Rod & Line by Roland Batten

PLENTY of carp, good quality bream and perch plus a record-breaking trout are among the top fish caught during a week which saw some hefty downpours and plenty of wet anglers.

The amount of rain that has fallen should bring water levels up on lakes and rivers and, perhaps, introduce a little bit of colour to the crystal clear conditions.

All the region's fisheries, whether coarse or trout, are reporting good fishing conditions with plenty of sport so the rain must have helped.

The Avon, from below Salisbury and down to Ringwood, is beginning to rise slowly and the gin-clear water is getting some colour helping the barbel and chub anglers.

Plenty of barbel around Lifelands to just below double figures and decent-sized chub throughout the length of the river.

At Waldens Farm Fishery ghost carp and mirror carp have been taken from all pegs on Bishops Lake with one of the best bags falling to Ken Rose, who took three ghosts for 43lb.

Some nice perch have been caught as well up to 2lb 4oz. The week's biggest carp, a 20lb common, was caught from Abbots Lake by Dave Porton while Popes Lake is going bream mad with Jack Sheppard taking one of 4lb 8oz, Dan Smith one of 4lb 2oz and other anglers catching them between 3lb and 4lb. Good tench fishing during the early mornings.

Popes Lake is fishing well to all species, including chub and barbel, while Sunday's match on Deacons Lake was won by Richard Trim with 86lb 14oz.

Shaun Franks was second with 72lb 14oz with Mark Cannings third with 60lb 2oz.

Salisbury Angling Club members had to contend with some pretty heavy weed for their club match at Petersfinger on Sunday. George Horton won the day with 13lb 10oz and Jimmy Smith was second with 8lb 7oz.

The Harnham Kingfisher's Club held the fourth match in their evening series at Witherington Farm Fishery and now all rests on the final match.

In the under 12s section Joe Dunne has 74 points, just one more than Jordan Caira with James Stevens in third place with 71. In the 12-16 section Dominic Caira leads with 73 but snapping at his heels are Ed Purvis and James Mouland just two points behind.

Winners of the fourth match were Jordan Caira with 10lb 3oz in the under-12 section followed by William Cane (8lb 8oz) and Joe Dunne with 5lb 14oz.

In the 12-16 section Kyle Guild won with 6lb 10oz, Dale Evans was runner-up with 3lb 8oz and James Mouland was third with 2lb.

There is a new fishery record at Manning-ford Fly Fishery near Upavon after the capture of a huge 18lb 10oz rainbow.

The monster was one of several huge trout caught from the fishery last week.

Other anglers had fish of 15lb 2oz, 14lb and 13lb and virtually every visitor has caught the limit.

A steady flow of trout is the description of the week's sport at Avon Springs Fishery near Durrington and again the top fish from both Willow Lake and Club Lake are well over 8lb. The fishery's average remains at 4.5lb.

Probably the best lake is Willow and without a doubt grey wolf is proving to be the most deadly pattern.

The most notable fish came from the river stretch, a lovely 6lb 3oz brown trout which was caught on a sedge.

Sedge is proving very successful on the river for both grayling and trout.