A TOTAL of 27 anglers took part in a three-day festival of fishing at the Witherington Farm Fishery, near Alderbury, over the bank holiday weekend.

Two festivals were held side-by-side with the anglers fishing a different lake on each day, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. One competition was organised by Paul Barnard and the other by Mark Blake and the festival used Barnmoor, Sellwood and Cottage lakes.

Results of the festival will be given in next week's Rod and Line but organisers commented over the weekend that the warm and often sunny weather, made conditions pleasant and weights were quite good with over 90lb coming to one angler's net from Cottage Lake.

Pleasure anglers had the use of the two Snake lakes – outer and inner – and here, too, anglers found sport good with plenty of skimmers, carp and tench. One problem facing anglers, not just at Witherington Farm, but also at all other fisheries, is the warm weather has started many species spawning and they are less likely to be interested in food.

Witherington Farm's Barnmoor Lake did produce one of the biggest carp of the week when Leon Coade fished it on Friday. He banked a lovely carp of 31lb.

Heavyweight carp continue to be landed from the specimen lake at Watergate Farm Fishery, Bulford, and the fishery's day ticket lake is fishing well for carp and tench.

Anglers visiting Salisbury Angling Club's Nightingale Lake , near Wellow, which remains open all year, have enjoyed good sport with carp from 4lb up to 14lb and tench between 1lb and 2lb.

All five lakes at Waldens Farm Fishery are giving good sport with larger carp from Abbots and Bishops, quality tench and bream from Monks and the Match Lake as well as roach, rudd smaller carp and tench from Popes Lake.