Biggin Hill angler lands a big 'un

MORE than 30 anglers turned up for this year's traditional annual pike match staged on the Avon by the Wessex Salmon and Rivers Trust.

Riparian owners bet-ween Downton and Ring-wood opened up stretches of the lower and middle Avon and many of the anglers travelled considerable distances to have the chance to fish stretches which ordinarily would be closed to them.

The winner was Ian Woodnott-Miller with a magnificent 24lb 8oz pike (pictured, below) which was a personal best and one that made his journey from Biggin Hill worth- while.

In second place was Tony Phillips with a pike of 21lb and third was Dave Scutts with two fish total-ling 16lb 6oz.

The Trust is a registered charity and funds raised from the match will be devoted to the continuation of work aimed at the restoration of wild salmon stocks, which over recent years have been in severe decline. Anyone interested in the work of the Trust should contact John Slader on 01794 884736.

Another big pike has come from Waldens Farm Fishery after Doug Foot fished Bishops Lake.

Using a float-fished smelt he banked a lovely 19lb 2oz pike. It was one of six fish he caught, three of them doubles.

Three ghost carp, the best at 15lb and good bags of roach and chub have come from Abbots Lake, which has also produced several pike.

Monks Lake is fishing well on both banks for tench, crucians, carp and roach while Alan Turner fished Popes Lake and banked a 40lb bag made up of carp, tench and roach. Chub and individual carp to 10lb.

The warm sunshine over the weekend brought carp to the surface on Deacons Lake and they were prepared to take floaters. Bags of around 30lb were taken over the weekend made up of carp, tench, roach and skimmers.

Last week saw the end of the coarse season on rivers - and some lakes - and what a superb end-of-season time was had by several anglers.

The last few days on Salisbury Angling Club's stretches of the Avon saw four roach over 2lb landed, the biggest at 2lb 8oz.

But the biggest surprise was a bream and a tench, both weighing around 5lb, caught from the Avon in Salisbury.

Further downstream on the club's stretch near Fordingbridge, more bream were taken.

The club held its final match of the season at Steeple Langford on Sun-day but it was hard going after the overnight frost.

Winner was Andy Allen with 16lb 10oz. Steve Brown was second with a single fish, a 4lb 14oz tench.