with Roland Batten

Angling: SALISBURY Angling Club looks set to have a new mirror carp record after the capture of its first ever 30-pound plus carp from one of their waters.

Tommy Carley has landed a monster 30lb 1oz mirror and is awaiting ratification of the new record from club officials.

A few days ago a second big carp, tipping the scales at 29lb 8oz, was caught bringing the number from the lake this month to four.

At the beginning of September Steeple Lang-ford produced a mirror of 29lb 14oz and then another of 29lb 8oz, both record hopefuls until the 30-pounder was hauled out.

Anglers believe the use of high protein baits plus the introduction of frozen boilies with a high nutrition value may be the reason why carp are beginning to pile on the pounds.

It certainly has been a record-busting few days because Tisbury AC's long-standing perch record has been equalled by tackle boss Dave Moody.

Moody, who just a week or so ago set a new club crucian carp record at 2lb 15oz, fished the same swim on Wardour Lake at Tisbury and with the last cast of the day hooked into a 1lb 13oz perch.

The heavyweight match results of the last few weeks continued when Salisbury AC entertained Test Valley at Witherington Farm.

A total of 44 anglers competed with Salisbury angler Martin Rogers winning on Barnmoor Lake with 92lb 8oz. Second was Salisbury's Ian Goodfellow also on Barnmoor with 71lb 4oz and third for Test Valley was Dave Moody with 66lb.

At Waldens Farm Fishery anglers are catching plenty of pike up to 19lb from Bishops Lake with sea deadbaits the productive bait. The lake has also yielded some good carp to 17lb mainly to meat over pellet.

Pike to 15lb have also been taken from Abbots Lake and some carp from the boat pool end.

Dave Turner took five carp from 6lb 10oz to 17lb 5oz using banded pellet. But, the highlight of his bag was a 2lb 3oz roach.

Pleasure anglers are still finding Monks Lake the best for all-round fishing with bags of tench, bream, crucians, carp and rudd with some decent perch beginning to appear from the forest pegs.

Above the bridge chub, tench and roach have been taken.

The injection of heavy rain at the beginning of last week has improved Popes Lake, while on Deacons Lake Saturday's match saw Steve Rowe triumph with 57lb 10oz. Robbie McCul-len was second with 16lb 13oz while Ed Padgham took third with 16lb 8oz.

The local big fish water at New Forest Water Park between Fordingbridge and Ringwood continues to give anglers sport with big carp and over the last few days Mark Jury has reported one 30lb 5oz carp, two at 29lb and another at 27lb with most carp anglers taking between seven and 11 a day.

In addition some big roach are picking up boilie baits with several topping 2lb.

The Avon has produced an 11lb 9oz barbel from the weir section on the Life-lands stretch at Ringwood and close by another angler had a chub of 5lb 7oz.

A big carp has come from Longhouse Fishery at Teff-ont where visitors are taking bags up to 600lb a day.

The carp weighed 17lb 12oz and was one of dozens of carp caught on cat meat fished either on the pole or waggler from the productive Wood Lake. Plenty of small carp, roach and perch from Willow Lake although Round Pond has been quiet this week.