ASK any angler what would be his dream catch and more than likely the reply will be to catch a 2lb plus roach.

Great Somerford angler Mark Everard took a final trip at the end of the season to the Bristol Avon and finished the day with an outstanding catch of roach.

Fishing with a feeder rig with bread flake as hook bait and using liquidised bread to attract the fish, Everard finished with no fewer than four roach weighing over 2lb each.

His best fish tipped the scales at 2lb 2oz 4dm, two weighed 2lb 1oz 8dm and the fourth 2lb 8dm.

The Avon also produced a first ever barbel for David Bodman fishing the middle reaches of the river.

Bodman had been trying to catch his first barbel for some time and his catch came after eight fruitless trips.

Fishing with home made boilies with a leger rig, he took a fine fighting barbel weighing in at 10lb 2oz to realise his ambition.

New England manager Brian Turner is looking for disabled anglers to contact him if they believe they are good enough to represent England in the fifth World Championships to be fished in Italy on October 4 and 5.

Turner said: "Anyone interested has to be a member of a club affiliated to the National Federation of Anglers and of course they must be adept with pole and waggler techniques.

"It is my intention to hold selection matches on a water similar to the competition water to enable us to select the best team to leave the Championships with some medals."

If you want to try your luck then nominations must be received by the NFA no later than April 30 and should be marked for the attention of Brian Turner. Applications to NFA, Halli-day House, Egginton Junction, Derbyshire DE65 6GU.

The spring-like weather on Sunday did nothing to enhance the fishing on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Honeystreet for the Devizes open match, with competitors having to contend with numerous boats.

Adrian McTiffin, of Devizes AC, won with a mixed catch of bream, roach and skimmers weighing 5lb 14oz, taken on pole-fished pinkies fished over squats.

Similar tactics gave second prize to Abbey Lake matchman Matt Greaves with a mixed catch of roach and hybrids weighing 4lb 5oz. Chris Telling, of Devizes AC, was sixth with 2lb 7oz.

Carp dominated the Todber Manor opening match in the spring series at Todber Manor Lake on Saturday.

Todber Manor matchman Mark Lesley won with an all-carp catch weighing 44lb 10oz, taken on pole-fished red maggots on a 16 hook.

Mark Coombes, of Todber Manor, was second with another carp catch weighing 36lb 3oz, also taken on pole-fished red maggots. Ian Willetts, of Bradford, was sixth with 20lb 12oz.

Fish were hard to tempt in the Wilts Angling open fished at Avalon Fishery on Sunday.

Dean Adams, of Bradford, won with an all-carp catch weighing 18lb 9oz, taken on waggler-fished sweet corn on a 14 hook.

Paul Cooper, of Melksham, was second with another carp catch weighing 10lb, taken on waggler-fished sweet corn on a 14 hook. He was followed by Howard Adams, of Semington, with a carp catch weighing 6 lb 5 oz.

Other placings: 4 Terry Gatty, Melksham, 6lb 3oz; 5 Pete Neate, Holt, 3lb 11oz; 6 Steve Gardner, Chippen-ham, 3 lb 7 oz.