A SLIGHT rise in temperature, a change of wind direction and, all of a sudden, sport improves, as anglers have been finding out over the past week.

Salisbury Angling Club’s match on the River Nadder on Sunday was one of the best for several months and, although not all the competitors caught large bags, most had something in their nets. The three top anglers certainly found shoals of hungry chub and between them banked around 100lb of chub.

Ian Heydon took the honours with 16 chub weighing a total of 38lb 12oz, Steve Brown was close behind with 18 chub for 32lb and in third place was Steve Trevett with 12 chub for 23lb 8oz. The river had only a slight colour and was still flowing fairly fast, so conditions were good.

Downstream at the Britford fishery the Avon and its tributaries were also clearing of colour and with a good depth, fish were feeding. Geoff Hayter had a good day trotting the upper stretches of the main river hauling in around 40lb of dace plus some grayling. Steve Tubbs fished the island and bagged several good chub plus a handful of roach. The fishery’s carrier stretch has been producing chub and a few roach but some swims are still being plagued by shoals of minnows.

Pike angler, Luke Kosak, visited Salisbury Angling Club’s White Horse fishery on the Avon at Downton, and caught several pike, the best a whopping 19lb 8oz.

The better weather brought out more visitors to Witherington Farm Fishery and they found fish more eager to feed than of recent weeks. Skimmers and silver fish have been caught as well as a few carp, the best an 18lb common from Barnmoor Lake. A silver fish match on Barnmoor mid-week was won by Gary Etheridge with 28lb.