THE new river season is now under way and anglers out to enjoy the opening few days found the river levels on the low side, crystal clear and with minimum flow.

Once again, the lower reaches of the Avon around Fordingbridge and Ringwood fished better than the upper stretches around the Salisbury area. Barbel to 12lb 6oz were caught from Ringwood and chub to just under 7lb from Winkton. Some big bream were also been caught from the Manor Farm stretch.

London AA members visiting their Britford fishery found that the main Avon stretch has been closed along its entire length – more than three miles – due to unsafe banks because of erosion and fencing too close to the river.

Remedial work is being carried out but there is no date yet when the old river stretch will reopen. Both the main carrier and the Navigation Channel, are open as usual, but the first few opening days proved hard going with bright conditions and low, clear water. A few roach were caught, the best at 1lb 8oz, some smallish chub and a few small carp.

Harnham Island, at the top of the fishery and the island at the lower end of the fishery are both open as usual.

Sport on the region’s lakes has been good with some huge bags caught. An inter-club competition between Salisbury, Eastleigh and Test Valley held at Dandy’s Ford Lane Fishery on Sunday saw some big bags. On the Match Lake the winner was Salisbury angler Paul Barnard, with 201lb 12oz followed by Eastleigh member, Paul White, with 134lb 10oz. On The Canal, the winner was Eastleigh’s Dave Moody with 62lb 12oz and Jem Turner (Eastleigh) was runner-up with 42lb 2oz. On the Lodge Lake, the winner was Test Valley’s Gary Wright with 54lb 5oz and Salisbury’s Colin Sellwood was second with 35lb 5oz.

Weights in excess of 210lb have won matches at Watergate Farm Fishery, Bulford, over the last fortnight, while pleasure anglers at the fishery have been banking bags of carp and tench to over 150lb in just a few hours fishing.

Carp well into double figures and big tench continue to be landed from Hucklesbrook and Spinaker Lakes near Ringwood and all lakes at Witherington Farm Fishery are giving pleasure anglers good sport with silver fish, carp and skimmers. A mid-week evening match on Sellwood Lake, was won with over 40lb.

Some larger bream and carp close to double figures, plus roach and rudd, can be expected from Waldens Farm Fishery where all five lakes are fishing well.