AN explosion of small bream in the lower lake at Salisbury Angling Club's Petersfinger fishery delighted the club's match anglers at the weekend.

Few skimmers have been seen over the past couple of seasons or so, but Sunday's appearance of so many young bream shows that all is well and prospects for future seasons are promising.

Many of the palm-sized skimmers showed up in the nets of the 14 anglers who took part in the club match. Steve Trevett was the match winner with a lovely bag of small fish weighing 19lb 12oz, including 80 small roach and rudd and several skimmers, all on a whip. Paul Barnard was runner-up with 13lb 14oz, which included a larger 3lb bream, as well as smaller skimmers. There was a joint third placing for Lee Goodfellow and George Stainer with 12lb each, both landing 3lb-plus bream in their catches as well as the skimmers.

Lake anglers are enjoying good sport with bream, tench and carp coming to their nets. At Witherington Farm Fishery all lakes are fishing well and carp anglers have been landing some specimens over 20lb from Barnmoor Lake.

River anglers, however, are finding sport difficult with local rivers on the low side and waters crystal clear. Any chance of catching fish means fishing either soon after dawn before the sun appears or late evenings.

Salisbury Angling Club has again hosted a special day's fishing for injured servicemen and women at Tedworth House in Tidworth. The latest Fishing for Forces Day was held at the club's picturesque Nightingale Lake near Wellow and club members acted as teachers to assist those learning to fish, many for the first time. Lunch was provided by Rick Smith and his family and once again the day was a success for both the service personnel and the club. They are all pictured at the lakeside after the day.