WHILE match weights on local lakes continue to be good, river anglers are struggling as low levels and crystal clear water make conditions difficult.

Salisbury Angling Club match members visited Test Valley AC on their Embley Lake on Sunday and came home with first and third places through Paul Barnard, with a mainly carp bag weighing 49lb 12oz and Steve Trevett with a lovely mixed bag of roach, bream and perch for 29lb 12oz. Test Valley took second spot with Gary Wright on 30lb 1oz.

Reid's Tackle held a mid-week open match on Cottage Lake at Witherington Farm Fishery and Gary Etheridge won the competition with 77lb 14oz. Darryl Meyers was second with 77lb 4oz and the close result continued with third-place Rich Yeo on 72lb 9oz. A weekend match on Sellwood Lake was won with 101lb but generally, match weights and pleasure anglers' bags are falling as the temperatures drop.

Dave Moody, boss of Reid's Tackle at Witherington Farm, said many of the carp are starting to shoal up as the water cools and fishing is slowly becoming more difficult. However, the fishery is pleased that one of its best-known resident fish, a white Koi carp in Barnmoor Lake, that has not been seen for some time, was caught a few days ago by carp enthusiast, Nigel Tapper, and returned safely at a new record high weight of 19lb.

Bailiff on the London AA fishery at Britford, Stuart Wilson, said at the moment conditions are difficult. The odd fish has been caught but anglers have to move from swim to swim and be careful in the clear, low water.

Slightly better reports from the Ringwood area, where Hucklesbrook Lake has started producing some of its big roach - two have been caught at 2lb 12oz and 2lb 4oz. From Manor Farm stretch an angler banked a 7lb 4oz chub and a 21lb pike was caught at Winkton. Some anglers have also found the odd shoal of roach and one or two have enjoyed catching bags of up to 25lb a visit but this has been a rarity rather than the norm.