Mammoth haul for Simon

ANGLERS have been en-joying some tremendous sport at fisheries across the region over the last week.

Salisbury Angling Club's lakes opened on Sunday with a 26lb mirror carp from Steeple Langford and big bags of tench from Petersfinger lakes to kick the new season off.

At Pensworth Lake, Redlynch, Amesbury's Simon Steele and a colleague hauled in nearly 200lb of fish one day last week followed up by just over 100lb on Sunday - all carp from 1lb to 13lb.

Waldens Farm Fishery has seen several carp to 17lb 8oz and roach and rudd to 2lb, while at Witherington Farm match bags have topped 70lb.

Salisbury AC members are advised to use sturdy tackle when fishing Petersfinger lakes because of the quick growth of pond weed and lilies and the interest shown in baits by big tench with plenty of fight.

Steeple Langford fished hard on Sunday, probably because of the large number of anglers wanting to start the new season.

Despite this, several carp in the lower 20lb range were caught and several more into double figures, topped by the big 26lb mirror.

Waldens Farm bailiff Stuart Greer had a tremendous week with his Bruce and Walker hexagon fly rod, floating line and floating chum mixer taking 13 ghost carp and commons, ten of which were doubles from Abbots Lake and following that up with the best of the week at 17lb 8oz from Monks Lake.

Dave Bond took three ghost carp for 37lb from Bishops Lake, two bream totalling 11lb 3oz while other anglers have caught rudd and roach to 2lb with bags of fish up to 30lb.

Carp taking most baits from Abbots Lake while big bags of tench, bream, crucians have come from Monks Lake. Popes Lake has been producing bags of 40lb of tench, crucians, skimmers and rudd with some chub and carp.

Sunday's match on Deacons was won by Dave Parvin with 63lb 8oz. Matthew Metcalfe was second with 54lb, while Les Beston was third with 47lb 8oz.

Witherington Farm Fishery staged an open match on Saturday and two local men took first and second places through Mark Cannings (72lb 3oz) and John Gray (66lb 4oz) who fished the inner lake of Snake Lake.

It is not only the coarse angler who has enjoyed good sport.

Trout fishermen have been taking advantage of an abundance of insect life which has brought trout on to the feed on both stillwaters and rivers.

At the new Chalke Valley Trout Fishery at Bishopstone, Norman Barter has seen a steady rise in the number of visitors who have found the morning, afternoon and evening rises much better thanks to the warmer weather.

Plenty of brown trout have come to the nets from this catch and release fishery.

Local angler Malc Pepperill has reached the final of the Nigel Turner Series after winning a qualifying round at Long-bridge over the weekend weighing-in 61lb 2oz.

Malc joins Paul Barnard, who qualified earlier, in the final.