TROUT fishermen have enjoyed a great start to the season on the Bristol Water trout fisheries, writes Colin Scull.

After an unsteady start Blagdon has come on in leaps and bounds, producing many good bags to both bank and boat anglers.

Much of the fishing has involved boobies or goldheads fished slow and deep, but several anglers have reported excellent rises to emerging black buzzers over the deep water out from the Lodge, and Tim Appleton managed to catch six on dries in mid afternoon.

The water warming up and clearing augurs well for more nymph and dry fly sport.

Chew Valley also continues to fish very well. The changeable weather has encouraged fishing from different parts of the lake on different days and bank anglers have enjoyed excellent sport.

There have been massive hatches of black midge and good catches have been reported on Diawl Bachs, Pheasant Tail Nymphs and small goldheads fished on long leaders and floating lines.

Martin Burgess took a 7lb 12oz rainbow from North Shore and Tom Timms had a 6lb 2oz rainbow from the same shore. Anglers are also enjoying good sport at Barrows No. 1 and 3 but No. 2 is hardly worth fishing because of low water levels.

Anglers are also having good sport on the Wessex Water trout fisheries. Clatworthy, which produced 500 fish last week, is fishing very well with lots of fish feeding on top to Black Buzzers and Snails. Cats and Damsels are catching well deeper down. At Hawkridge fish are being taken on sinking lines with Black and Green Montanas, Orange Fritz and Cats Whiskers.

Bathampton members are enjoying some great sport at Newton Park Lake, near Bath. Junior member Sam White fished the venue the first time in a year and took a beautiful 24lb 3oz mirror carp on single pineapple boilies.

At Withy Pool Chris Herbert and Steve Thorburn, from Warminster, took nine mirror carp between them up to 15lb and four commons to 13lb.

The Wednesday Open match at Ivy House Lakes fishery produced some excellent sport.

Elick Payne, of Chippenham, won with an all-carp catch weighing 94lb 6oz, taken on pole-fished sweetcorn on a 14 hook. Runner-up was fishery owner Jo Warner with a carp catch weighing 54lb 8oz, also taken on pole-fished sweetcorn.

Nigel Johnson, of Westerleigh, was third with a carp catch weighing 42lb 12oz and Gary Etheridge, of Devizes, was fourth with a carp catch weighing 40lb 4oz.

There were some good nets of fish in the Airsprung match fished on Sunday on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Ladydown.

Neil Hounsell, of Trowbridge, won with a mixed catch of skimmers and roach weighing 10lb, taken on pole-fished chopped worm on an 18 hook. Runner-up was Steve Southern, of Trowbridge, with a skimmer and roach catch weighing 6lb 15oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on a 20 hook.

He was followed by Dean Adams, of Bradford, with a skimmer and roach catch weighing 5lb 14oz, taken on pole-fished punched bread on a 20 hook.

Other placings: 4 Pete Whitton, Trowbridge, 5lb 7oz 8dm; 5 Mike Withey, Westbury, 3lb 3oz; 6 Roger Green, Trowbridge, 2lb 4oz.

There was mixed sport in the Wilts Angling open match on Sunday at Viaduct fishery. Paul Bond, of Trowbridge, won with an all carp catch weighing 126lb 13oz, taken on pole-fished pellets on a 14 hook.

Steve Gardner, of Chippenham, was second with a carp catch weighing 67lb 11oz, taken on legered cat meat on a 12 hook. Nick Collins, of Wincanton, was third with a mixed catch of skimmers, ide and tench weighing 65lb 3oz, taken on pole-fished pellets on a 14 hook.

Other placings: 4 Vic Abbott, Melksham, 61lb 1oz; 5 Mick Gunning, Trowbridge, 40lb 5oz; 6 Ian Willetts, Bradford, 37lb 9oz.