Angling: Russell's French connection

Russell, of Boscombe Road, used semi-fixed rig with Nash bait on a 15lb line to amass some spectacular specimens.

He is pictured with the biggest fish of his trip - a 52.5lb mirror - but was also rewarded with mirrors of 47lb, 43lb, 42lb, 39lb, two 36lb's, 28lb and 22lb along with common carp of 22lb, 20.5lb, 18lb,17lb,16lb and a 15lb grass carp. Curious Clare lands Meadows monster

Billericay lass Clare Vanson is to get her own set of fishing tackle after landing a superb 22lb 8oz carp at Billericay's Lake Meadows.

Boyfriend Stuart Ball and pal Gary Eager had left Clare to look after their gear whilst they went to the tackle shop for some more bait.

To amuse herself whilst they were gone Clare cast out one of Stuart's rods, and minutes later found herself battling with the big carp.

By the time Stuart and Gary got back to the swim Clare had the fish at the bankside and was struggling to get it into their net single-handed!

Other anglers at the lake were quick to take advantage of the fact that both Stuart and Gary blanked on the day that Clare landed her big fish, and ribbed them unmercifully. The fact that they had both taken 20lb plus fish at the lake a few days earlier was conveniently forgotten!

Darren Heatley shared in the Lake Meadows action taking a superb common carp of 23lb 4oz. He took the fish from the point swim tempting it with an Activate boilie cast to the island.

Basildon's Gloucester Park Lake continues to produce hundred pound plus catches, although, thanks to the Easterly winds, fish were a little harder to tempt over the weekend.

However even the adverse conditions couldn't stop the husband and wife team of John and Vin Bell enjoying a tremendous session when they fished at Gloucester Park's tench point on Sunday.

Using pole tactics John netted an estimated hundred pound haul of tench, crucians and carp. Despite being broken by seven big carp which proved too much for her light pole gear Vin put together a very respectable bag herself.

Vin and John Bell took this haul at Gloucester Park's tench point Extremely good from Kipling

Carp anglers have been taking some tremendous catches at Gloucester Park, although none could compete with 15-year-old Rob Kipling who landed 21 carp over the weekend.

Fishing the big bay he included a personal best mirror carp of 19lb in his haul. The big common fell to a homemade boilie supplied by Geordie Cator who also landed numerous fish into double figures.

John Bryant and Steve Powell had a surprise when they fished the water's little bay. Despite the fact that John was using float fished bread whilst Steve ledgered trout pellet they both found themselves playing the same fish!

At first they thought they had hooked different specimens, but when the 16lb 14oz mirror came to the net they were amazed to find that it had both hooks in its mouth. Ton-up Dave

Basildon's Dave Hemmings put together another huge Gloucester Park haul taking 74 fish for 131lb 10oz.

Dave's big catch consisted mainly of tench, although he included the odd bream, crucian, carp, barbel, chub and roach in his catch. Top debut for Daniel

Daniel Barnard christened his new float rod in style when he fished an evening session at the Gloucester Park incoming sluice.

After taking a number of tench on float fished luncheon meat, he then successfully landed a new personal best mirror carp of 15lb on just 3lb line!

Other carp catches taken during the week include a four fish haul for Andy Marshall. His three biggest fish scaling 10lb 2oz, 12lb 4oz, and 14lb 2oz, were all taken in a period of less than an hour! Companion Chris Strutt also got amongst the action landing nine carp to a best of 12lb 8oz. Doggett's tench wormed out

Rochford's's Doggetts lake has been fishing well this week with tench, bream and carp providing the mainstay of sport. On past evidence, bread corn and worm hookbaits with a popular groundbait feeder are bringing in the best results.

Peter Stapleton fished the back pool for a couple of hours and was pleased with his five tench and single perch. Peter reported that sport was non-stop and he lost as many fish as he landed.

After a successful session the week before, Paul Bennett revisited the lake to fish the north bank with float-fished worm.

His session resulted in a 25lb bag, most of which was landed early in the day, and consisted of six tench, a single bream and a perfect 4lb common.

Peter Walker found the feeder method to be productive from the long arm when he landed a nice mixed bag of tench and bream.

Andrew Mathew lent his support to the carp fishing fraternity by using boilies to take two specimens: a mirror of 13.5lb and a 9lb common.

Lake regular Lee Jackson, also fishing boilies, landed more tench than he bothered to count plus three mirror carp of 12.5lb, 14.5lb plus a hard-fighting 20.6lb fish. After a long battle Lee was very disappointed to lose what could have been his best fish from Doggetts.

Now that the weed is no longer a problem at the Rochford water quite a few pike anglers have been enjoying reasonable sport with a plug

Alan Parker, from Westcliff, landed two pike of 10.5lb and 11.5lb on deadbaits from the east bank.

Well known junior angler John Hierons landed seven tench from the north bank with his boilie tempter.

Meanwhile, Hadleigh reservoir continues to provide its anglers with quality fish, proving that the fish prefer the strong winds blowing across the water.

Feeder methods are still producing roach and good bream - few of which are under 5lb.

Best catch as this testing water goes to Malcolm Read who had six fish to 24lb during a six-hour session.

What a mix-up - Paul Bennett displays his mixed bag from Rochford's Doggetts fishery Quality fish all round

Estuary Strikers' junior anglers held their latest match at Hockley Angling club's day ticket water with all 18 anglers taking some quality fish.

Ross Ellis took the day's honours with a winning weight of 20lb 40z. Ian Patterson took 17lb 40z of fish for second spot.

Chris Partridge came third with 15lb 8oz. Chris also landed the biggest fish of the day - a mirror carp of 4lb 7oz. Unfortunately, many bigger fish were lost due to some of the anglers lack of experience.

Alan Smith came fourth after taking a 13lb 9oz catch. Fishing bites

Bait and Tackle Centre's first evening match will be next Monday, fishing will be from 6.00pm to 11.30pm and entries must be in before 6pm on the evening. Phone 01702 617764 for more information .

The NFSA Guernsey Qualifier will be held on the pier on July 17, from 1-7pm. Entry will be £1 plus pools. Phone John Fallen on 01268 772846 for more information.

A reminder that the Thames Estuary Open Boat Specimen Hunt is on this Sunday. Entry fee is £6 with fishing from 7.30am-7.30pm. You can pre-book at the TEAC Club tomorrow at 8pm. For more information phone 01702 618654. Lol doesn't flounder

Eighty-three anglers fished the Leigh and Westcliff pier open on Sunday in cold conditions.

Lol Hooper won with 12 flounders for 3.49kg to win £130 plus pools. Second was Eddy Fulford with eight flounders and one garfish for 2.85kg. Top pairs were Lol and Trevor Hooper with a combined weight of 4.04kg. Tom takes the spoils in Lobster's monthly test

Eleven boats with 59 anglers on board took to the water for Lobster Smack Angling Club's monthly competition.

The day's spoils went to Tom Hanley who, aboard Island Girl, took a brace of smoothound and a single skate for a winning weight of 6.18kg.

Second spot went to Ernie Gaylor, aboard Lady Sylvia, with three skate for 5.86kg. Peter Glen, aboard Sea Wolf, came third after taking a flounder and 10 eels totalling 5.10kg.

In the Ladies section, honours went to Gay Dolphin crew member Sally Wood, who took a brace of flounders for 2.42kg.

Second place went to Nicola Saunders, aboard Island Girl, with a single skate weighing 2.20kg. Tina Dickens, aboard Fyke, took third with two flounders and an eel scaling 1.02kg.

Paul Wood won the junior section after he caught two flounders and an eel for .86kg. He was closely followed by Grant Dickens with two flounders for .78kg.

Biggest fish of the day went to Dave Newell, aboard the Catfish, with a skate of 3.42kg. Richard's rainbow reward

Southend fly specialist Richard Todd has been back in action at Hanningfield's trout fishery.

Richard, who won the Hanningfield Pro-Am back in late March with a 10lb specimen, seems to have a knack of finding the big fish as he landed a terrific 19lb 10.5oz rainbow from near the cages.

However, Richard was just as surprised as the fish itself when his boobie tempter was taken: "I thought my hook had caught my anchor rope or maybe some heavy weed," said Richard.

"I was just trying to bring my fast-sinking line back up for another cast when, all of a sudden, the line was pulled back down.

"It was then I knew I had something really big, I just had to take my time and ease the hard-fighting fish to my net."

The huge specimen is believed to be the third largest rainbow trout landed in the UK so far this season.

Gotcha - Southend's Richard Todd displays his near 20lb rainbow trout taken at Hanningfield reservoir Conditions round-up

Southend boats

Southend Boats travelling up river have been finding flounders and eels as their mainstay on the occasions when it has been too windy to venture any further.

Those that did manage to get out during the short-lived finer conditions have discovered more small bass and smoothounds in the usual marks.

Trevor Crawley fared best when two anglers chartered his boat, Girl Mandy, and took over 13 bass to 6lb on ragworm along with several decent smoothounds.

Southend beaches

More eels are starting to show on night tides plus the normal flounders and a few small bass. After dark provides the best action.

Southend Pier

Pier anglers have been experiencing patchy flounder fishing and less garfish during the last week.

The good news is the return of the shad with fair numbers of what are still small fish. These need to be returned as they are still classified as rare.

At the head of the pier there are enough small bass to keep the bass angler active.

River Crouch

Still fair numbers of small bass and smoothounds from the boats.

Along the shore one or two more bass are being reported along with a few eels.

Gravesend, Tilbury and Stanford

Plenty of eels being caught from the Thurrock marks with a few soles also being taken from further up the river towards London.

River Blackwater

On Sunday, when the boats could get out, John Rook, fishing aboard the Misty Blue, had several roker to 10lb plus several small bass.

The Kingfisher also made the news in angling circles by taking a 32lb stingray.

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.