A FEW swims on the River Nadder came up trumps for Salisbury Angling Club's match anglers on Sunday.

Match organisers used a couple of new pegs and it paid off as both must have had fish shoaled up in them. Both were at Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury, one fished by Malc Pepperill and the other by Paul Coulbeck.

Pepperill took the honours on the day with a nice bag of 18 chub for 37lb 6oz using a stick float and maggot, while nearby, Coulbeck also used a stick and bagged up 17lb 12oz of dace. In third place was Marcus Crook, who fished the usual match-winning swim below Harnham Mill. He caught eight chub for a total weight of 13lb 8oz.

The match attracted 22 anglers and even though the river was very low and clear, the top three weights were better than expected, given the conditions. Elsewhere along the rivers Nadder and Avon, anglers have been struggling because of the very low water levels and the clarity of the water.

Further problems have been facing fishermen at the London AC's Britford fishery where minnows remain at plague proportions and predatory pike are everywhere, keeping fish on high alert and nervous. The fishery's waterkeeper and bailiff, Stuart Wilson, said it had been one of the most difficult fishing weekends he has know with some of the lowest river levels for years for this time of the year and minnows still feeding actively.

The cold wind has kept lake anglers indoors and many of the region's fisheries report low numbers of anglers and sport on the slow side.

Congratulations to Salisbury Angling Club's Roger Hunt who won the Country Sports award at Friday's prestigious Salisbury Journal Sports Awards. He won the award for his untiring work – supported by the angling club – to give injured servicemen and women from Tedworth House Recovery Centre the chance to get out into the countryside and learn all about angling and the aquatic world around our rivers and lakes. The club provides mentors and all the equipment and lays on a barbecue to round off the day.