JUST for a few days, during the last week, anglers enjoyed some of the best sport for many weeks after a series of torrential downpours.

Rivers had slightly more depth and some colour tinted the water after being gin-clear for much of the autumn.

Bob Bacon had one of his best days for a long time when he fished the carrier stretch at London AA’s Britford fishery. He bagged nine chub, the best at 5lb 7oz, seven roach to 1lb 8oz and some dace up to 8oz, all caught on the feeder. On the same fishery, but from the Harnham Island, another angler had 32lb of roach to 1lb 14oz. Grayling and chub were also caught from the lower section of the main river below the weir.

But, by the start of this week, river levels had started to drop, the water started clearing and sport began to slow down and become difficult again.

Salisbury Angling Club fished their club match on their Avon stretch from Stratford-sub-Castle into the city on Sunday, and the river was still in reasonable form but it was not easy – some swims had fish, others had none. The match attracted 28 anglers and some blanked. John Nuttall was one of the lucky ones with fish in his swim and he landed four chub for 8lb 14oz from the top field. Dave Docherty was runner-up with 8lb 10oz of roach, one perch and some gudgeon and Malcolm Stubbs was third with 8lb 4oz, made up of three chub and some smaller roach.

The biggest roach caught during the week in the region came from the Avon at Fordingbridge Park, weighing 2lb whilst Ringwood AC’s river section near the town yielded the week’s best chub at 7lb. But, just like in the Salisbury area upstream, sport is patchy, with some areas producing a few fish other swims yielding nothing.

Lake fishing has been little better with only a few anglers turning out. Those visiting Witherington Farm Fishery have caught silver fish but weights are down with the matches at the fishery producing winning weights of between 20lb and 30lb.