish were taken on smaller Pheasant Tails towards the back end of the week.

Best bag and best fish were taken by Pete White with an over wintered rainbow weighing 6 lb 0 oz in a total bag weight of 14 lb 2 oz.

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Bathampton members are continuing to enjoy top class sport at its Hunstrete Lake complex. It was a great day for 13 year of Jake Dugan from Bath when he took nine carp from Bridge Pool including a fine common carp weighing 18 lb 0 oz.

The fish was weighed, witnessed and photographed by the club’s head coach Keith Pope and is n impressive personal best for young Jake. He took the fish on sweetcorn bait.

Club member Phil Dark also had a good day on Bridge Pool.

Fishing pole with pellets he took a fine mirror carp weighing 16 lb 8 oz as well as four other doubles and two nine pounders.

Withy Pool is also in great form with one member taking sixteen carp in a session on pellets and sweetcorn topped by a 13 lb specimen.

Another member bagged up on the lake with carp to 5 lb and bream to over 5 lb 8 oz as well as some lovely roach to 1 lb.

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Competitors enjoyed mixed sport in the Landsend midweek Open match. Anton Page of Avon Angling chalked up another good win with a mainly carp catch weighing 73 lb 6 oz taken on long pole fished pellets.

Martin West of Landsend took second prize with another carp catch weighing 69 lb 12 oz also taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Rod Wooten of Dynamite Frys MG with a carp and silvers catch weighing 29 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

He also took the silvers prize with a weight of 25 lb 6 oz.

Other placings: 4. Alan Oram Dynamite Baits 21 lb 7 oz.

Weights were evenly spread in the Mosella Avalon Fishery Wednesday Open match. Tim Clark of Avon Angling carried off top prize with an all carp catch weighing 78 lb 13 oz taken on waggler fished pellets.

Dean Malin of Dynamite Baits was a close runner up with another carp catch weighing 74 lb 11 oz taken on feeder fished pellets.

Dave Downton of Veals clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 56 lb 15 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Mosella star Tony Rixon took the silvers prize with a catch weighing 12 lb 1 oz.

Other placings: 4. Colin Dyer Langport 38 lb 4 oz; 5. Gary Bedford Sarfix SW 30 lb 13 oz; 6. Martin West Landsend 18 lb 6 oz.

Viaduct Fishery was in prime form for the Wednesday Open match with carp feeding well.

Top honours on the day went to Tim Bull of Dynamite baits with a carp catch weighing 166 lb 12 oz taken on legered pellets.

Andy Neal of Fox Match finished in runner up spot with another carp catch weighing 160 lb 7 oz taken on feeder fished pellets.

He was followed by Paul Blake of Carps AC with a carp catch weighing 112 lb 5 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Roger Young Maggots End 100 lb 7 oz; 5. Gary Etheridge Devizes 90 lb 14 oz; 6. Tony Leney Team Sillybait 81 lb 10 oz.

Viaduct Fishery was again in prime form for the Carps AC match where the top six weights all topped 100 lb.

Martin Preston of Sensas Viaduct took top honours with an all carp catch weighing 183 lb 8 oz taken alternating with pole and legered pellets.

Josh Garrett of Maver Veals took second prize with another carp catch weighing 151 lb 5 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Steve Denmead of Frome with a carp catch weighing 132 lb 7 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Clive Preston Carps AC 110 lb 2 oz; 5. Lee Greenwood Viaduct Young Guns 106 lb 8 oz; 6. Graham Cannings Carps AC 101 lb 7 oz.

The seventh round of the Landsend Individual Winter League produced fairly even sport. Long time leader in the league Adrian Clark again hit the jackpot to take top spot with a carp catch weighing 75 lb 6 oz taken alternating with long pole fished pellets and sweetcorn.

Gary Wall of Landsend took runner up spot with a carp catch weighing 60 lb 1 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Alan Oram of Dynamite Baits with a carp catch weighing 56 lb 8 oz also taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Mark Artus Landsend 53 lb 5 oz; 5. Paul Taylor Tadham 41 lb 3 oz; 6. Lee Burns Carps AC 39 lb 10 oz.

Carp again fed well in the Frys Dynamite Baits Open at Viaduct Fishery. Top Honours on the day went to Eddie Wynne of Maver Veals with a carp catch weighing 142 lb 10 oz taken on waggler fished pellets.

Gary Bedford of Sarfix SW took runner prize with a carp catch weighing131 lb 8 oz taken on pole fished pellets. Ray Cooper of Dynamite Baits clinched third prize with another carp catch weighing 105 lb 10 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Kevin Dicks of Sensas Bathampton with a weight of 18 lb 9 oz.

Other placings: 4. Will Bates Keynsham AA 103 lb 13 oz; 5. Chris Wills Daiwa BAC 74 lb 13 oz; 6. Chris Szakaes Dynamite Frys MG 70 lb 0 oz.

The Todber Manor Open match on Saturday produced excellent sport with carp feeding well.

Top honours on the day went to Mark Harper of Preston Innovation Thatchers with a carp catch weighing 116 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished diced luncheon meat.

Dave Roper pushed the winner all the way to finish a close runner up with another carp catch weighing 115 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished paste.

Kevin Rowles from Devizes clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 105 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Ian Willetts Bradford 101 lb 14 oz; 5. Gary Etheridge Devizes 99 lb 12 oz; 6. Steve Tucker Preston Innovation Thatchers 90 lb 4 oz.

There was little to choose between the top five anglers in the Wilts Open match fished on Sunday at Todber manor.

Steve Gardner of Chippenham just took top spot with a carp catch weighing 85 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished paste.

Right on his heels came Pete Neate of Holt with another carp catch weighing 83 lb 5 oz taken alternating with long pole fished pellets and sweetcorn.

Steve Saunder4s from Bath took third spot with another carp catch weighing 79 lb 13 oz taken on method feeder fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Ian Willetts Bradford 79 lb 10 oz; 5. Jamie Smith Frome 77 lb 2 oz; 6. Martin Barrett Trowbridge 53 lb 15 oz.

Future events:

Sunday Apr 12: Frys match at Bullocks Farm

Thursday Apr 16: Bathampton Over 55s/Disabled match at Withy Pool