Trout fishermen enjoyed a great week on the Bristol Water trout fisheries last week with good catches from the bank and boat.

The warmer conditions have given rise to huge hatches of black buzzers at both Chew and Blagdon.

In fact at Chew there are so many the fish are totally preoccupied with them and often need something bigger and brighter to persuade them to bite.

When caught they are stuffed full of these midge pupae.

This is great news for the anglers. Not only does it get the fish in tip top condition and put on weight quickly, but it gets the fish near or right on the surface where many fishermen prefer to catch them. Usually these hatches will continue for the next few weeks.

Hopefully then the other buzzers and sedges will start to appear and corixae will begin to put in an appearance.

Chew produced a total catch last week of 1071 fish averaging 2 lb 2 oz topped by a brown of 2 lb 4 oz and rainbow 4 lb 2 oz with 66 limit bags taken.

At Blagdon 997 fish averaging 2 lb 8 oz were taken topped by a brown of 4 lb 0 oz and rainbow 6 lb 10 oz with 61 limit bags.

The Barrows yielded 286 fish averaging 1 lb 6 oz topped by a brown of 4 lb 0 oz and rainbow 1 lb 12 oz. With 18 limit bags.

__________________ The good start to the season also continued on the Wessex Water trout fisheries. Clatworthy was in good form with 474 fish taken last week.

All banks are producing fish. Rowes Farm end is the most popular and also to the right of the fishing lodge.

Boats are finding fish to the North end of the reservoir in deep water. Sinking lines and lures are still the best line of attack at the moment.

At Hawkridge 328 fish were taken but I have no further details here. Sutton Bingham hit great form with701 fish taken.

The fish came up in the water and were looking for food and although there was very little hatching, fishermen have been taking on Buzzers and Pheasant Tail Nymphs.

All banks have produced fish but most came from the North bank because of the wind direction. Top bag of the week weighed 19 lb 3 oz taken by Graham Winters which included a fine 7 lb 9 oz rainbow.

________________________ Two weeks ago 11 year old Joe McMahon drew peg 47 on Withy Pool to win the under 13 match and then drew the same peg with his dad Martin to win the latest Bathampton A A ‘Old Uns & Young Uns’ match.

Obviously young Joe was able to tell his dad how to fish the peg properly and the result was a clear win with a combined weight of 42 lb 2 oz of carp and silvers caught on pole and feeder fished casters and pellets.

13 year old Connor Branagh and Stuart Robertson from Bath scooped second prize from peg 60 with a weight of 18 lb 2 oz of carp and silvers taken on waggler fished red maggots.

Steven and Martin Wride took third prize with a weight of 13 lb 4 oz.

Other placings: 4. Nathan & Tony Perks Wootton-Under-Edge 7 lb 7 oz; 5. Daniel & Simon Woodbridge Frampton Cotterell 4 lb 5 oz.

The Wednesday Open match at Landsend Fishery produced good sport with fairly even catches. Top honours on the day went to Nick Duckett of Landsend with an all carp catch weighing 85 lb 10 oz taken on long pole fished pellets.

Clive Edmunds of Avon Angling was a close runner up with a carp catch weighing 85 lb 6 oz also taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Anton Page of Avon Angling with another carp catch weighing 80 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Steve Kedge of Fox Match with a skimmer catch weighing 33 lb 0 oz. Other placings: 4. Tony Rixon Mosella 77 lb 10 oz; 5. John Dyte Avon Angling 65 lb 10 oz; 6. Dean Malin Dynamite Baits 65 lb 5 oz.

Viaduct Fishery was in superb form for the Wednesday Open match with carp feeding ravenously. Alan Perkins of Carps AC put in a superb performance to carry off top prize with a carp catch weighing 190 lb 10 oz taken alternating with waggler fished and legered pellets.

Alex Murray of Sign Solutions took runner up prize with another carp catch weighing 170 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Clive Victor of Army Vespe used the same tactics to clinch third prize with a carp catch weighing 107 lb 11 oz.

The silver fish prize went to Chris Parr of Sensas Thyers with a mixed catch weighing 33 lb 4 oz. Other placings: 4. Kevin Dicks Sensas Bathampton Avon Aquatics 105 lb 4 oz; 5. Clive Davies Frampton RBL 104 lb 4 oz; 6. Joe Jordan Enterprise 101 lb 7 oz. Viaduct Fishery once again proved itself to be a top class fishery in the latest \Open match with the top five weights all exceeding 100 lb. Top honours on the day went to Andy Lloyd of Frome with an all carp catch weighing 186 lb 8 oz taken alternating with waggler and legered pellets.

David Luke took runner up prize with another carp catch weighing 128 lb 15 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Steve Denmead from Frome with another carp catch weighing 119 lb 13 oz taken on waggler fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Lee Edwards of Preston Innovations with a skimmer catch weighing 25 lb 3 oz. Other placings: 4. Ron Hayward Frome 106 lb 2 oz; 5. Les Moore Bath 106 lb 1 oz; 6. Paul Denslow Viaduct 91 lb 10 oz.

Competitors enjoyed mixed sport in the Mosella Avalon Open match. Top honours went to Dave Downton of Veals with an all carp catch weighing 104 lb 9 oz taken on waggler fished pellets fished up in the water. Mosella star Tony Rixon had to settle for runner up prize with another carp catch weighing 63 lb 11 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Paul Garrett of Maver Veals clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 49 lb 5 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

The silver fish prize went to Chris Derrick of Veals with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 14 lb 3 oz. Other placings: 4. Steve Foale Westerleigh 45 lb 10 oz; 5. Paul Elmos Avalon 29 lb 13 oz; 6. Dave Evans Carps AC 27 lb 11 oz.

The fifth round in the Dynamite Series fished at Bullocks Farm produced fairly even weights. Mosella star Tony Rixon took top honours with a mainly carp catch weighing 45 lb 6 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

Will Bates of Keynsham took second spot with another carp catch weighing 31 lb 8 oz taken on pole fished pellets. He was followed by Andy Bryant of Dynamite Frys MG with a mixed catch weighing 27 lb 14 oz.

The silver fish prize went to Andy Curry of Dynamite Frys MG with a mixed catch weighing 9 lb 14 oz. Other placings: 4. Dave Evans Dynamite Frys MG 25 lb 4 oz; 5. Paul Ratcliffe Dynamite Frys MG 23 lb 0 oz; 6. Ray Cooper Dynamite Baits 20 lb 4 oz.

Local anglers travelled to the two day Dynamite Festival at Stafford Moor and brought home the major prizes.

On day one Anton Page of Avon Angling took top spot with a carp and silvers catch weighing 151 lb 6 oz taken alternating with waggler and pole fished pellets Alan Oram of Dynamite Baits took second spot with another carp catch weighing 130 lb 3 oz with Gary Bedford of Sarfix SW in third spot with a carp catch weighing 105 lb 7 oz. And Anton made certain of taking overall honours by again topping the field on day two with another mixed bag of carp, tench, skimmers and crucians weighing 86 lb 0 oz taken alternating with pole fished pellets and chopped worm.

Gary Bedford of Sarfix SW took second spot with a mixed catch weighing 44 lb 2 oz with Paul Cooper of Dynamite Frys MG third with 42 lb 10 oz. Overall : 1. Anton Page Avon Angling 2 points; 2. Gary Bedford Sarfix SW 5 points.

Colkin Farm produced fair sport for the Wilts Angling Open match on Wednesday. Top honours on the day went to Steve Saunders of Bath with a carp catch weighing 111 lb 6 oz taken on method feeder fished pellets. Terry Gatty from Melksham took runner up prize with another carp catch weighing 64 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished paste.

He was closely followed by Matt Skyrme of Trowbridge with a carp catch weighing 63 lb 9 oz taken on pole fished pellets. Other placings: 4. Sean Rhodes Trowbridge 48 lb 0 oz; 5. Pete Neate Holt 45 lb 0 oz; 6. Ian Willetts Bradford 42 lb 5 oz.

The Wilts Angling Open match fished at Rood Ashton on Friday produced fairly even weights.

Ian Willetts from Bradford again topped the list with a carp catch weighing 51 lb 4 oz taken on feeder fished pellets. Dave Bancroft from Trowbridge took runner up spot with a carp catch weighing 42 lb 2 oz taken on feeder fished pellets.

He was followed by Pete Neate from Holt with a carp catch weighing 37 lb 4 oz taken on method feeder fished red maggots. Other placings: 4. Nathaniel Johnson Melksham 32 lb 0 oz; 5. Terry Gatty Melksham 29 lb 4 oz; 6. Dave Baker Trowbridge 27 lb 14 oz.

Competitors again enjoyed even sport in the Wilts Angling Open match fished on Sunday at Leech Pool.

In form Pete Neate from Holt again took top honours with a carp catch weighing 58 lb 12 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Ian Willetts from Bradford to second spot with a carp catch weighing 52 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Mick Gunning from Trowbridge clinched third prize with a carp catch weighing 46 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished paste. Other placings: 4. Lee Symes Trowbridge 38 lb 6 oz; 5. Terry Gatty Melksham 32 lb 1 oz; 6. Dave Bancroft Trowbridge 25 lb 0 oz.

______________________ Future events: Sunday April 19: Kingswood & Hanham RBL match at The Sedges Ridgeway match at Avalon Fishery Frys match at Bullocks Farm