Gloucester Park regular Geoff Byatt weighed in five carp totalling 27lb 5oz to take a clear win at the latest Gloucester Park Open.

Geoff fished the first peg in the canal stretch to take his fish on luncheon meat, fished under a waggler. He also lost a good fish which came adrift at the net.

Second place went to Kevin Williams with a 15lb 14oz mixed catch from the bear pit. Kevin's catch consisted of a few tench and quality roach, plus a decent carp that he landed in the last 15 minutes of the match.

Third place went to James Harris with 9lb 2oz. James fished the big bay where he landed seven tench and a big roach. His fish all fell to double red maggot and quivertip tactics.

The next Gloucester Park Open will take place this coming Sunday. Match entry is £6 with a 100 per cent pools payout.

The usual day ticket will also be payable on the bank. Competitors should meet at the western end of the island at 7.15am for a 7.30am walk off. Fishing time will be 8.30am till 2pm and bloodworm and joker are both barred.

For more information ring Mick Toomer on 01268 282317.

In other recent events, a fine 12lb pike rewarded Basildon angler Rob Reed with the first prize at the Northlands Park Pike Open.

Rob took the fish on a ledgered smelt from the cafe lake. It was his second win in the last four pike matches. Last time he dropped his prize-winning fish back in the lake as the photographer was about to take his picture. This time he held on tighter and made no such mistake.

Second place went to Brian Peck with a pike of 7lb 2oz. Brian fished the cafe lake where he landed the seven-pounder and two slightly smaller specimens. Third place went to Terry Rance with a specimen of 5lb 8oz, followed by Mick Peck Snr with a fish of 4lb 5oz.

The next Northlands Park Pike Open takes place on January 30. In this match, the prizes will be awarded by total weight rather than the biggest individual fish. More details next week.

Pleasure anglers have also been taking pike into double figures at Northlands Park. Lady angler Una Farrell was particularly successful, landing a specimen of 12lb 8oz.

It was her first trip to the lake, and her first ever attempt at pike fishing!

In the net - Geoff Byatt shows off his monster Gloucester park match-winning haul

(Left) So near - Gloucester Park runner-up Kevin Williams shows off one of his impressive haul

(Below right)Hold on tight - Rob Reed won the Northlands Park Pike Open with this magnificent 12-pounder

Pike shock

The sight of a 3 jack pike in the throat of his catch did little to dampen the enthusiasm of Derek Warder as he fished the back pool at Doggetts Fishery, Rochford.

Once the partially-digested fish had been removed, the Shoebury angler was still left with an impressive 21lb pike, caught on float-fished roach.

Laindon's Phil Thompson also did well at Doggetts when he landed a 18lb pike from the long arm.

Les honour

Sunday's five-hour match at Hockley Angling Club's day ticket water produced some excellent weights for those taking part.

Organised by the Lobster Smack Angling Team, the event saw Les Wisbeech take first place with a haul of 62lb 12oz. Most of Les's catch were carp taken on the pole.

Second place went to Bob Burton, who landed a 29lb 9oz catch, while Dave Earlding's 28lb 4oz bag was enough to secure third place.

Nudd date

World champion angler Bob Nudd will be the star attraction at an event for fishermen next month.

The four-time global king will be at the Freight House in Bradley Way, Rochford, on February 4 at the Anglers World Holidays roadshow.

Bob will be joined by Des Taylor and the pair will be on stage to answer questions and give the audience the benefit of their skills and experience.

The roadshow gets under way at 7.30pm.

Mild winter brings out roker in abundance

There is growing evidence of increasing numbers of roker from marks well down.

A 14lb fish was caught by Dean Edwards of the Euston Railway club on Colin Bond's boat, Skerry Belle. This development is not unusual for a mild winter such as this.

Best baits for the codling: squid-tipped lugworm; and for the roker, lumps of herring or squid.

Skates rolling in

Three Southend-based private boats found good sport near the mark at the weekend, according to the Jetty Anglers tackle shop on the seafront.

Anglers on one vessel landed 27 skate, while their colleagues on another caught 17 skate, including a 15-pounder, and six cod, with the best one weighing in at 6lb.

The third boat's fishermen bagged 20 other fish, including skate up to 14lb. All the anglers were using squid as bait.

Conditions round-up

Southend boats

Most boats report a few codling and small fish. The best reported catch of the increased roker so far is 12, aboard Colin Bond's boat. Up river, there is plenty of small whiting, dabs and flounders.

Southend pier

From the shore side, there are reports of plenty of flounders, with one angler apparently landing 24, but there is very little from the end of the pier.

Southend beaches

Alex Campbell and two friends fished Peter Pan's with better success this week, landing 16 flounders, six plaice and a few small whiting.

River Crouch

Only worth fishing if you can get right out in the Barrows, where you find codling.

River Blackwater

The best area, with up to 15 cod a day being caught. There is also a few roker, with the best reported being a 12lb one on John Rook's boat, Misty Blue. Inside and outside the river there are small whiting and dabs to be caught.

West Mersea

Dave Weaving reports up to 15 cod a day up to 11lb, plus the best roker so far this year of 14lb.

Stanford

There are plenty of flounders to be caught on maddies, lug and ragworm. Charlie Keating had 20 last Friday and Rick Hodson had 14 yesterday.

Canvey, Tilbury, Gravesend

> There are flounders from the soft mud marks and a few small codling have been reported in Gravesend.

North Kent Coast

Most fishing is in the rivers, with plenty of small fish in the form of rockling, bass, pouting and codling.

Thamesmead, Erith

Only a few flounders have been caught, but there are possibly more for the experienced angler.

Walton, Frinton

Very little to report from the shore and the boats are getting a few cod from further out marks.

News

Local boat skipper Dave Godwin is planning to run trips between 6pm and 10pm when the fishing improves. He is also hoping to run open competitions. Anyone interested can contact Dave on 01702 308043.

Sea round-up

Contact< Bait and Tackle's Ray Power on 01702 617764

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.